Agents and Organizations are treated equally by the system when calculating commissions. Both are managed from the same area of Comissio and share the same underlying data structure, but they differ in how names are entered and displayed.
An entity can be designated as either an Agent or an Organization on the Agent Detail page. This selection controls:
- Which name fields are required
- How the entity is displayed throughout the system
- How the entity appears on statements and reports
Agents and Organizations List page:
Agent vs. Organization Designation
On the Agent Detail page, each record is designated as either:
- Agent
- Organization
Depending on the selection:
- If Agent is selected:
- First Name and Last Name are required
- Business Name is optional
- The Agent Name is displayed on other pages and statements
- If Organization is selected:
- Business Name is required and displayed at the top of the page
- First Name and Last Name are optional
- Name fields can be used to reference a Principal Agent
- The Company Name is displayed throughout the system and on statements
This separation is commonly used when an individual manages multiple NPNs and requires:
- One entity for personal commissions
- A separate entity for agency-level commissions
Agents / Organizations List Page
Selecting Agents & Orgs from the navigation menu opens the Agents / Organizations list page.
The list displays both Agents and Organizations together and includes:
- Name
- Business Name
- Type (Agent or Organization)
- Status
- Agent ID
- Contract
- Upline
Expanding a row for an Agent or Organization provides access to the available detail pages, including the option to edit the record.
Searching Agents and Organizations
Basic Search
At the top of the list page, a basic search allows you to search by Agent name or Agent ID.
Advanced Search
Selecting Advanced Search expands additional search fields that can be used to filter the Agents and Organizations list. Selecting Advanced Search again collapses the search panel. After entering one or more values, select Update Results to refresh the list based on the specified criteria.
The following fields are available in Advanced Search:
- Agent ID: Enter a name or Agent ID to search for a specific Agent or Organization.
- Issuer: Returns Agents or Organizations that have an Appointment record for the selected Issuer(s).
- Writing Agent ID: Returns Agents or Organizations that have an Appointment record using the specified Writing Agent ID.
- Start Date Range (From – To): Returns records with a Start Date that falls within the specified range.
- Termination Date Range (From – To): Returns records with a Termination Date that falls within the specified range.
- Upline ID: Returns Agents or Organizations with the specified Upline ID assigned on the Agent Detail page.
- Contract: Returns records assigned to the selected Contract.
- State: Returns records with the specified State listed in their address.
- Status: Returns records with the selected Status.
- Tax Type: Returns records with the selected Tax Type.
- Payment Method: Returns records using the selected Payment Method, such as EFT or Check.
- Commission On Hold: Returns records with the Commission On Hold option selected.
- Custom Settings: Returns records that have at least one Custom Setting defined.
- As Earned: Returns records with the As Earned option selected on the Agent Detail page.
- Vested: Returns records with the Vested option selected.
Advanced Search in Agents/Organizations list page:
Agent Detail Page
The Agent Detail page is accessed by expanding a record on the list page and selecting Edit Agent/Organization.
This page contains the core configuration that controls commission calculation, payments, access, and hierarchy behavior.
Agents and Organizations – Detail page showing option to designate Agent and required fields
Agents and Organizations – Detail page when option for Organization is selected and required fields
Name and Identity Fields
Agent Selection
When Agent is selected:
- First Name and Last Name are required and displayed first
- Business Name is optional and displayed second
Organization Selection
When Organization is selected:
- Business Name is required and displayed first
- Name fields are optional and displayed second
- Name fields may be used to identify a Principal Agent
Core Agent Details
- Agent ID
Required. This is the primary identifier for the Agent or Organization.
An NPN may be used as the Agent ID, but there is also a dedicated NPN field, which is not required. - NPN
Optional field used to store the National Producer Number. - Username
Displayed after the Agent logs in for the first time and creates a username.
Upline Configuration
The Upline field defines:
- The Agent or Organization the Agent reports to
- The entity for whom commissions will also be calculated
Additional Upline exceptions may be configured using Custom Settings, where Alternative Uplines can be defined by Issuer and/or Product Type.
Top of Hierarchy
When an Agent or Organization is intended to be at the top of the hierarchy:
- Select the same Agent or Organization as its own Upline
- After saving, the Upline will display as Self
⚠️ Circular Hierarchy Validation
The system validates the upline structure.
If a selected Upline would create a loop in the hierarchy, the system displays the error:
“Circular hierarchy. Incorrect chain of upline value.”
Tax ID and Security
- The Tax ID field is masked to show only the last four digits
- Any admin with access may edit the Tax ID
- An eye icon appears for users with the View Full Tax ID permission
When the full Tax ID is viewed:
- The system logs the user and action for audit purposes
As Earned and Advances
- As Earned prevents advances from being calculated for the Agent
- Exceptions can be created using Custom Settings
- For example, an Agent may be As Earned for most Carriers or Product Types but not all
Commission On Hold
- Selecting Commission On Hold prevents commissions from being paid
- The system creates an Adjustment so commissions are not paid during cycles
More details are available in the section covering Vesting and On Hold behavior.
Status and Login Access
The Status field controls login access and interacts with the Vested option.
- Active or Pending
- Agent can log in after receiving the registration email
- Dormant or Probation
- Agent cannot log in unless Vested is checked
- Terminated
- If not vested: Agent cannot log in and commissions are withheld via Adjustment
- If vested: Agent continues to receive commissions
- Terminated with Cause
- Agent cannot log in
- Commissions are withheld via Adjustment
Agents who are terminated and not vested:
- Do not receive email notifications for closed cycles
- Cannot log in
- Will receive the error: “Unable to login: The specified user is not allowed to sign in.”
Vesting
The Vested option determines whether an Agent continues to receive commissions after termination.
- If Vested is checked:
- Commissions continue after termination
- If Vested is unchecked:
- An Adjustment is created to prevent commissions from being paid after the termination date
Admin Fee Control
- Do Not Calculate Admin Fee prevents Revenue-based Admin Fees from being assessed
- This option does not affect Advance-based Admin Fees
Refer to the Admin Fee section for detailed behavior.
Deleting an Agent or Organization
The Delete option is available on the Agent Detail page.
Before deletion, the system checks for dependencies, including:
- Being the Writing Agent on a policy
- Participation in commission distributions
- Existing closed commission cycles
If commissions have been generated for the Agent or Organization, the record cannot be deleted.
Registration and Login Setup
Until an Agent creates a Username:
- A Resend Registration & Save option appears on the Agent Detail page
Behavior:
- When the first commission cycle is run, the Agent receives a registration email
- The Agent uses the email to create a Username and password
- If the email was incorrect or not received:
- Admin can update the email
- Select Resend Registration
- The system saves changes, closes the page, and sends a new email
Once the Agent has created a Username:
- The Resend Registration option no longer appears
Resend Registration
The Contact page within Agent Details is used to manage addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers for an Agent or Organization.
Contact page within Agent Details:
Addresses
- A Preferred Address is required for all Agents and Organizations.
- Address fields include:
- Address 1
- Address 2 (optional)
- City
- State
- Zip Code
An additional address may be stored by selecting Business Address from the Address Type dropdown. This allows both a Preferred Address and a Business Address to be maintained for the same record.
Email Addresses
- A Primary Email Address is required.
- One Secondary Email Address may be entered optionally.
The Primary Email Address is used for system communications, including registration and notification emails.
Phone Numbers
- Up to five telephone numbers may be added for an Agent or Organization.
- Each telephone number must have a Phone Type selected.
- Valid Phone Types include:
- Cell
- Home
- Work
⚠️ Phone numbers are not required but are strongly recommended.
The Forgot Password process uses phone call or text message verification only and does not support email. If an Agent does not have a phone number on file, they will be unable to complete password recovery.
⚠️ Important Reporting Note
The Agents & Orgs Profiles by Agent ID report displays only the first three telephone numbers, even if more are entered on the Contact page.
Payment Options
The page for Payment Options from the Agent detail page allows for banking information to be entered for ACH payments. When EFT is selected for the Payment Method, Account Type, Bank Routing Number, and Bank Account Number is required.
When ACH payments are not used within Comissio, the Payment Method should be left as ‘Check.’ There is not a check register within Comissio so the payment process would need to be performed outside of the system.
Payment options in Agent Details:
Bypass 1099 is an option that can be checked so that 1099 calculations are not displayed on the respective Agent’s statement, and 1099 forms are not generated for them.
⚠️ WARNING – Bank Routing Number Validation
When entering banking information for EFT payments, Comissio allows a Bank Routing Number to be entered and saved even if it is not found in the system’s routing database.
In this scenario:
- The routing number can be saved successfully
- The Bank Name will not be displayed
- No validation error is shown at entry time
Caution should be used to ensure the routing number entered is valid. An invalid routing number may only surface as an error later, when ACH payments are generated and submitted to the bank.
It is the responsibility of the admin to verify the accuracy of routing numbers before using EFT.
Form 1099 and 1099 Info page
The Form 1099 page is used to view 1099-related information for an Agent or Organization, including:
- The information that will be used when generating a 1099 form
- Any 1099 forms that have already been generated for the Agent or Organization
The Form 1099 page can be accessed in two ways:
- From a link on the Agents & Orgs list page
- From the Form 1099 tab within Agent Details
1099 Forms Section
After 1099 forms have been generated, they appear in a grid on the Form 1099 page.
The grid displays:
- Tax Year
- Version
- Date generated
- A link to view or download the form
If no 1099 forms have been created, the grid will display with no data.
Form 1099 page in Agent Details when 1099 info section is not expanded:
Form 1099 page in Agent Details with 1099 info section expanded:
Grid in the Form 1099 page when a form has been added:
1099 Info Section
The 1099 Info section displays the information that will be used when generating an Agent’s 1099 form. This section is typically used as a quick reference to review data, not as the primary place to make corrections.
Displayed information includes:
- Name or Business Name
- Tax ID
- Address information
- Selection for Preferred or Business address
- Electronic Delivery Consent status
Auto Update 1099 Info
The Auto Update 1099 Info checkbox controls how 1099 information is maintained.
When Auto Update 1099 Info is checked
- The 1099 Info section stays synchronized with the Agent’s other detail pages
- Updates made to:
- Name fields
- Tax ID
- Address information
on their respective tabs automatically update the 1099 Info section
This is the recommended setting when the 1099 should always reflect the Agent’s current profile information.
Auto Update 1099 Info:
When Auto Update 1099 Info is unchecked
- The 1099 Info section becomes independent from the Agent’s other detail pages
- Changes made on this page to:
- Name
- Tax ID
- Address selection (Preferred or Business)
are stored only in the 1099 Info section
When Auto Update is unchecked:
- Future 1099 forms use the information stored on this page
- Changes made later to basic Agent details will not be reflected automatically
- If updates are needed in both places, the admin must:
- Update the Agent Detail pages
- Manually update the Form 1099 page
- Select Update
This option is used when 1099 reporting information must differ from the Agent’s primary profile data.
Reviewed 1099 Form Information
A checkbox on the 1099 Info page allows confirmation that the Agent has reviewed and verified their 1099 information.
- The Agent reviews and checks this box from their Agent Dashboard
- The admin can see whether the checkbox is checked or unchecked
Behavior of this checkbox:
- When checked, it indicates that the Agent has confirmed their 1099 address and related information
- If any relevant 1099 data changes (such as address or name):
- The checkbox is automatically cleared
- The Agent must review and confirm the information again
This ensures the most recent information has been explicitly verified by the Agent before 1099 forms are generated.
Reviewed 1099 Form Information:
Electronic Delivery Consent
The Electronic Delivery Consent option indicates whether the Agent has consented to receive their 1099 form electronically.
This status is displayed on the Form 1099 page and is used during the 1099 distribution process.
Electronic Delivery Consent:
