The registration test
Classification comes down to sequence. Compare the partner's deal registration timestamp against the first logged activity from your own team on that account. Earlier partner registration means sourced. Existing rep activity means influenced.
That test only works if both timestamps are captured automatically. Manual classification during quarter-end review produces whatever answer benefits the person filling in the field.
| Scenario | Partner action | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Partner introduces a net-new account | Registration before any rep activity | Sourced |
| Partner joins an active deal to handle implementation scoping | Registration after opportunity creation | Influenced |
| Partner co-sells into an account already in your outbound sequence | Registration after first rep touch | Influenced |
| Partner renews and expands their own installed base account | Registration on a customer account | Sourced expansion, reported separately |
Why the labels control money
Referral fees, margin tiers, and partner manager compensation attach to sourced deals. Every misclassified influenced deal pays out on revenue your direct team generated, and the leakage stays invisible because both categories appear in the same pipeline report.
The reverse failure costs more over time. When partners see genuinely sourced deals reclassified as influenced after your reps get involved, registration participation drops and the next qualified referral goes to a competitor. The classification rule protects the program more than it protects the budget.
Report them on separate lines
Never add sourced and influenced together into a single partner contribution number. Influenced pipeline is always the larger figure because it includes every deal a partner touched at any point, and combining them produces a total that no one can reconcile against bookings.
Publish four numbers each quarter: partner-sourced pipeline created, partner-sourced closed won, partner-influenced pipeline, and win rate on partner-touched deals against direct deals. That last comparison is the one that justifies partner investment, because it shows whether partner involvement changes outcomes rather than just appearing alongside them.
Feed both lines into pipeline coverage by source so the forecast reflects where the quarter's revenue actually originates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What test separates partner-sourced from partner-influenced?
Registration timing against your own first activity on the account. If the partner registered the deal before any rep touched the account, it is sourced. If your team was already working the account when the partner engaged, it is influenced. Store both the registration timestamp and the first activity timestamp on the opportunity so the classification is evidence rather than opinion.
Why does the distinction matter financially?
Because referral fees and margin usually attach to sourced deals only. Misclassifying an influenced deal as sourced pays a fee on revenue your team created. Misclassifying repeatedly damages the partner relationship in the other direction, since partners who genuinely source deals stop trusting the process and take the next lead elsewhere.
Can one opportunity be both partner-influenced and marketing-sourced?
Yes, and that combination is common. Sourcing is a single exclusive label naming who opened the account. Influence is a non-exclusive label that several teams can hold on the same deal. Report one source per opportunity and allow multiple influence flags, or the totals stop reconciling to bookings.
What is a healthy share of partner-sourced pipeline?
It depends on how mature the partner motion is and how much of your go-to-market runs through resellers versus direct. The useful comparison is your own trend and the win rate gap. If partner-sourced deals close at a higher rate than direct deals, the program deserves more investment regardless of its current share.
Put these metrics to work
ORM builds custom revenue forecast models that turn concepts like partner-sourced vs partner-influenced pipeline into prescriptive action for your team.
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