Reviewing and Approving MDF Requests
Channel managers and administrators can review submitted MDF requests and approve individual campaigns through the Salesforce administrative interface, providing comprehensive control over fund allocation, campaign approval decisions, and program oversight. The approval process enables detailed evaluation of partner marketing plans, individual campaign assessment, reimbursement percentage specification, and strategic program management across the partner ecosystem.
Requirements
To review and approve MDF requests, users must be assigned a security role with the following permissions:
- Employee System Role or Administrator System Role
- MDF Request: Read (All), Create, and Edit (Controlled By Account)
- Campaign: Read (All) and Edit permissions
- MDF Expense Claims: Read (Controlled By Parent)
- Campaign Reimbursement: Read (Controlled By Parent)
- Access to standard Salesforce functionality and MDF Request objects for administrative review and approval processes
Understanding MDF Request Review Process
Administrative Review Interface
Salesforce-Based Management: All MDF request review and approval activities occur within the Salesforce administrative interface, providing comprehensive CRM integration and administrative workflow capabilities.
Request-Level Overview: Administrators access complete request information including partner details, plan descriptions, expected outcomes, financial summaries, and campaign portfolios for informed approval decisions.
Individual Campaign Control: Each campaign within requests receives independent review and approval decisions, enabling granular control over fund allocation and marketing activity approval.
Approval Workflow Architecture
Dual-Status Management: MDF requests maintain overall request status while individual campaigns have independent approval status, supporting mixed approval scenarios within single requests.
Campaign-First Approval: Individual campaigns must be approved or declined before overall request status can be updated to prevent incomplete approval decisions.
Automated Status Logic: Overall request status automatically reflects campaign approval outcomes with Approved status when any campaigns are approved and Declined status when all campaigns are declined.
Accessing MDF Request Review
Navigation to Request Management
MDF Request Tab Access
- In Salesforce, navigate to the MDF Requests tab
- View comprehensive list of submitted requests requiring review
- Access request details through individual request records
Request List Interface
- Display submitted requests with key information including partner details, submission dates, requested amounts, and current status
- Filter and sort requests based on submission date, partner, amount, or status for efficient review management
- Access individual request details for comprehensive review and approval processing
Request Detail Interface
Comprehensive Request Information
- Partner Information: Complete partner details including account information, contact details, and partnership status
- Request Overview: Plan descriptions, expected outcomes, submission dates, and terms acceptance confirmation
- Financial Summary: Total requested amounts, approved amounts, and expense tracking for budget oversight
- Campaign Portfolio: Complete list of campaigns within request with individual status and management capabilities
Reviewing Request Components
Plan Description and Outcomes Assessment
Strategic Alignment Evaluation
- Review partner plan descriptions for alignment with vendor marketing objectives and partnership goals
- Assess expected outcomes for realism, measurability, and business impact potential
- Evaluate overall marketing strategy coherence and execution feasibility for approval consideration
Documentation Quality Review
- Assess completeness and quality of request documentation and supporting materials
- Review partner preparation level and commitment demonstrated through request quality
- Consider documentation alignment with campaign specifications and execution planning
Financial Analysis and Budget Review
Request Amount Evaluation
- Analyze total requested amounts against partner historical performance and program budget allocations
- Review campaign-level funding requests for cost reasonableness and market appropriateness
- Consider funding amounts relative to expected business outcomes and partnership value
Budget Impact Assessment
- Evaluate request impact on overall MDF program budgets and fund allocation strategies
- Consider partner funding history and program participation patterns for allocation decisions
- Balance individual request merit with broader program management and budget constraints
Campaign-Level Review and Approval
Individual Campaign Assessment
Campaign Detail Evaluation
- Access individual campaigns within requests through campaign list interface
- Review campaign specifications including names, types, timelines, requested amounts, and detailed descriptions
- Assess campaign feasibility, market appropriateness, and alignment with vendor marketing objectives
Supporting Documentation Review
- Evaluate campaign-specific attachments including marketing plans, vendor quotes, and execution timelines
- Assess documentation quality and completeness for informed approval decisions
- Consider campaign preparation level and execution readiness demonstrated through documentation
Campaign Approval Decisions
Individual Campaign Actions For each campaign within the request, administrators can:
Approve Campaign: Grant approval for campaign execution with funding authorization
- Specify Reimbursement Percentage: Set maximum percentage of campaign expenses eligible for reimbursement (e.g., 50%, 75%, 100%)
- Claim Expiration Date: Automatically calculated based on campaign end date plus global claim deadline setting
- Approval Rationale: Optional internal notes documenting approval reasoning and conditions
Decline Campaign: Reject campaign for funding with optional rationale
- Rejection Reasoning: Provide explanation for campaign rejection to support partner understanding
- Alternative Suggestions: Optional guidance for campaign improvement or alternative approaches
- Internal Documentation: Record rejection rationale for program analysis and partner relationship management
Campaign Approval Configuration
Reimbursement Percentage Setting
- Set campaign-specific reimbursement percentages based on campaign type, partner performance, and strategic alignment
- Consider market conditions, campaign risk factors, and expected business outcomes when determining reimbursement levels
- Balance partner incentives with program budget management and risk mitigation requirements
Approval Status Tracking
- Monitor campaign approval status within request overview for comprehensive decision tracking
- Ensure all campaigns receive approval decisions before overall request status updates
- Track approved funding amounts and reimbursement commitments for budget management
Overall Request Status Management
Status Update Process
Campaign Approval Prerequisite
- Complete individual campaign approval decisions for all campaigns within the request
- System prevents overall request status updates until all campaigns have approval decisions
- Error messages guide channel managers to complete campaign-level decisions before request finalization
Request Status Options
After completing campaign approvals, channel managers and partner operations team members can update overall request status to reflect the appropriate stage in the MDF workflow:
Draft
- Partner-controlled status used during request preparation
- Partners can edit request details, add or modify campaigns, and refine plans before submission
- Request remains in Draft status until partner explicitly submits for review
- Not visible to channel managers or partner operations team until submitted
- Once submitted, requests never return to Draft status
Submitted
- Request has been submitted by the partner and is awaiting review
- Channel managers and partner operations team can access complete request information and campaign portfolios
- Triggers review workflow for campaign evaluation and approval decisions
- Partners cannot edit request details while in Submitted status
Rejected
- Request is not accepted and requires changes from the partner
- Indicates that the request needs substantial modifications before approval consideration
- Partner must create an entirely new MDF request incorporating the required changes
- Original rejected request remains in the system for reference and audit purposes
- Communicates specific issues or gaps that prevented approval
Approved
- At least one campaign within the request has been approved for funding
- Enables partner access to approved campaigns for execution and claim submission
- Automatically calculated approved amounts and reimbursement commitments
- Triggers partner notification of approval and next steps
- Partners can begin executing approved campaigns and submitting expense claims
Declined
- All campaigns within the request have been declined for funding
- Final rejection status with no opportunity for modifications or resubmission of this request
- Prevents claim submission against this request
- Communicates comprehensive rejection of request scope and campaigns
- Partner must create new request for future funding consideration
- Triggers partner notification of decline with optional rationale
Pre-Approved
- Vendor has pre-approved the request without requiring standard approval process
- Bypasses typical campaign-by-campaign review workflow
- Enables immediate partner access for campaign execution and claim submission
- Used for strategic partnerships or pre-negotiated funding arrangements
- Streamlines approval process for qualified partners or specific program types
Closed
- MDF request is completed and no longer current
- Used to archive requests that have finished their lifecycle
- Marks request as no longer active for reporting and program management purposes
- Prevents further claims or modifications
- Supports historical tracking and program analysis
Status Management Controls
Update Status Functionality
- Use Update Status button to access status change interface
- Select appropriate status based on campaign approval outcomes and request evaluation
- Add optional administrative notes and communication messages for partner clarity
- Confirm status change to apply updates and trigger notifications
Status Workflow Considerations
Status Progression Logic:
- Draft → Submitted (Partner action)
- Submitted → Rejected/Approved/Declined/Pre-Approved (Channel manager action)
- Any active status → Closed (Channel manager action for archival)
Communication Integration:
- Status changes trigger automated email notifications (if configured) to inform partners of decisions
- Communication templates provide consistent messaging and program information
- Integration with partner portal ensures real-time status updates and information access
Decision Documentation:
- Record rationale for Rejected and Declined decisions to support partner understanding and learning
- Maintain notes on Pre-Approved requests documenting special arrangements or conditions
- Track status change history for audit trail and program analysis
Internal Coordination
- Administrative notes and status change rationale support internal team coordination and decision documentation
- Status tracking provides visibility into review progress and approval timelines for team management
- Integration with Salesforce workflow supports broader CRM processes and partner relationship management
- Status-based reporting enables program oversight and performance analysis across request portfolios
Administrative Management Tools
Manage Claims Integration
Claims Processing Access
- Use Manage Claims button to access expense claims submitted against approved campaigns
- Review partner-submitted expense documentation and reimbursement requests
- Process claim approvals and reimbursement authorizations for approved expenses
Financial Tracking Integration
- Monitor actual expenses against approved campaign amounts and reimbursement percentages
- Track claim submission patterns and partner utilization of approved funding
- Generate reports on program utilization and financial performance for program optimization
Communication Management
Partner Notification Integration
- Automated email notifications (if configured) inform partners of approval decisions and next steps
- Communication templates provide consistent messaging and program information
- Integration with partner portal ensures real-time status updates and information access
Internal Coordination
- Administrative notes and approval rationale support internal team coordination and decision documentation
- Status tracking provides visibility into review progress and approval timelines for team management
- Integration with Salesforce workflow supports broader CRM processes and partner relationship management
Best Practices for Request Review and Approval
Efficient Review Process
Systematic Review Approach
- Develop consistent evaluation criteria for request and campaign assessment to ensure fair and efficient approval decisions
- Create review checklists or guidelines for complex requests to maintain approval quality and consistency
- Establish timeline expectations for review completion to support partner planning and program effectiveness
Documentation and Decision Tracking
- Maintain comprehensive approval rationale and decision documentation for audit and program analysis purposes
- Record campaign-specific considerations and reimbursement percentage justification for consistency and transparency
- Track approval patterns and decision outcomes for program optimization and continuous improvement
Strategic Approval Management
Program Alignment Focus
- Prioritize campaigns that align with vendor marketing objectives and strategic partnership goals
- Consider broader program impact and partner development potential when making approval decisions
- Balance individual request merit with program-wide budget management and strategic priorities
Partner Relationship Optimization
- Provide constructive feedback through rejection rationale to support partner learning and future request improvement
- Use approval process as partner development opportunity through strategic guidance and program education
- Maintain consistent communication and transparency to build trust and program engagement
Financial and Budget Management
Budget Control Integration
- Monitor program-wide budget utilization and allocation patterns for strategic fund management
- Consider partner historical performance and program engagement when making funding decisions
- Balance generous approval policies with responsible budget management and program sustainability
Risk Assessment Integration
- Evaluate campaign execution risk and partner capability when setting reimbursement percentages
- Consider market conditions and campaign complexity when making approval decisions
- Document risk considerations and mitigation strategies for program management and audit purposes
MDF request review and approval provides essential administrative control over partner marketing fund allocation through comprehensive evaluation processes, strategic approval decisions, and systematic program management that supports effective partner enablement and responsible fund distribution.
Jump to MDF Checklist
<< Managing Campaigns within MDF Requests | Submitting and Managing Expense Claims >>