Hosting Earnings Dashboard & Paying Your Users

When you choose to host your own earnings dashboard and pay your users directly, you’ll need to implement the processes that power:

1. Capturing commission data from Wildfire
2. Displaying earnings to the correct user
3. Managing payout eligibility based on commission status
4. Executing user payouts through your own rewards platform

This guide outlines the high-level flow and links to in-depth resources to help you prepare for development during the onboarding process.

Understanding the Anonymized User Identifier (AUI) Understanding the Anonymized User Identifier (AUI)

The Anonymized User Identifier (AUI) is the key value that links commission records from Wildfire to the correct user in your system.

• In the Tracking ID Pass-Through Authentication method, you simply pass a UUID as the AUI. This UUID is included in all commission records so you can match them to your user accounts.
• For OAuth partners, Wildfire retrieves the AUI from your authentication token — typically from the sub field, though this can be configured based on your token format. In this case, we still recommend using a UUID for consistency and uniqueness.

Why it matters: Regardless of authentication method, the AUI is the critical link between the commission data Wildfire sends and the earnings records you display in your own dashboard.

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1. Capturing Commission Data 1. Capturing Commission Data

Wildfire makes commission event data available via the Commission API, which serves as the system of record. Your system can map individual commissions to the correct user using the AUI.

If you register for callbacks, Wildfire will send best-effort notifications when a commission is imported or when its status changes. These callbacks can help you update your earnings dashboard in near-real time.

Important:

• Callbacks are considered "best-effort" as they are not retried if delivery fails.
• Always use the Commission API as your authoritative source, scheduling regular pulls to ensure you have a complete and accurate commission history.

For full details on API usage, callback setup, and payload formats, see: Syncing Commission Data via API and Callbacks »

2. Associating Earnings with the Correct User 2. Associating Earnings with the Correct User

Each commission record includes the AUI which is reported back as TrackingCode via the Commission API. This is how you'll map earnings to the correct user.

3. Understanding Commission Statuses 3. Understanding Commission Statuses

Commission records go through several statuses before they are eligible for payout. Your earnings dashboard should display these statuses clearly to users so expectations are set appropriately.

For full status definitions and their handling, see: Syncing Commission Data via API and Callbacks »

4. When to Show Earnings to Users (Recommendation) 4. When to Show Earnings to Users (Recommendation)

Users want timely feedback about their earnings. To provide the best experience, we recommend adding commission records to your users’ dashboards as soon as possible, displaying them in the Pending state initially.

Because merchants generally do not pay out until after return periods have elapsed, commissions often remain in the Pending status for an extended time. Return periods typically last 30+ days, and in certain verticals like travel, payouts may only occur after the service (e.g., a trip) has been completed — which can be weeks or months later.

It’s important for users to see their pending commissions early so they understand they have earnings in progress. We also encourage our partners to clearly communicate these timing nuances in the dashboard or associated messaging. Being transparent about why earnings take time to confirm helps set expectations and prevents user frustration.

5. Handling Reversals and Refunds 5. Handling Reversals and Refunds

Occasionally, a commission may be reversed (e.g., canceled order, return).

You should account for these in:

• Earnings Display – Adjust totals accordingly so users see accurate available earnings.
• Payout Eligibility Checks – Ensure reversals are subtracted from earnings before approving payouts.

More on reversal handling is covered in the Syncing Commission Data via API and Callbacks » guide.

6. Populating Your Earnings Dashboard 6. Populating Your Earnings Dashboard

With commission data ingested and mapped to users via the AUI, you can surface:

• Lifetime Earnings – All-time totals (including pending and paid).
• Available Balance – Amount eligible for payout (commissions in Paid status).
• Transaction History – Individual records with merchant, date, status, and amount.

If you’d like to test your dashboard integration, you can use sample commission data: Sample Commission Data »

7. Executing Payouts 7. Executing Payouts

Since you are paying users directly, you will:

1. Determine the minimum payout threshold (if applicable) in your rewards platform.
2. Run a payout job that selects users whose Available Balance exceeds the threshold.
3. Transfer funds through your chosen payment method (e.g., PayPal, account deposit, gift cards).
4. Mark those transactions as “paid” in your internal system for audit purposes.

Wildfire’s role ends at providing accurate, up-to-date commission data and transmitting funds to you, our partner; all funds movement to users happens within your infrastructure.

8. Putting It All Together 8. Putting It All Together

The high-level flow for your team:

1. User shops via your hosted shopping portal.
2. Merchant reports sale to Wildfire.
3. Commission record created in Wildfire.
4. Your system ingests the commission via the API (optionally supplemented by callbacks).
5. Map to user via AUI
6. Update dashboard with new earnings and status.
7. Payout eligible users once commission status is paid.