This timeline is part of the rebate claim reconciliation guide, which explains the records behind a disputed rebate. This page is about time: which records stop existing in usable form, and when, as a rebate tool is replaced.
Why replacements leave rebate history behind
A rebate tool replacement is planned around open money. Finance needs current agreements, current tiers and open accruals in the new tool so that this year's claims calculate correctly. Closed programs and settled claims do not affect day-one calculations, so they are rarely in scope for migration.
Some replacements are forced by the platform. SAP's simplification list for S/4HANA records "SD Rebate Processing replaced by Settlement Management", the condition contract approach, so a distributor moving from SAP ECC rebuilds agreements in a new structure rather than copying old ones across. Moving into or out of a dedicated module changes the picture too: Microsoft's Dynamics 365 rebate management holds customer and vendor agreements in one place, with provisions, rebates and write-offs on one workbench. Leaving a tool like that splits evidence that used to sit together.
SAPThe retention timeline by record class
The evidence asset for this page. "Stops" means the record leaves the systems people actually use, not that it is legally destroyed.
| Record class | Usually migrated? | When it typically stops being usable | What drives how long it is kept | Who approves keeping it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active agreements and current tiers | Yes | Continues in the new tool | Business need | Commercial finance head |
| Superseded tier versions | Rarely | At go-live, unless exported with effective dates | Company retention policy | Commercial finance head, with the CFO |
| Buying-group membership history | Current members only | At go-live | Company policy; group agreement terms | Commercial finance head, with counsel |
| Invoice lines and returns | Stays in the ERP | When the ERP itself is replaced or purged | Tax and accounting retention | Controller or CFO |
| Closed, rejected and adjusted claims with notes | Rarely | When old tool access ends | Company policy; customer and manufacturer audit terms | Commercial finance head, with counsel |
| Matched and written-off deductions | Depends on where deductions live | When the deduction tool or ERP module is retired | Tax and accounting retention | Credit and collections lead, with the controller |
Tax retention gives a floor for some of these classes, not a ceiling. The IRS ties how long to keep tax records to the period of limitations, generally 3 years, with longer periods in specific cases such as 6 or 7 years, and 4 years for employment tax records. Rebate accruals and credits feed the books, so the company's tax advisers usually have a view; their advice, not a partner's, sets the policy.
What fades first: an Illustrative timeline
A fictional 290-person industrial packaging distributor written for this page. It is replacing a standalone rebate tool with a module inside its ERP.
| Point in the project | Event | Records affected |
|---|---|---|
| Month 0 | Project kickoff; scope set as active agreements and open accruals | None yet; the decision is made here |
| Month 2 | Data mapping workshop | Superseded tiers marked out of scope |
| Month 6 | Go-live in the ERP module | Superseded tiers and past membership dates no longer visible to users |
| Month 9 | Old rebate tool license ends, per its contract | Closed claims, adjustment notes and approver history unreachable unless exported |
| Year 3 onward | ERP data archiving policy applies | Invoice line detail for the oldest years may move to an archive |
The gap opens between month 2 and month 9. Anyone who wants the history kept, for audit, dispute defense or a later licensing discussion, has those seven months to get a decision from the owner. After month 9 the claim notes that explain past settlements exist only if someone exported them.
Who must approve keeping each record
Three people usually decide, and none of them is the project manager.
- Commercial finance head. Owns the claim history and knows which classes matter for disputes still open with customers or manufacturers.
- CFO or controller. Sets retention policy and budget for read-only licenses or exports.
- Counsel. Checks whether customer, buying-group or manufacturer agreements require keeping, returning or deleting records, and whether personal data in notes needs separate treatment.
A partner should not recommend keeping anything the company lacks authority or reason to keep. The right move is to make sure the people above know the access date. For the wider archive question after an ERP change, see legacy ERP data archiving; SAP advisors can also read the SAP partner page.
Three facts to write down for each class
For every row of the timeline table, ask the commercial finance head for:
- The system owner. The role responsible for that record class today.
- The years covered. First and last year the class holds, checked rather than guessed.
- The access end date. Taken from the old tool's license or hosting contract, or "none known".
Those three facts, and nothing more, are what a partner carries into an introduction. The system map shows which keys need to survive for preserved records to stay joinable, and the referral brief template has a field for the access event. Month-end reviews of accruals are covered in MCP for general ledger reconciliation and MCP for quality of earnings, and resellers in a sale process can read how to sell an IT reseller business.
The introduced company needs 50+ full-time employees at peak (contractors excluded), a documented operating history, rights to license the records, and an authorized contact. Companies in the U.S., Canada and the EU qualify, as do companies in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, South Africa, Latin America, the UAE and Saudi Arabia when at least 90% of the data is in English. Partners sign the Channel Partner Agreement before submitting; the first valid introduction within the 90-day window is credited when the company submits a verified application. Buyer interest, the rights review result and any offer stay unknown until SourceX reviews the opportunity.
Next step
Refer a company. Earn up to $100,000. Default reward: 25% of Actual Supplier Payout, capped at $100,000 cumulatively per referred company. Eligibility and payment conditions apply, and a signed Schedule A or addendum can differ. A lead, meeting or signature alone does not trigger payment.
If a distributor is replacing its rebate tool and the old license end date is on file, register as a partner, check the company against who qualifies and read the program terms before you raise the date with the commercial finance head.