Understanding reverse rewards

If you have worked with commissions before, you probably know the word clawback: money that was already paid out is recovered because the result behind it did not hold. In Keen, that correction is called a reverse reward.

A reverse reward is a new reward line with a negative amount that recovers a reward you have already paid. The original paid reward is never edited or unlocked. Keen records the correction next to it, so the history of what was paid and what was recovered stays intact for both companies.

What a reverse reward is

When a reward reaches the Paid status, it locks. Its amount, date, and channel can no longer change. The lock is deliberate: a paid reward is a financial record, and rewriting it would make past reports disagree with what actually moved between you and your partner.

So Keen corrects a paid reward by adding to the record rather than rewriting it. A reverse reward is an ordinary reward with three differences:

• It is marked as reversed, so reward reports count corrections separately from new earnings.
• It carries a negative amount, by default the exact opposite of the reward it recovers.
• It links back to the original reward, so you can always see which payout the correction belongs to.

If you are used to the words clawback, commission clawback, or reversal, they all describe the same idea. Reverse reward is simply what Keen calls it.

When to reverse instead of editing or cancelling

Reversing is only for rewards you have already paid. Which tool you reach for depends on the status of the reward:

• New reward, Accepted, Cancelled, or Error: the reward is still unpaid. Change its amount or date, set the status to Cancelled, or delete it. No reversal is needed.
• Paid: the reward is locked. Register a reverse reward to recover it.

Common reasons to reverse a paid reward:

• The deal was refunded, cancelled, or fell through after the reward was paid.
• The reward was calculated on the wrong deal value and the partner was overpaid.
• The reward went to the wrong partner.
• Two overlapping reward workflows paid for the same result.

What happens when you reverse a reward

The rules

• Only rewards with the Paid status can be reversed.
• A reward can only be reversed once.
• A reverse reward cannot itself be reversed.
• Only owners and admins of the company can register a reverse reward.
• The reversal recovers the full amount of the original reward.

Where the correction lands

The reverse reward enters the report for the period in which you create it, not the period of the original reward. If you reverse a reward in March that was paid in January, the correction appears in the March report. This keeps settled reports intact and matches the order in which the money actually moves.

From there the reversal follows the normal path. It is reviewed and approved like any other reward line, and it locks once it is settled. Reward reports count the negative amount into their totals, so a report's outstanding amount can turn negative when the partner owes money back. If the report for that period was already settled, it moves to Adjustments pending so your team can see that something new arrived.

Reverse a paid reward

1. Open Rewards from the sidebar, or open the lead the reward belongs to.
2. Open the reward you need to correct. A paid reward shows the Paid status with a lock.
3. Select Reverse reward.
4. Read the confirmation and confirm. Keen creates the reverse reward immediately and leaves the original untouched.
5. Open Reports and find the report for the current period. The reversal appears there as a negative line.
6. Review, approve, and settle the reversal the same way you handle any other reward line.

You can do the same from a lead. Open the lead, find the paid reward in its rewards list, and select Create reversed reward.

Reversing rewards from a workflow

Corrections can also be automated. The Cancel or Reverse Reward action looks at the rewards for a lead and does the right thing for each one: unpaid rewards are cancelled, and paid rewards are reversed.

This fits situations where a lead moves back out of a rewarded status, for example when a won deal is later marked as lost. You choose the lead, which reward workflow's rewards to consider, and how far back to look.

The action follows exactly the same rules as the manual path, so a paid reward still produces a reverse reward rather than an edit. Start with the manual flow until you trust the automation, and check the workflow's runs after the first few corrections.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Trying to edit or unlock a paid reward instead of reversing it.
• Reversing a reward that was never paid, when cancelling or deleting it is simpler.
• Expecting the correction to appear in the original reward's report period.
• Assuming a reversal moves money. It records the correction, and your team still settles it.
• Registering a correction the partner has not heard about.

Reverse reward checklist

Before you reverse a paid reward, confirm that:

• the reward really is Paid, and not only accepted or awaiting approval;
• you are an owner or admin on the company;
• the whole reward should be recovered, not part of it;
• the partner knows the correction is coming and why;
• your finance contact expects the correction in the current period's report;
• someone will review, approve, and settle the reversal like any other line.

A reverse reward should never be a surprise. Agree on the correction with your partner first, register it in Keen so the record matches reality, and let it run through the same review your other rewards already follow.

Related reading

• Understanding and setting up reward workflows covers how rewards are issued in the first place.
• Managing a Partnership in Keen After Setup covers reward reports and the ongoing review rhythm.