Definition of a Dependency
A dependency lets you make one component’s earnings depend on another component’s achievement. In other words, the dependent component only earns if the selected dependency condition is met.
Dependencies are used when a commission or bonus should only pay after another quota or component reaches a specific attainment or value threshold.
Example:
A rep earns 10% commission on ARR as usual.
A separate 5% TCV bonus should only pay if the rep reaches 100% of their ARR quota.
The TCV bonus component would be set as dependent on the ARR component reaching 100% attainment. The dependency would be created on the TCV bonus component.
The Dependent Component that is having its earnings affected is the one on which you set up the dependency.
You can configure multiple dependencies on a single component.
When to use a dependency
Dependencies are useful when a plan has a gating requirement: one component's payout should be unlocked only if another components attainment target is achieved.
Secondary commission unlocked by a primary target
Example: “Pay 5% on TCV only if ARR attainment is at least 100%.”
Accelerator or add-on payout tied to another component
Example: “Pay an additional kicker only after the base quota component has reached 60% attainment.”
Milestone-style eligibility
Example: “A rep can earn this component only after completing a certain number of deals, demos, meetings, or other tracked activity.”
When NOT to use a dependency
A dependency may not work or not be appropriate or necessary if the component should always contribute to earnings or attainment on its own. Avoid using dependencies when:
The rate simply changes at different attainment tiers within the same component — use a multi-rate commission or multi-rate bonus instead.
The component should contribute toward the same quota without being gated by another component.
The requirement is more about roll-up team attainment than gating one component by another — use Roll-Up Quota Setup instead.
If the payout should always be calculated, don’t add a dependency. If the payout should only be eligible after another goal is met, add a dependency.
How to add a dependency
Dependencies are configured on the earnings component that should be gated i.e. the dependent component.
Based on the plan builder guidance and related setup patterns, customers should generally expect to:
Open or create the plan.
Add the quota and earnings components needed for the plan.
Click in to edit the component whose earnings should depend on another component.
Find the Dependencies section in the component settings (very bottom).
Add a dependency rule by setting the settings below.
Save.
Dependency configuration
The following are the settings or fields you'll fill in when setting up a Dependency:
"Select a component to add a dependency on:"
Choose the component whose attainment or value this component is dependent on.
"Is completion based on attainment percentage or deal value?"
Choose Attainment percent if the trigger for this dependency is an attainment threshold. Choose deal value if the trigger is a # or $ value.
"How should attainment be evaluated?"
Choose "Component Only" if your dependency should only evaluate the attainment percent or deal value for the single component you chose in the drop down above. Choose Shared Quota if the component you chose above is one of multiple components retiring a quota, and you want the dependency to evaluate the total attainment % or deal value of the quota. With this option, you are effectively tying your dependency to the Quota, as opposed to just a single component.
"When that condition is met, should this component earn or not earn?"
This is effectively turning the dependent component (the one you're editing) on or off based on the attainment threshold you set in the next setting below.
"Define Attainment"
Input either the attainment percent or number or currency value that will serve as the attainment threshold for your dependent component to either earn or not.
Example 1: Bonus unlocked by ARR quota attainment
Comp plan rule
Reps earn 10% commission on ARR. They also earn a 5% TCV bonus, but only after reaching 100% of ARR quota.
QuotaPath setup
Create the ARR quota.
Add the ARR commission component.
Add the TCV bonus or commission component.
Open the TCV component settings, scroll to bottom.
In Dependencies, add a dependency.
Set the TCV component to depend on the ARR component.
Set the requirement to earn at 100% attainment.
Save.
Result
The TCV component earns only when the ARR dependency is met. If ARR attainment is below 100%, the TCV component does not earn.
Example 2: Bonus unlocked by outbound meeting attainment
Comp plan rule
The SDR has a total meeting quota for the month, comprised of outbound meetings and inbound meetings. additionally, they have an accelerator that pays them an extra $50 per meeting if they hit their quota and outbound meetings accounted for more than 50% of their attainment.
QuotaPath setup
Set up the Meetings quota.
Nested underneath the quota, set up an Outbound component, an Inbound component, and a Bonus component, each paying $ per meeting.
Your bonus component would have tiers of 0% to 100% earning at $0 and then 100%+ earning the accelerated rate.
Click into Edit the Bonus Components. Scroll down to the dependencies and add a dependency.
Set the dependency to reference the Outbound component, and to use Attainment %.
Set to "Component Only", "Earn" and then finally set the threshold for the dependent component to earn at 50% attainment.
Save.
Result
The Bonus would earn the accelerated per meeting rate over 100% of the shared quota, so long as the Outbound Meeting component contributed at least 50% of quota attainment.