➡️ Why use Rebates
Manufacturers, distributors, buying groups and utilities pay rebates when you hit purchase goals or install qualifying equipment. Most teams track them in spreadsheets, or not at all, and that money goes unclaimed. Rebates keeps every program in one place so you can:
Set up volume, growth, product mix, per-unit and flat rebate programs
Define tiers and scopes so only the right purchases count
See what you’ve earned and how close you are to the next tier
File claims, attach proof and track them until they’re paid
Spot short payments by comparing what you were paid with what SureStock calculated
Get a weekly email with rebates about to expire
➡️ Where to find it
Log in to SureStock on the web.
In the left menu, go to Procurement > Returns.
Open the Rebates tab at the top. You’ll see two tabs: Programs and Claims.
➡️ Step 1: Read the Rebates overview
The totals at the top show:
Accrued this period: what you’ve earned so far across your programs
Claims due in 30 days: claims you need to file soon and how much they’re worth
Paid YTD: what sponsors have paid you this year. If it’s lower than what SureStock calculated, you’ll see the difference (for example, “$1,053.14 below what we computed”)
Unclaimed / Expired: money lost because claims missed their deadline
Right below, Claims due within 30 days lists each upcoming claim with its program, due date and amount.
📸 [3]
➡️ Step 2: Create a rebate program
Open the Programs tab and click New program. 📸 [4]
Start from a template (optional). Templates fill in the most common settings, so you only adjust them to match your agreement:
Template | Sponsor type | Program type | Basis | Period | Sample tiers |
Volume rebate | Manufacturer | Volume | Spend | Quarterly | 1% of spend up to $25,000, then 2% from $25,000 |
Growth rebate | Distributor | Growth | Spend | Annual | 15% of spend |
Per-unit rebate | Manufacturer | Per unit | Quantity | Quarterly | $5 per unit |
Fill in the program details:
Program name: for example, Carrier Q4 2026 Volume Rebate
Sponsor type: Manufacturer, Distributor, Buying group or Utility
Sponsor name: who pays the rebate
Sponsor supplier (optional): link it to one of your suppliers
Program type: Volume (earn more as purchases grow), Growth (earn for growing over a previous period), Product mix (earn for buying a specific mix), Per unit (fixed amount per qualifying unit) or Flat (fixed rebate)
Basis: Spend (dollars) or Quantity (units)
Period type: Monthly, Quarterly or Annual
Period anchor: the date the first period starts
Claim window (days): how many days you have to file the claim
Active: leave it checked so the program starts tracking
➡️ Step 3: Set up tiers and scopes
Tiers define how much you earn as you buy more.
Under Tiers, enter the Min spend (or Min qty), Max, Rate type (% of spend or $ per unit) and Rate.
Click Add tier for each extra level (for example, 2% from $0, 3% from $1,000, 4% from $2,000).
💡 Only the top tier can be open-ended. Every other tier needs a Max.
Scopes define which purchases count.
Under Scopes, click Add scope.
Choose Include or Exclude, then what the rule applies to: Supplier, Brand, Category or Variation.
Search and select the value. Add as many rows as you need.
💡 Leave Scopes empty to count every purchase. If you add a scope row, it needs a value, or you’ll need to remove it before saving.
Add any Notes about the agreement and click Create program.
➡️ Step 4: Track your progress
Each program is a card in Programs showing the sponsor, type, basis and period, its status (for example, Accruing), Qualifying spend or quantity, a progress bar with each tier (✓ reached when you hit it), and how far you are from the next one (for example, “You’re $65.0k from the 5% tier, 73 days left in the period”).
Use the ... menu on a card to:
Edit the program
Recompute now: refresh the numbers after receiving or reconciling POs, or editing tiers or scopes
View periods: see each period’s dates, status (Open or Closed), qualifying spend and quantity, tier achieved and estimated rebate
Deactivate the program
To claim a period or record its payment: in View periods, click Mark claimed / record payment, choose Claimed or Paid, and confirm.
💡 Wait until a period is Closed before marking it as claimed, so every purchase counts. Earnings come from your received POs, so keep them received and reconciled in SureStock.
➡️ Step 5: File a rebate claim
Open the Claims tab and click New rebate claim.
Under Program, pick the program the claim belongs to. Don’t see it? Create it first in Programs.
Fill in:
Equipment unit: search by serial number, brand or model (for equipment rebates)
Basis description: what qualifies (for example, Carrier 24ACC6 16 SEER2 changeout, 3 ton)
Customer name and Job
Install date: SureStock sets the Deadline automatically from the program’s claim window
Expected amount and Notes
Click Create claim.
➡️ Step 6: Open a claim
Click a claim to open its panel:
Claim #, program, status and Deadline
Expected and Received amounts
Basis: description, equipment, install date and external reference
Customer & Job and Program (sponsor and claim window)
Add attachments: scroll to Attachments, click Add Files and upload proof like the install invoice, AHRI certificate or check stub. Supported: PDF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, DOC, DOCX, XLSX and XLS, up to 4 MB each.
Check the history: Activity logs who created the claim, status changes, payments, notes and files. Filter by All / Status / Notes / Files, and leave updates in Add a note.
Edit: click Edit, make your changes and click Save changes.
➡️ Step 7: Update the claim status
A claim usually moves from Not started to Packet ready, Submitted and Paid.
Open the claim and click Change status.
Choose the new Status (the options depend on where the claim is).
Fill in the Date, Amount received, External reference (the sponsor’s confirmation number), an optional Note and optional Files.
Click Confirm.
➡️ Step 8: Track all your claims
The Claims tab lists every claim with its Claim #, Program, Customer / Job, Install date, Deadline, Amount and Status. Click Deadline to sort by due date, search by claim #, customer or job, or use Filter.
Final statuses: Paid (sponsor paid), Denied (sponsor rejected it) and Expired (deadline passed before it was claimed).
➡️ Weekly reminder email
Every week, SureStock emails you the rebates that are about to expire. Treat it as your to-do list.
➡️ Best practices
Load every agreement as soon as you sign it. A template makes it faster.
Always fill in the Claim window. Templates leave it blank, and deadlines depend on it.
Name programs clearly. Include the sponsor and period (for example, Carrier Q4 2026 Volume Rebate).
Double-check scopes. Too narrow and eligible purchases won’t count.
Keep POs received and reconciled. Your earnings depend on them.
Claim periods only after they close, then mark them Paid once the money comes in.
Attach proof and the External reference to every claim. Follow-ups get much faster.
Compare Paid YTD with what SureStock calculated. If it’s lower, follow up with the sponsor.
Pick one owner to review rebates and the weekly email.
➡️ FAQs
What’s the difference between the program types?
Volume rewards total purchases, Growth rewards growing them, Product mix rewards a specific mix, Per unit pays a fixed amount per qualifying unit, and Flat is a fixed rebate.
Should I use Spend or Quantity as the basis?
Spend for rebates based on dollars purchased, Quantity for rebates based on units (for example, equipment installed).
Why do I see “Only the top tier can be open-ended”?
Every tier except the last one needs a Max, so tiers don’t overlap.
What happens if I leave Scopes empty?
Every purchase counts toward the program.
How is the claim deadline calculated?
From the program’s Claim window. For install-based rebates, it’s counted from the install date (for example, install + 90 days).
What does “below what we computed” mean?
Sponsors paid you less than what SureStock calculated you earned. Review those claims with the sponsor.
What’s the difference between an Open and a Closed period?
An Open period is still running. A Closed period has ended, so its totals are final and ready to claim.
How do I mark a volume rebate as paid?
On the program card, click ... > View periods, then Mark claimed / record payment on that period and choose Paid.
Still need help?