If you’re working in sales or partnerships, you know the drill: leadership wants numbers—specifically, how partners are helping move deals. You’ve got Partnered lined up as your tool, but tracking and reporting “partner influenced pipeline” can quickly go off the rails if you’re not careful. This guide is for operators who want the real best practices—no fluff, no wild goose chases, just what you need to get meaningful, honest data out of your partner program.
Why partner influenced pipeline matters (and how it gets messy)
Before we get into the nuts and bolts, let’s get one thing straight: partner influenced pipeline is a metric that shows how your ecosystem is helping bring in or close deals—even if the partner didn’t deliver the lead directly. It’s a great way to prove the value of your partner program.
The problem? It’s way too easy to fudge the numbers, get lost in subjective definitions, or, worse, let every deal claim “partner influence.” If you don’t set clear rules and stick to them, your pipeline reports become a joke—and no one trusts them.
That’s where Partnered comes in. It can help automate, standardize, and surface partner interactions in your pipeline, but only if you set it up thoughtfully.
Step 1: Get clear on what “partner influenced” really means
This is the single most important step. Without a clear, shared definition, your numbers are just noise.
Here’s what works: - Write it down. Literally write out a one-sentence definition and share it with everyone. - Be specific. “Partner influenced” means a partner did something that helped a deal progress—like making an intro, sharing intel, or joining a sales call. - Set boundaries. Not every friendly chat counts. Define what doesn’t qualify, too.
Example definition:
“A deal is partner influenced if a named partner provided actionable information, an introduction, or active sales support that demonstrably moved the deal forward, as logged in Partnered.”
What to ignore: - “Partner exists in the same country.” (Useless.) - “Partner commented in Slack once.” (No impact = no credit.) - Anything you can’t tie to a specific deal stage or outcome.
Pro tip: If you’re arguing about whether a deal was influenced, your definition is too vague.
Step 2: Set up Partnered for reliable, auditable tracking
Partnered can automate a lot, but it’s not a mind reader. Garbage in, garbage out.
Do this: - Integrate with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.). Don’t let deals live in silos. - Map partner activities to pipeline stages. Make sure actions (like intros, intel shares) are logged at the right time in the sales process. - Create required fields. For example: “Partner Name,” “Type of Influence,” and “Date.” - Document the process. Write a quick guide for your reps on how and when to log partner influence.
Avoid: - Relying on manual notes in random fields. These never get updated. - Letting reps “catch up” at the end of the quarter. (You’ll get wishful thinking, not truth.) - Overcomplicating with dozens of influence types. Keep it simple: intro, intel, or direct involvement.
Pro tip: Use automation rules in Partnered to ping reps if a deal with partner involvement isn’t properly logged. The less you rely on memory, the better.
Step 3: Align with partners on what gets reported
If you’re reporting numbers to your partners—or worse, co-selling—you need to be on the same page. Misaligned reporting leads to finger-pointing and inflated claims.
Best practices: - Share your definition and process with partners. Ask for their input, but don’t let them expand the definition just to grab more credit. - Agree on evidence. Decide what counts as proof—email threads, meeting notes, or Partnered logs. - Set expectations up front. No one likes surprises at QBRs.
What doesn’t work: - Letting partners retroactively claim influence on closed deals. - Reporting “influenced” pipeline without any documentation.
Pro tip: It’s better to under-report and build trust than over-report and get called out.
Step 4: Build reports that people actually use
No one needs a 12-tab spreadsheet or a dashboard that takes five minutes to load. Focus on what your sales and leadership teams care about.
Your core report should answer: - Which deals were partner influenced? - What type of influence happened? - How did it impact win rates, deal size, or velocity? - Which partners are consistently helping?
To do this in Partnered: - Custom fields: Make sure your partner influence data is structured—so you can filter and group by partner, deal stage, or outcome. - Visualizations: Use simple charts (bar, pie, funnel) to show the data at a glance. - Regular cadence: Pull and share reports monthly or quarterly. Don’t let it go stale.
Skip: - Reporting every single partner touchpoint. It’s noise. - Vanity metrics (“partner touched 70% of pipeline!”) that don’t connect to real outcomes.
Step 5: Review, audit, and improve
You’ll get things wrong at first. That’s normal. What matters is catching mistakes early and tightening your process.
How to keep yourself honest: - Audit random deals regularly. Do the logs line up with reality? Can you find evidence? - Ask for feedback. Sales and partner managers usually know when something smells fishy. - Update your definition and process as needed. If people are confused or gaming the system, fix it.
What to ignore: - Chasing “perfect” data. It doesn’t exist. Aim for “good enough to trust.” - Blaming the tool. Most tracking issues are people/process problems, not software bugs.
Pro tip: The best programs document what didn’t work, so future hires don’t repeat the same mistakes.
Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)
- Over-inflation: If every deal suddenly becomes “partner influenced,” you’ve lost the plot. Stick to your definition.
- Under-reporting: Sales reps forget, or partners don’t log activities. Use reminders and automation.
- Data silos: If Partnered isn’t connected to your CRM, your reports won’t be trusted.
- Subjective calls: If influence is being debated after the fact, make your criteria even clearer.
Summary: Keep it simple, stay honest, iterate
Tracking and reporting partner influenced pipeline isn’t rocket science, but it does require discipline. Start with a clear definition, use Partnered to automate as much as you can, and don’t let the process get bogged down in busywork or politics. Keep your reports straightforward, audit regularly, and refine as you go. That’s how you get numbers everyone can trust—and that actually help your partner program grow.