If you manage a team of preparers, you know the challenge: keeping everyone motivated, informed, and accountable. Spreadsheets and monthly meetings aren't cutting it. Your top performers want to see their progress in real time, and underperformers slip through the cracks until it's too late.
GoRefer.io's Preparer Portals solve this by giving every team member their own dedicated dashboard—a window into their referrals, conversions, earnings, and performance trends.
Personal Dashboard
At-a-glance view of referrals, conversions, and earnings
Performance Tracking
See trends over time and compare against goals
Earnings Transparency
Real-time commission tracking with pending and paid totals
Leaderboard Access
Optional team rankings to drive friendly competition
The Visibility Problem
In most tax firms, preparers have limited insight into their own performance:
- No real-time data: They might see a monthly report—if you remember to send one
- Commission mystery: "How much have I earned?" shouldn't require asking the owner
- No goal tracking: Without visible targets, motivation fades
- Manager bottleneck: Every question about referrals or payouts goes through you
The result? Disengaged preparers, frustrated managers, and referral programs that underperform.
1The Personal Dashboard
When a preparer logs into GoRefer.io, they see their personalized dashboard with:
Dashboard Overview
Total referrals submitted (all time and current period)
Conversion rate (referrals that became paying clients)
Earnings summary (pending, paid, and total)
Recent activity feed (new referrals, conversions, payouts)
Performance vs. goal (if targets are set)
No more asking "how am I doing?"—the answer is always one click away.
2Earnings Transparency
One of the biggest complaints from preparers at referral-paying firms is commission opacity. "I think I'm owed money, but I'm not sure how much or when I'll get it."
GoRefer.io eliminates this friction:
What Preparers Can See
Commission rate structure (so they know the rules)
Pending commissions (earned but not yet paid)
Upcoming payout date and estimated amount
Complete payout history with dates and amounts
Breakdown by referral (which clients generated which commissions)
💡 Transparency Builds Trust
When preparers can see exactly how their commissions are calculated, disputes disappear. The numbers aren't hidden in a spreadsheet—they're visible, auditable, and always accurate.
3Managing Their Referrals
Preparers can actively participate in their referral pipeline:
- Submit new referrals: Enter referral details directly without going through a manager
- Track status: See where each referral is in the pipeline (new, contacted, scheduled, converted)
- Add notes: Record context about the referral for follow-up
- Get their link: Access their personal referral link and QR code to share
This self-service model means less administrative burden on managers and faster referral submission from the team.
4Leaderboards & Friendly Competition
For firms that want to encourage healthy competition, optional leaderboards show team rankings:
Leaderboard Features
Anonymous or named rankings (your choice)
Filter by time period (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual)
Multiple metrics (referrals, conversions, earnings)
Celebration badges for top performers
Progress indicators showing movement in rankings
Privacy option: Firms can disable leaderboards entirely or make them visible only to managers. Not everyone thrives on public competition, and that's fine.
5Smart Notifications
Keep preparers engaged without overwhelming them:
- Referral submitted: "Your referral for John Smith has been received"
- Referral converted: "Great news! Your referral became a client. +$50 commission earned."
- Payout processed: "$340 was deposited to your account"
- Milestone reached: "You hit 10 referrals this month! 🎉"
- Campaign started: "New challenge: Refer 5 clients this month for a bonus"
Notifications can go to email, in-app, or both—preparers control their preferences.
Portal Access by Role
GoRefer.io supports three access levels, each with appropriate portal features:
Preparer
Sees only their own data: referrals, conversions, earnings, and personal leaderboard position. Cannot access firm-wide settings or other preparers' details.
Manager
Sees their team's aggregate performance plus individual preparer dashboards. Can approve referrals, adjust attribution, and access team reports.
Admin
Full access to all firm data, settings, and configurations. Can manage user roles, commission structures, and payout schedules.
🎯 Best Practice
Start with preparer-only access for the first month. Once your team is comfortable with their personal dashboards, consider enabling team leaderboards to boost engagement.
Setting Up Preparer Portals
Adding your team to GoRefer.io takes just a few minutes:
- Go to Team → Invite Members in your admin dashboard
- Enter each preparer's email address and assign their role
- Set their commission structure (flat rate, percentage, or tiered)
- Choose notification preferences (or let them set their own)
- Click Send Invitations—they'll receive welcome emails with login links
That's it. No software installation, no training sessions required. Preparers log in and immediately see their dashboard.
What Firms Are Seeing
Firms using GoRefer.io's preparer portals report:
- 47% increase in referral submissions (visibility = motivation)
- 90% reduction in "where's my commission?" questions
- Better retention of top-performing preparers who value transparency
- Faster onboarding for new team members (self-service learning)
Ready to give your team the tools they need to succeed? Start your free 14-day trial and invite your first preparer in minutes.