A new Partner Information section has been added to all opportunities. This will ensure proper tracking for all channel opportunities when filled in. If you are working a deal with a GTM route of Channel, please ensure this section is properly reflecting the Partners of the deal. In the case of a Partner Initiated Opportunity from the partner portal, these sections should already be populated, but please double check before closing your deal.
Channel Interim Deal Registration Process
Until the system is fully built out, you’ll need to do some manual steps to approve deal registration. First, go to this report, this will show all deal registrations as a lead record in SFDC.
Find the Area you cover
Click on the Customer name to access the Lead record
In Lead Record
You’re now viewing the lead record which will show you the basic information that the partner submitted via the Partner Portal. To approve this deal registration lead, click on the Convert button at the top.
Click Convert
This will convert a lead to an opportunity. You’ll need to fill out a few details for the opportunity record.
Account name - Select End User account record for opportunity or select to create a new end user account.
Opportunity Name - This is a freeform field, please name the opportunity as you normally would.
In the Task Information section, please input “Other” for any blank section
Opportunity is created
Move opportunity into Sales reps name
Ensure the Partner Information section is correctly populated.
Channel Neutral
To incentivize working with our Channel partners, 'Channel Neutral' means that we will not reduce $ value to individual sellers even if the Channel business reduces total iACV to GitLab (via discounts or rebates).
More information can be found on the compensation page.
Channel Neutral Comp
For FY21 the sales team will not absorb any channel partners standard contractual discounts.
They will be compensated at the non-channel net value of the deal.
Channel Discount must come from the New Partner Program. Any discount in excess of partner limits will not be factored into Channel Neutral compensation
Program and Incentive Definitions
Partner Program Discounts
The GitLab Partner Program provides partners with set discounts based on their engagement in opportunities (see definitions below) and their partner program track.
Partners are not eligible for discounts on sales or renewals of Bronze / Starter licenses.
GitLab employees can access the discount table here. Partners can find the discount table in the Asset Library on the GitLab Partner Portal.
Partner Initiated Opportunity - PIO
A PIO is any new sales opportunity that was brought to GitLab via a Deal Registration. A PIO could be:
An opportunity with new customer to GitLab
An opportunity with a customer/prospect with which GitLab is already engaged, but was not aware of the specific opportunity
An existing customer upgrade to a higher pricing plan - including from our free/core product. This could be for a customer that was originally sold direct.
Additional licenses sold, often at time of renewal.
True-ups to an original partner opportunity.
The opportunity must be new to our sales team, and can be for a new or existing customer.
This can be for either a resale or referral opportunity.
The partner is expected to assist the GitLab Sales team in closing the sale.
For US Public Sector, each unique customer opportunity within a single government program can be partner initiated.
For resale, the partner receives an upfront discount that is dependent on the partners track within the GitLab Partner Program.
Referral rebate payments are paid out at the end of each GitLab fiscal quarter
The determination of PIO is at the sales rep & CAM determination and tracked via SFDC opportunities.
Partner Assist Opportunity
Any opportunity where the partner assists our sales team to close the deal.
This may be a customer demo, an executive introduction meeting, delivery of services, etc.
Partners need to submit a Deal Registration for Partner Assist. Since it is for a GitLab sourced opportunity, it does not qualify for PIO, but should be tagged as Partner Assist in Salesforce.
The determination of Partner Assist is at the sales rep & CAM determination and tracked via SFDC opportunities.
Partner Fulfill Opportunity
Any opportunity that was fulfilled by a partner but closed independently via the GitLab sales team.
The partner has only processed the order and didn’t provide any meaningful support to close the deal.
Services Attach Opportunity
Any partner delivered services that are provided to the end user in support of a GitLab deployment.
This will result in a 2.5% upfront discount from the product for resales opportunities and a rebate if partner is not involved in resale.
The resale discount will be administered as an upfront discount from the GitLab license price on the most recent product sale net license price.
This is stackable for up to three (3) independent services engagements over a twelve (12) month period, provided by the partner to a single end user.
The maximum discount or rebate is 7.5% with any combination of upfront or post sales partner branded services.
Partner Services engagements must meet the following partner services engagement deal size minimums to qualify:
1st deal: => $7,500 in services
2nd deal: =>$10,000 in services
3rd deal: => $10,000 in services
Partners must register a Services Attach deal registration to qualify for the incentive.
Rebate payments are paid out at the end of each GitLab fiscal quarter.
Rebates and referral fees may require CRO approval.
Services Resale
Partners can earn a program discount for reselling GitLab Professional Services delivered services.
To qualify for the Services discount, the services must be included on the order of a deal registered opportunity.
Incumbency Renewals
Incumbent partners qualify for program renewal discounts. The partners that transacts the most recent sale (IACV) are considered the incumbent
A different partner can earn an incumbency discount only through formal written communications from the customer.
In some cases, a customer purchased their most recent subscription directly from GitLab, but is directed to a partner for renewal. Partners are encouraged to engage with these customers, but their first renewal of a formerly direct customer will not be discounted for partners.
To earn partner discounts, partners will be required to meet compliance requirements (i.e. in good credit standing, have provided quarterly updates on customer, review within 30 days of renewal, etc).
Tender Offers
Tender offers are ones where the customers are requesting multiple bids for a project.
Each partner bidding should register the deal. Since all partners would be engaged in the sales process and would be creating a bid, all partners qualify for Partner Assist discount (% based on their program track). If the first partner registering the deal was early in with the customer (pre-tender) and introduces the opportunity to GitLab, that partner could earn a Partner Initiated Opportunity (PIO) discount. If the partner earning the PIO is not awarded the deal, they would not receive additional referral compensation.
Any partner offering services would qualify for Services-Attach incentives in addition to any sales discounts for which they would qualify.
Program Compliance
For partners to transact according to program discounts, they must agree to the GitLab Partner Agreement.
To earn partner discounts, partners will be required to be program compliant.
Non Contracted partners may transact on a one-off basis, only with approval of channel leadership.
Unauthorized Partners
Unauthorized partners are ones that have not signed a GitLab Partner Agreement.
A key goal of the GitLab Channel Program is the success of our authorized partners. We are developing our channel to provide coverage across geos, customer segments and vertical markets. Since the program was just launched in April 2020, we have not onboarded enough partners to support every sales opportunity. As we continue to build out our channel coverage, there will still be a need to utilize one-off, unauthorized partners for specific sales opportunities.
For Developed Regions - Most P0 and many P1 countries. GitLab Sales teams, work with your CAM to identify authorized partners in your region.
GitLab Sales teams should use existing, authorized GitLab partners, including our distributors, whenever possible.
For FY21 Q2 and Q3, one-off partners can provide fulfillment transactions utilizing the Fulfillment contract. Additional instructions for opportunities sold via fulfillment partners are available in the Handbook.
Q4 and beyond - VP approval required for one-off partner requests.
For Developing Regions - GitLab Sales teams, work with your CAM to identify authorized partners in your region.
Use fulfillment contract for one-off partner deals
On a quarterly basis, the Channel team will revisit developing countries to determine if there is a continued need for fulfillment partners, or if we have the necessary coverage with authorized partners.
When a new partner company registers on the portal, they will receive an email confirming the receipt of their application, and CAMs will receive a New Partner Applicant email from Partnersupport@gitlab.com notifying you there is a new Partner applicant in your region. The first step is to contact the partner and qualify them.
If you want to move forward with onboarding the partner…
Go to the Partner Account record in Salesforce - kindly check for duplicate accounts.
To begin the contract approval process, select Legal Request and request the appropriate contract addendum (resale, referral/services or both OR MSP OR OTHER)
Once contract is signed, update the Partner Info section on the Salesforce Partner Account Record
set Partner Status to "Authorized"
select Partner Type
select Partner Track
other fields as appropriate
Once a Partner is authorized, each contact for that partner will automatically receive a message with login credentials to the portal.
Additional partner employees can go to partners.gitlab.com to register.
Once they attach to an Authorized partner account, they will automatically receive a message with login credentials. If the account is still a Prospect they will not have access until the account moves to Authorized.
If you do not want to move forward with the partner:
On the Salesforce Partner Account, set Partner Status to "Denied"
Complete process for submitting an MDF proposal request for funds and detailed instructions regarding the approval and claim process can be found in the Channel Partner Handbook under MDF.
Select and Open Partners are able to submit MDF requests via the Marketing Page in the Partner Portal. Partners should be reviewing plans with you prior to submitting an MDF request in the Portal to ensure you are aligned with the proposal.
Partner Logos may be accessed in GitLab Partner Portal in the Asset Library under Marketing. Logos are segmented so only authorized Select Partners have access to the Select Logo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the Standard Channel Discounts for my Partners?
How do I track the opportunity of a partner deal?
Please fill in at least one of the following Opportunity drop downs to identify the deal as a Channel opportunity.
If the partner registered the deal the Deal Registrarfield will need to be populated in the SFDC opportunity with the appropriate Partner Account.
If the Partner Assisted you (see above for definition) please populate the Partner - Assisted field in the SFDC opportunity with the appropriate partner account.
If GitLab sourced and sold the deal directly, and the partner is simply fulfilling the deal, please populate the Partner - Fulfillment field in the SFDC opportunity.
