If you’re running partnerships and want to actually see results—not just shuffle spreadsheets—this guide is for you. Managing partner accounts can get tangled fast. If you’re using Reveal to get your ecosystem working together, but aren’t sure how to set up or wrangle your partner accounts, you’re in the right spot. We’ll skip the fluff and walk through exactly what works, what’s confusing, and what you can safely ignore.
Let’s get your Reveal partner accounts running without the headaches.
Why bother with partner accounts in Reveal?
Here’s the deal: Reveal is built to help you and your partners share intel, spot overlaps, and take action—not just collect more data. Setting up partner accounts right means you can:
- Share relevant pipeline info without oversharing.
- Actually see which partners are moving the needle.
- Avoid wasting time with partners who never engage.
If your “partner” accounts are just a mess of outdated contacts and dead weight, you’re not alone. But with a little setup, Reveal can help sort that out.
Step 1: Get your basics in order
Before you dive into clicking buttons in Reveal, save yourself some headaches:
- Gather your partner list: Who do you actually want to connect with? Not every “partner” needs a Reveal account—just those you’re actively working with or want to track.
- Know your internal roles: Decide who on your team manages partnerships and who needs access. Too many cooks makes for confusion.
- Clean up your CRM data: Garbage in, garbage out. If your accounts and contacts are a mess, Reveal will just mirror that chaos.
- Decide on what you’ll share: Reveal is powerful, but only if you set boundaries. Figure out what data you’re comfortable showing and what’s off-limits.
Pro tip: If you’re just testing, start with one or two trusted partners, not everyone at once. You’ll spot issues faster.
Step 2: Set up your Reveal organization
If your company isn’t already on Reveal, you’ll need to get your space set up. Here’s how:
- Sign up or log in: Go to your Reveal dashboard and sign in. If your company doesn’t have an account, start one—just use your work email.
- Connect your CRM: Reveal supports Salesforce, HubSpot, and a few others. Follow their wizard to sync your accounts and pipeline data.
- If your CRM is a mess, pause and clean it up first. It’s worth it.
- Check your permissions: Make sure you (or whoever’s leading this) have admin rights in Reveal. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck waiting for someone else to approve changes.
What doesn’t work: Trying to wing it without admin access or a clean CRM. You’ll spend more time untangling things than making progress.
Step 3: Add and invite partners
This is the meat of the process. Here’s how to create and manage partner accounts in Reveal:
3.1 Find your partner (or invite them)
- Search for an existing partner: In Reveal, go to the “Partners” tab. Use the search bar to see if your partner is already using Reveal.
- If they’re there, great—you can send a connection request.
- Invite a new partner: If they’re not on Reveal yet, you’ll need to invite them.
- Click “Invite a partner” and enter their business email. Don’t use generic emails (like gmail) if you can avoid it—Reveal prefers company domains.
Honest take: Some partners will drag their feet on signing up. That’s normal. Don’t nag endlessly; just move on to the ones who are ready.
3.2 Set up the partnership
Once they accept:
- Define the relationship: Choose the type of partnership (co-sell, referral, etc.), but don’t get bogged down in labels. It’s mostly for your tracking.
- Set sharing rules: Decide what info you’ll show—overlapping accounts, pipeline, or just basic contact info.
- Be conservative at first. You can always open things up later, but it’s hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
- Assign internal owners: Pick someone on your team to “own” the relationship. If everyone’s responsible, no one is.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over filling in every field. The important thing is that both sides can see and act on relevant accounts.
Step 4: Manage partner accounts and connections
Setting up is just the start. Here’s how to keep things from getting messy:
4.1 Review connections regularly
- Check for inactive partners: If a partner hasn’t logged in or responded in months, don’t be afraid to disconnect or downgrade them.
- Update sharing settings: As relationships change, revisit what you’re sharing. Less is often more.
4.2 Handle partner requests
- Accept/decline wisely: Not every connection is worth making. If a random company wants access to your data, ask yourself if there’s real value.
- Control visibility: Use Reveal’s controls to limit what different partners can see. There’s no prize for oversharing.
4.3 Remove or edit partner accounts
- To edit: Find the partner in your dashboard, hit “settings” or “edit partnership,” and adjust as needed.
- To remove: There’s usually a “remove partner” or “disconnect” button. Use it if the partnership is over or never took off.
Pro tip: Document why you disconnect or edit a partner. Future you (or your replacement) will thank you.
Step 5: Troubleshooting common headaches
Even with a slick tool like Reveal, things can go sideways. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Data mismatches: If your CRM and your partner’s CRM don’t match (different account names, missing fields), overlaps may not show up. Sometimes it’s easier to sync naming conventions before inviting partners.
- Privacy worries: Some partners get nervous about sharing pipeline info. Start with account overlaps only, and remind them they choose what to share.
- Too many notifications: Tweak your notification settings. Otherwise, your inbox will drown.
- Unresponsive partners: If a partner never accepts or goes dark, don’t chase forever. Focus on the ones who engage.
Step 6: Make the most of your partnerships
Now that you’ve got accounts set up, don’t just let them sit there. A few ways to get real value:
- Schedule regular check-ins: Use Reveal data to prep for partnership calls. Bring real overlap stats, not just “how’s it going?”
- Flag promising overlaps: If you spot a shared account with potential, reach out to your partner’s rep directly (Reveal can help with intros).
- Review and prune: Every quarter or so, review your partner list. Remove dead weight and double down on what’s working.
Ignore: Fancy dashboards that nobody looks at. Focus on the handful of metrics and partners that actually impact your pipeline.
Summary: Keep it simple and stay ruthless
Setting up and managing partner accounts in Reveal isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of discipline. Start small, only add partners you’re actually working with, and don’t be afraid to limit what you share. Most of all, keep your partner list tidy—quality beats quantity every time. Iterate, prune, and make Reveal work for you. That’s how you actually drive results, not just more busywork.