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Split Billing Setup for Sharing Costs with Lenders and Partners

Split billing lets you divide your monthly Sierra Interactive costs between contributors like lenders or business partners, each with their own billing profile.

Table of Contents

  1. Why This Feature Matters
  2. Before You Begin
  3. Step-by-Step Instructions
  4. Splitting a Google Ads Budget
  5. Best Practices
  6. Troubleshooting Common Issues
  7. FAQs

Why This Feature Matters

  • Share costs without chasing payments. Contributors like lenders or partners are billed directly for their portion each month, so you're not collecting reimbursements manually.
  • Contributors manage their own payment info. Grant them billing access and they can enter their own card details, reducing your administrative work.
  • Flexible payment structures. Split costs by a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of your total bill, whichever fits your arrangement.

⚠️ The Primary Account Owner is responsible for all charges. If a contributor's payment fails or goes unpaid, the balance falls to the primary account. Set up split billing with partners you trust to pay reliably.

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Before You Begin

  • Choose one split method for all contributors. Every contributor must pay either a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the total bill. You can't mix the two methods on one account.
  • Contributors with CRM access use a full user slot. Any user with access to your CRM, including billing contributors, counts toward your user total.

Related: Understanding User Types in Sierra: Primary Manager, Manager, Agent, and Lender

 

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Add an Additional Billing Profile

  1. Log in to your Sierra dashboard and select the Gear Icon → Account Billing.gear_account_billing
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Add Additional Billing Profile.
  3. Enter a name and description for the profile, then click Save.
  4. Add the credit card and invoice details for the new profile. You have two options:
    • Option A: Enter the contributor's payment details yourself.
    • Option B: Grant the contributor User Access to Billing so they can enter their own payment information.

Set the Payment Amount

  1. In the new billing profile, set the Payment Amount:
    • Fixed amount — the contributor pays the same dollar amount each month (e.g., $100/month).
    • Percentage — the contributor pays a share of your total bill (e.g., 25%), scaling automatically as your costs change.
  2. Confirm the details and click Save.
  3. The contributor's payment takes effect on your next billing date.

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Splitting a Google Ads Budget

You can split your Google Ads PPC budget with a contributor, with two requirements:

  • Your Google Ads budget must be prepaid on your Sierra bill.
  • Any budget changes must be requested at least three business days before your billing date.

⚠️ If you get an error when increasing a contributor's payment amount for a Google Ads budget, contact DigitalMarketing@SierraInteractive.com. The team needs to adjust backend settings before you can modify the amount.

Note: Facebook Ads budgets can't be split through Sierra. Facebook Ads management runs through your personal ad account, with payments made directly to Facebook.

Related: Generate Consistent Leads with Sierra's Google Ads Management

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Best Practices

  • Grant contributors User Access to Billing if you want them entering their own payment details as it keeps transactions smooth and accountability clear.
  • Use a fixed amount for predictable, consistent billing, or a percentage if you want contributor payments to scale with your overall monthly cost.
  • Review contributor payment amounts whenever your Sierra services change, so percentages and fixed amounts still reflect your agreement.
  • Add your contributor's email to your primary billing profile if they need visibility into the total account cost, not just their portion.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • A contributor's payment info isn't saving.
    Confirm all required fields in the billing profile are complete, and that the contributor has User Access to Billing if they're entering their own details.
  • A contributor's payment amount isn't being applied to the bill.
    Verify the payment amount is set up in their billing profile. If the amount exceeds your monthly total, adjust it downward.
  • Error when increasing a contributor's payment for a Google Ads budget.
    Contact DigitalMarketing@SierraInteractive.com — backend settings must be adjusted before you can change the amount.

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FAQs

  • How do I switch between percentage-based and fixed-amount split billing?
    In your primary billing profile, click Change How Payments Are Split. This resets current payment amounts so you can reassign them as fixed amounts or percentages.
  • Can I mix percentage splits and fixed dollar amounts?
    No. All contributors must use the same method — either fixed amounts or percentages, not both.
  • Will contributors receive email receipts?
    Yes, contributors receive receipts for the amount they paid. To send them receipts for the total cost, add their email to your primary billing profile to be Cc'd.
  • Do contributors or additional payers take up a user slot?
    Yes. Any user with access to your CRM, including billing contributors, uses a full user slot.
  • Can I split my Facebook Ads budget with a lender?
    No. Facebook Ads management is handled through your personal ad account, and payments go directly to Facebook.
  • Can my contributor give their payment information to Sierra directly?
    Yes. Contributors can call the billing team at 502-410-3050 ext. 3 or email Billing@SierraInteractive.com.

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