Overview
User Splits (or rev share percentages) determine how residual commissions are calculated and distributed to users and agents in Merchant Central. Residual commissions are recurring earnings based on the processing revenue generated by merchants managed by an agent or ISO.
User Splits are configured at the merchant level, so each merchant can have its own split assignments for users.
- Gross Split – Calculates a user's commission as a percentage of the ISO's residual income for the merchant.
- Net Split – Calculates a user's commission by applying the Net Split percentage before the Gross Split percentage.
Splits can be assigned to merchants in two ways:
- Manually – Admins can configure user splits directly from the Manage Merchant page.
- Merchant Importer – Splits can be assigned in bulk when importing merchants. The CSV import file can include split information for each merchant.
This article explains how to manually manage and update user splits for individual merchants in Merchant Central.
For information about mass importing user splits with the Merchant Importer or updating splits with Residual Templates, see our articles on the Merchant Importer and Residuals Templates.
How Residual Splits Work
When a residual report is processed, Merchant Central uses the split percentages assigned to each merchant to calculate the commission owed to each user.
After the splits are applied, the resulting residual calculations can be further adjusted using Residual Templates, giving admins additional control over how residual amounts are allocated and reported.
After residuals are calculated, users can view their earnings and supporting residual data based on their permissions. Admins can also generate and email individual residual reports to agents.
If ACH payouts are configured, the calculated residual amounts can also be used to pay agents through Merchant Central's ACH payout functionality. This allows residual reporting, commission calculations, adjustments, and agent payments to be managed within the same system.
How to Access Merchant Split Settings
You can access a merchant's split settings from the Manage Merchant page.
- Open the merchant you wish to edit from the My Merchants page, or find them using in the Global Search box at the top of the page.
- On the Merchant Details page, click the merchant's MID number.
- The Manage Merchant page opens. The Merchant Access Permissions widget on the right displays the users assigned to the merchant and their split settings.
How to Assign Users to a Merchant
To include a user in a merchant’s residual split configuration, they must be assigned to that merchant. Once assigned, the user’s default split is applied automatically and can be adjusted for that merchant as needed.
To assign a user to a merchant:
- In the Merchant Access Permissions widget, select the user, then click Assign User.
- The user is added to the merchant and assigned their default split (which is managed in the user's settings).
Use the Actions column on the far right to:
- Unassign the user
- Set the user's residuals visibility settings
- View the user's split assignment history
How to Assign User Splits
User splits determine how residual commissions are allocated for a merchant. You can update one or more users' splits and choose when the new split takes effect.
To assign splits to users:
- In the Merchant Access Permissions widget, select the start month and year for the split.
- Select the users you want to update, then edit their assigned splits.
- Click Update.
- In the pop-up window that appears, enter a note describing the change. The note is stored in the split history.
- Select the Apply Split to future months checkbox if you want the split to apply to the selected month and every month after it until the split is removed or expires. If you don't select this checkbox, the split applies only to the selected month.
- Click OK to update the splits.
ℹ️ You can also assign users and configure their splits by clicking View next to the merchant's name on the Merchant Management page (My Merchants → Merchant Management).
How to Mass Update User Splits
To apply the same split and, optionally, the same expiration settings to multiple users:
- Enter the new split and, if needed, the expiration options.
- Select the users you want to update.
- Click Mass Update For Selected Users.
Understanding Net Split Calculations
When you select Net as the split type, Merchant Central displays the split percentage as a calculation of Gross Split / Group Split. It also displays the applicable net and group split percentages.
On the Manage User and residuals pages, a dot appears next to the split percentage when the split is configured as Net rather than Gross.
Hover over the dot to view additional details about the split.
How to Select User's Split Expiration Dates
User split expiration dates are configured for an individual agent and applied to one or more merchants assigned to that agent. This lets you set when the agent's current split expires for the selected merchants and define the split that takes effect afterward.
To manage the user's split expiration date follow the steps below.
- Navigate to Manage → Users & Groups → User Accounts.
- Locate the user you want to edit and select them.
- Select one or more merchants assigned to the user.
- Select the Update Split Expiration Date checkbox. The expiration month and year fields appear automatically.
- Select the appropriate expiration month and year.
- Enter the Split After Expiration percentage. This percentage is applied automatically after the current split expires.
- Select whether the split is based on Gross or Net income.
- Click Update Selected Merchants to apply your changes.
When an expiration date is configured, merchants assigned to the user display a calendar icon in the Split column. Hover over the icon to view the expiration date.
Manage Split Expiration Dates
To update, remove, or review an existing split expiration date:
- Click the calendar icon in the Split column to open the split expiration pop-up.
- Update or delete the expiration date as needed.
- Review the Split Expiration Date History to view previous changes.
You can also manage split expiration dates from the Manage Merchant page for individual merchants:
- Open the Manage Merchant page for the merchant you want to update.
- Locate the user whose split expiration settings you want to manage.
- Configure the user's split and expiration settings as needed.
Split expiration dates can also be configured when importing merchants using the Merchant Importer by including columns for the expiration month and year.
How to Set Up User's Default Residual Split
When a user is assigned to an existing or new merchant, their default residual split is applied automatically.
To set up a user's default residual split, you can edit the user's residual default settings.
- Navigate to Manage → Users & Groups → User Accounts.
- Locate the user you want to edit and select them.
- Click Edit User.
- Edit the user's residual default settings, then save your changes.
To use a different split for a specific merchant, update the user's split directly in that merchant's account.