> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.introw.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Attribution options: every way to link deals to partners

> Compare every way to attribute revenue to partners in HubSpot and Salesforce - properties, associations, lookups, relation tables, and custom objects - and how Introw configures each one.

There is no single "right" way to attribute partner revenue - it depends on how your CRM is set up and how complex your partner program is. The good news: **Introw adapts to the common methods out of the box, with no extra configuration or code.** Whatever your team already does to link a deal to a partner, Introw can read it. This guide lays out every supported method for HubSpot and Salesforce, when to use each, and how Introw is configured for it, so you can keep your RevOps setup exactly as it is.

## What you'll achieve

A clear picture of the attribution methods available in your CRM and which one fits your program, plus the steps to wire it up in Introw's **Object Linking** screen.

## Principles that apply to every method

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="No RevOps restructure" icon="circle-check">
    Introw matches your existing model - you don't rebuild anything to adopt it.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Any object, including custom" icon="circle-check">
    Attribute deals, opportunities, contacts, companies, tickets, or custom objects to partners (standard or custom partner objects).
  </Card>

  <Card title="No code" icon="circle-check">
    Everything is configured in the UI by RevOps - no scripts, no developer.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Named and two-way" icon="circle-check">
    Give each attribution a clear name (e.g. "Influencing partner"); attribution feeds reporting and commissions.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Configure **Deal** (HubSpot) or **Opportunity** (Salesforce) attribution at minimum - it is what reporting and commissions run on. You can attribute additional objects (contacts, companies, tickets, custom objects) the same way.
</Note>

## HubSpot: 3 ways to attribute

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="1. Custom property" icon="tag">
    **Best for:** simple programs where a deal has one (or a few) partners.

    A custom deal property (for example a "Partner" dropdown or multiple-checkbox property) holds the partner. Easy and fast, works on all HubSpot plans, and easy to report on.

    **Configure in Introw:** on **Object Linking → How do you attribute partners to Deal objects?**, choose **Custom properties** and select the property that holds the partner. If the property stores coded values, use **Match property values to Introw partners** to line each value up with the right partner.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="2. Company association (with association label)" icon="building">
    **Best for:** scalable programs where you associate the partner company to the deal natively.

    A custom association label between deal and company (for example "Partner sourced" or "Partner influenced") marks which associated company is the partner. Scalable and native to HubSpot, though association labels require a plan that supports them.

    **Configure in Introw:** choose **Associations** and pick the association label that represents the partner relationship.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="3. Custom object association" icon="cubes">
    **Best for:** larger programs that model partners as a dedicated custom object.

    A HubSpot **custom object** (e.g. "Partner") is associated to deals, optionally with association labels to distinguish sourced vs. influenced. Best when you manage many partners and want rich partner records.

    **Configure in Introw:** set the partner object to your custom object during connect, then choose **Associations** on the deal and select the label that links a deal to that partner object.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

If you have no link yet, choose **No attribution yet** and Introw creates a dedicated partner property on the object for you in one click. Full steps: [Link HubSpot deals to partners](./link-hubspot-deals-to-introw).

## Salesforce: 4 ways to attribute

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="1. Picklist field on the Opportunity" icon="list">
    **Best for:** simpler programs with one partner per opportunity.

    A picklist (e.g. "Partner Name") on the Opportunity, with predefined partner values reps select. Easy to implement, no relationships needed - but not ideal for scaling or multi-touch attribution.

    **Configure in Introw:** choose **Custom properties** and select the picklist; map picklist values to Introw partners if they are coded.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="2. Lookup field to an Account (recommended)" icon="link">
    **Best for:** one-to-one attribution with clean partner data.

    A lookup relationship from the Opportunity to the partner **Account**, so you reference the real partner record and pull its details. Clean, reportable, and easy to update - limited to one partner account per opportunity.

    **Configure in Introw:** choose **Custom properties** and select the lookup field that points to the partner account.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="3. Relation (junction) table" icon="diagram-project">
    **Best for:** multiple partners per opportunity or shared deals.

    A junction object between Opportunities and partner Accounts creates a many-to-many relationship - ideal for ecosystems with resellers, distributors, and co-marketing partners, and for revenue splits. More technical to set up and report on.

    **Configure in Introw:** choose **Relation table**, point Introw at the junction object, and confirm the keys that connect the opportunity to the partner account (optionally a filter that scopes which rows count). Defaults match a standard Opportunity Partner relation.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="4. Custom object for partners" icon="cubes">
    **Best for:** large programs that treat partners as a core part of the data model.

    A dedicated **Partner** custom object related to Opportunities, Accounts, and Contacts, tracking tier, region, focus, and more. Fully flexible and scalable; needs upfront schema design.

    **Configure in Introw:** set the partner object to your custom object during connect, then attribute via the lookup or relation that connects opportunities to it.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

Full steps: [Link Salesforce opportunities to partners](./link-salesforce-opportunities-to-introw).

## Choosing a method

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Starting simple / one partner per deal" icon="circle-check">
    HubSpot custom property, or Salesforce picklist / Account lookup.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scaling / native associations" icon="circle-check">
    HubSpot company association label, or Salesforce Account lookup.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multiple partners per deal" icon="circle-check">
    HubSpot custom object association, or Salesforce relation table.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Large program, rich partner data" icon="circle-check">
    A custom partner object in either CRM.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Verify it worked

Open a partner-influenced deal or opportunity in your CRM: in Introw it shows attributed to the right partner under your attribution name, and that partner's sourced/influenced pipeline reflects it in reporting and commissions.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Link HubSpot deals to partners" icon="book-open" href="./link-hubspot-deals-to-introw">
    Step-by-step for each HubSpot method.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Link Salesforce opportunities to partners" icon="book-open" href="./link-salesforce-opportunities-to-introw">
    Step-by-step for each Salesforce method.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sync partners & contacts" icon="book-open" href="./sync-partners-and-contacts">
    Get the partners those deals attribute to into Introw.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Implementation reference" icon="screwdriver-wrench" href="../technical">
    Full configuration options.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>