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Updated 9/12/17

VIP 30 Operations Guide Cisco Partner Confidential

Value Incentive Program

Operations Guide

Cisco Confidential

For Channel Partner use only. Not for distribution.


Updated 9/12/17


Contents

Welcome ................................................................................................................................................. 3

Important information ............................................................................................................................ 3

Recommended web browsers .............................................................................................................. 3

About the program ................................................................................................................................. 4

Program lifecycle ................................................................................................................................... 4

Program documentation ........................................................................................................................ 6

Pre-enrollment ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Enrollment .............................................................................................................................................. 8

Program management ......................................................................................................................... 12

Activation bonus Proof of Performance (POP) submission ............................................................... 15

Activation bonus opportunities ........................................................................................................... 15

Activation POP ..................................................................................................................................... 15

Activated orders/SKUs report ............................................................................................................. 15

POP submission ................................................................................................................................... 16

Cisco review ......................................................................................................................................... 22

Activation support and resources ....................................................................................................... 22

Support and resources ........................................................................................................................ 24

Frequently asked questions ................................................................................................................ 27


Updated 9/12/17


Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the Cisco® Value Incentive Program (VIP).

This guide is designed to provide you with information about how to effectively participate in the program and qualify for

incentives, as noted in the documentation on www.cisco.com/go/vip. Use this guide to become familiar with the processes and

tools, including detailed information about the following program phases:

● Pre-enrollment

● Enrollment

● Program management

Important information

This document is updated periodically by Cisco and posted on the Value Incentive Program website (access requires a

Cisco.com user ID and password).

If a translated version of this document exists, always refer to the English version on the Value Incentive Program website for the

most current edition. In the event of a discrepancy between a translated version of the document and the English version on the

program website, the English version shall prevail.

Revision history

Recommended web browsers

The hyperlinks in this guide must be accessed with a web browser. For the best experience, it is recommended that you use one

of the following browsers:

Changed Page Description Effective Date

Creation of document July 30, 2017

Mozilla Firefox 3.4 or later Google Chrome Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 (requires Microsoft Windows XP or later)

http://www.cisco.com/go/vip



Updated 9/12/17


About the program

The Cisco Value Incentive Program (VIP) is a comprehensive back-end incentive program designed to increase margins for

Cisco channel partners. The program provides a reward to partners that achieve program objectives during either a 6-month

program period or a 3-month program period.

The current program period SKUs list provides details about the eligible products and annuity-based offers.

The program is composed of two tracks and multiple subtracks, as outlined in Table 1.

Table 1. VIP tracks and subtracks

Tracks Subtracks

Architecture

Enterprise Networks

Collaboration

Security

Data Center

Service Provider

New Business Meraki®

Collaboration Annuity

Security Annuity

The program is closely aligned to the Cisco Channel Partner Program to further extend the benefits our partners may receive

from their investments in Cisco certifications, specializations, and designations.

Program lifecycle

Figure 1 outlines the lifecycle for the Value Incentive Program. It is important to clearly understand how the business rules, tools,

and processes work, using the required documents in Table 3 and resources outlined in this document.

Figure 1. End-to-end process flow for program lifecycle

http://www.cisco.com/go/vipskus


Updated 9/12/17


Key dates for VIP 30

Table 2 outlines the specific program dates that you will need to adhere to for VIP 30.

Table 2. Program key dates

Activity Key dates Comments

Duration/period

Program period July 30, 2017 to January 27, 2018

Enrollment 6 months: July 30, 2017 to

September 8, 2017

3 months: October 29, 2017 to

November 24, 2017

Use the Partner Program Enrollment (PPE) tool to

enroll and track enrollment progress:

www.cisco.com/go/ppe.

Customer satisfaction survey Opens: July 30, 2017

Ends: January 27, 2018

Partners can use the Partner Access Online (PAL)

tool to track CSAT performance at

www.cisco.com/go/pal.

Bookings deadlines

Direct orders Orders must be booked with Cisco

by January 27, 2018 and be shipped

before April 28, 2018.

A booked order is one that has been entered into

Cisco’s ordering system, has passed the initial

hold/credit check, and complies with Cisco’s

internal booking acceptance policy.

Standard orders placed

through distribution

Orders must be shipped and

invoiced by a distributor by January

25, 2018.

Channel bookings neutrality

(CBN) orders placed through

distribution

Orders must be booked with Cisco

by January 27, 2018 and be shipped

before April 28, 2018.

Distribution sales visibility

(DSV) orders placed through

distribution

Orders must be DSV booked with

Cisco by January 27, 2018 and must

ship and invoice from the distributor

by April 28, 2018.

Discrepancy cases A Cisco support case must be

received by March 2, 2018 and can

only be opened using the Customer

Service Central (CSC) case tool.

Raise all bookings discrepancy cases using the

CSC case tool at Customer Service Central.

Discrepancies reported to Cisco personnel via

email and not by a CSC support case will not be

honored in any disputes.

Payments

Estimated payment dates First payment: April 2018

Second payment: July 2018

Make sure that one of the designated partner

administrators for your company assigns a rebate

coordinator specifically for VIP under “Manage

Program Contacts” in the Partner Self-Service

(PSS) tool at www.cisco.com/go/pss.

http://www.cisco.com/go/ppe

http://www.cisco.com/go/pal

http://www.cisco.com/go/pss


Updated 9/12/17


Program documentation

Table 3 outlines the program documentation that provides the requirements and available products specific for the VIP 30

period. These documents are available at www.cisco.com/go/vip.

Table 3. Program documentation

Document What’s included

Program rules

Participation prerequisites for each track and subtrack

Payout criteria

Base and incremental incentive details

Other terms and conditions

Review these rules carefully

Playbook Highlights of each subtrack

Key strategies for success

Presentation Summary of key VIP 30 details in PowerPoint format

Eligible SKUs list

Each VIP period, the SKUs list defines VIP-eligible SKUs. This list will be updated

throughout the program period identified in Table 2. Any changes to SKUs or rates will

be posted monthly at www.cisco.com/go/vipskus.

Pre-enrollment It’s critical to manage your preferences and assign critical roles prior to enrolling in the Value Incentive Program. The partner

administrator for your company is automatically assigned as Cisco’s primary contact and also possesses the partner

administrator level of entitlement, which allows that role to:

● Manage the account profile

● Associate employees to your company

● Assign other important roles (including additional partner administrators for your company and rebate coordinator(s))

● Gain access to the Partner Access Online (PAL) tool

● Grant access to Total Program View and the VIP dashboard

Before the partner administrator for your company begins the enrollment process, it is recommended that the following be

completed in advance:

1. Manage the account profile: Set up your communications preferences through your Cisco account profile.

2. Associate employees to your company: Make sure other employees are associated with your company and have access

to Cisco websites:

a. They need a Cisco.com user ID and password first. Register here.

b. After the Cisco user ID is registered, each employee will need to go to Partner Self-Service to request association.

c. You will receive an email to approve the association. Within 48 hours of your approval, employees will have access to

all resources based on your company’s access level.

3. Assign additional partner administrators: If you prefer, you can assign another person as your partner administrator using

Partner Self-Service. Refer to the Partner Self-Service job aid, user guide, and FAQs for directions, and make sure that this

individual is assigned one of the following access levels in a specific country group, as shown in Figure 2:

PPP partner app admin

CPAPP partner app admin



https://rpfa.cloudapps.cisco.com/rpfa/profile/profile_management.do

https://idreg.cloudapps.cisco.com/idreg/register.do



http://www.cisco.com/web/services/resources/infocentre/documents/EXTERNAL_JOBAID_Managing_Contacts_Partner_Self_Service_Jan2014.pdf

https://getlog.cloudapps.cisco.com/WWChannels/GETLOG/pdf/userGuide_en.pdf

https://getlog.cloudapps.cisco.com/WWChannels/GETLOG/pdf/groupAdminFAQ_en.pdf


Updated 9/12/17


Figure 2. Partner administrator entitlement level

4. Grant access to Total Program View and the VIP dashboard: This will allow you to manage and track performance for

your company within the program.

5. Gain access to the Cisco Partner Access Online (PAL) tool: Partners wanting to enroll in VIP must have access to the PAL

tool for the purpose of providing customers’ contact information (including email addresses to which surveys will be sent)

and for completing follow-up activities on all low scores received on surveys during the current fiscal year.

If you do not currently have access to the PAL tool, contact your Cisco partner account manager (PAM).

6. Important: Attend a VIP launch call: Launch calls are a critical opportunity to immerse yourself in VIP if you are new to the

program or to find out what’s new if you are a regular program participant. The schedule of events by region is on the VIP

website at www.cisco.com/go/vip, so check the schedule and register to attend a call for your region.

If you missed the calls, you will find recordings for the different regions on the VIP website for you to review.



Updated 9/12/17


Enrollment

All partners must enroll in the Value Incentive Program every six months, regardless of whether they were enrolled in prior VIP

periods or in other programs at Cisco. There is no automatic enrollment.

Only the designated partner administrator for your company can complete and submit the enrollment application. If your

company meets the participation criteria and wants to enroll in one or more VIP subtracks, your partner administrator must

access the Partner Program Enrollment (PPE) tool at www.cisco.com/go/ppe.

To begin the enrollment, launch the PPE tool to access your application (valid Cisco ID and password required). There are three

parts to the application:

● Who is involved

● Terms and conditions

● Review and submit

Make sure to complete the required information on each tab and submit the application.

Start your enrollment

1. Log in to PPE at www.cisco.com/go/ppe.

2. Select Value Incentive Program 30.

3. Click Enroll (Figure 3).

4. The “multi geography” selection pop-up screen appears. Select the geography and click OK.

Note: This drop-down will display only the geographies where the partner holds the required PPE admin access.

Figure 3. Enrollment steps: Selecting your program

5. The Eligible and Potential Tracks screen appears.

6. Select the desired track, then complete the enrollment steps when prompted (Figure 4).




Updated 9/12/17


Figure 4. Enrollment steps: Selecting your eligible and potential tracks

Section 1: Who is involved

1. Verify that your company information is correct under the Who Is Involved tab. Make any needed changes.

2. Click Save and Continue (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Program enrollment steps: Defining who is involved

Gar Smith | Cisco Partner ABC Street San Jose, CA 95131 United States

Gar Smith Manager 408-555-1212

[email protected]

Geography: United States Partner Name: Cisco Partner Parent Enrollment ID; 123456 Created By: Gar Smith


Updated 9/12/17


Section 2: Terms and conditions

1. Carefully review the terms and conditions.

2. Check the Click Here to Sign check box to accept.

3. Click Continue (Figure 6). You will be directed to the final step of your enrollment application.

Figure 6. Program enrollment steps: Accepting terms and conditions


Cisco Value Incentive Program Agreement: Period 30

To register for the Value Incentive Program with Cisco, your company must accept the terms and conditions of the Cisco Value Incentive Program Agreement: Period 30 (the “Agreement”). This Agreement applies to the Registered

Partners that are “Resellers” or “Cloud and Managed Services partners” as defined in Section 3


Updated 9/12/17


Section 3: Review and submit

1. Review your enrollment information under the Review and Submit tab. Under Enrollment Summary, items designated with

a red X status indicate that required information is still needed. All items must have a green check before you can submit the

application (Figure 7).

2. Click Submit Request.

Figure 7. Program enrollment steps: Reviewing and submitting your application

Confirmation and program status

After you have submitted your application, you will immediately be able to view your application submission status and effective

dates for VIP 30 (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Program enrollment steps: Status


USA

Gar Smith


Updated 9/12/17


You will also receive a confirmation email from Cisco with your program enrollment status.

For any enrollment issues, a Customer Service Central (CSC) case needs to be opened before the end of the enrollment period.

Issues related to enrollment reported via email, not using CSC, or after the enrollment period ends will not be considered. Refer

to the Support and Resources section of this guide for more information.

Program management

VIP is recognized worldwide by partners as a primary contributor to partner margins. In order to qualify for the payout and

benefit the most from the program, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with and review the documents and

processes outlined:

1. Assign rebate coordinator(s).

2. Review the program documentation.

3. Participate in customer satisfaction (CSAT) measurement.

4. Track your performance using Total Program View (TPV).

5. Maintain relevant certifications and specializations.

6. Monitor and track incentive payments.

Regular reviews will help you maximize your incentive earnings by selling applicable products and offers while maintaining

required eligibility.

1. Assign VIP rebate coordinator(s): Failure to assign at least one VIP rebate coordinator is one of the biggest reasons for

partners not receiving their VIP payments on time. Your rebate coordinator is the person responsible for executing the

VIP rebate claim process, and all VIP rebate claim notifications are sent to the person assigned to this role for your

company. Individuals who are to be assigned as rebate coordinators specifically for VIP must already be associated to

your company. For step-by-step instructions on how to assign this role, go to www.cisco.com/go/gep.

2. Review the program documentation in Table 3.

3. Participate in customer satisfaction (CSAT) measurement: The Collaboration Annuity and Security Annuity subtracks

are not subject to the CSAT requirement. Refer to the VIP program rules document for a complete list of CSAT

requirements: www.cisco.com/go/vip.

4. Track your performance using Total Program View (TPV): TPV is an essential tool for tracking your VIP performance. It

is recommended that you check it regularly to make sure that all eligible bookings are recognized for VIP. If there are

discrepancies, you need to report these through a CSC case immediately or at least within 1 month from the final

bookings date, but no later than March 2, 2018. You can also track the status of minimum bookings; specialization,

certification, and designation status; and CSAT requirements in TPV, making it critical to review TPV at least monthly.

Access: To request access to TPV, refer to the resource materials here.

Training: Refer to the interactive training within the TPV tool or refer to the related documentation on the

Cisco Operations Exchange Community here.

Tracking payments: To access your Value Incentive Program dashboard, refer to www.cisco.com/go/tpv.

As indicated in Figure 9, the VIP dashboard displays your incentive payment-related information and detailed

reports. You can download and view reports by clicking the icon located in the upper right corner of the program

summary. If you would like to download detailed reports about eligibility, bookings, or payments, select Detailed

Reports (available in the left navigation).

http://www.cisco.com/go/gep


http://www.cisco.com/go/cs

https://forums.cisco.com/OperationsExchange/s/Training-Details?L1Category=Training&L2Category=Total_Program_View_Training&L1CategoryPath=training

http://www.cisco.com/go/tpv

https://forums.cisco.com/OperationsExchange/s/Training-Details?L1Category=Training&L2Category=Total_Program_View_Training&L1CategoryPath=training



Updated 9/12/17


Figure 9. Steps to access your Value Incentive Program dashboard

5. Maintaining relevant certifications, specialization, and designations: The program rules specify what certifications,

specializations, and designations your company needs to maintain for participation in VIP. It is important to maintain

these for the duration of the VIP period in which you are enrolled. Otherwise, you will lose the rebates offered through

VIP. Of course, your company might also want to consider whether it would be advantageous to invest in achieving

other specializations or certifications or whether to exploit the opportunities in the new business areas outlined in VIP

(Collaboration Annuity, Security Annuity, and Meraki).

6. Incentive payments: Incentive payments are paid on a specific schedule, as outlined in Table 2.

VIP


Updated 9/12/17


Activation bonus

Proof of Performance (POP)

submission


Updated 9/12/17


Activation bonus Proof of Performance (POP)

The Activation bonus pilot is the latest addition to the Value Incentive Program. To qualify for the incremental payment, you need

to validate that eligible software has been activated by submitting Proof of Performance (POP) for review at

www.cisco.com/go/ppe. Figure 10 outlines the end-to-end process flow.

Figure 10. End-to end process flow for Activation bonus POP submission

Activation bonus opportunities

SKUs eligible for the Activation bonus are identified within the VIP SKUs list. Any changes to the SKUs will be posted monthly at

www.cisco.com/go/vipskus. It is recommended that you compare your pipeline deals against the Activation-eligible SKUs

regularly, to identify key opportunities for incremental rebates. No specific notifications about Activation opportunities and

incentives will be sent to partners. By including Activation services in the initial pricing of the deal, and collecting the POP during

the service delivery, you can reduce your efforts and receive payment faster.

Activation POP

Each of the software solutions has a set of requirements, including Activation POP, that must be validated before you can qualify

for your rebate. Table 4 provides links to the POP requirements and submission form for each eligible software product. You will

need to submit a completed form and accompanying screen shots as the Activation POP via the PPE tool.

Table 4. Links to Activation POP guidelines

Eligible software Documentation

Cisco DNA™ Center: Build an

intelligent network.

Proof of Performance Guidelines

Cisco Stealthwatch®: Offers network

visibility and security analytics.


Cisco Identity Services Engine:

Delivers secure network access.


Activated orders/SKUs report

To avoid facing many questions and potential discrepancies, it is important for you to identify the orders and SKUs you have

activated in your VIP eligible bookings report.

To download the report, log in to TPV, then refer to the Detailed Reports section (available in the left navigation; see Figure 11).

It is recommended that you regularly download and review your VIP eligible and ineligible bookings reports to track your VIP

performance. For more information, refer to the Program Management section of this guide.

Partner books SKUs

eligible for

Activation bonus

Delivers solution,

activates software,

and completes

Activation POP

Runs VIP report and

filters customer,

sales order(s), and

SKUs

Submits Proof of

Performance

(Activation POP and

filtered VIP report)

Cisco reviews Proof

of Performance and

notifies partner




https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/cloud-systems-management/dna-center/index.html?stickynav=1

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/partners/downloads/partner/WWChannels/vip/dnac-activation-vip-pop.pdf

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/stealthwatch/index.html?dtid=osscdc000283

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/partners/downloads/partner/WWChannels/vip/stealthwatch-activation-vip-pop.pdf

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/identity-services-engine/index.html

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/partners/downloads/partner/WWChannels/vip/ise-activation-vip-pop.pdf



Updated 9/12/17


Figure 11. Displaying Detailed Reports

Once you have downloaded the VIP eligible bookings report, filter the end customer and sales order(s) or SKUs that you have

activated (Figure 12), copy the data to the new spreadsheet, and then save it to your desktop. You will include this activated

orders/SKUs report in your POP when you submit it via the PPE tool.

Figure 12. VIP eligible bookings report

POP submission

Start your submission

1. Log in to PPE at www.cisco.com/go/ppe.

2. Under the Eligible Programs tab, select VIP 30 Activation Bonus.

3. Click Enroll (Figure 13).

4. When prompted, select the applicable geography and click OK.

Note: This drop-down will display only the geographies where the partner holds the required PPE admin access.



Updated 9/12/17


Figure 13. Submission steps: Selecting VIP 30 Activation Bonus

Section 1: Who is involved

5. Verify that your company information is correct under the Who Is Involved tab. Make any needed changes.

6. Click Save and Continue (Figure 14).


Updated 9/12/17


Figure 14. Submission steps: Defining who is involved

Section 2: Additional information (questionnaire)

7. Identify the customer by filling in the required contact details (Figure 15).

8. Answer six simple questions.

9. Select the Upload a File link and upload the following:

a. Activation POP form, including required screen shots

b. VIP eligible bookings report that identifies the activated sales orders/SKUs

10. Click Save and Continue.


Gar Smith Director 408-555-1212 [email protected]

Cisco Partner 123 555 Cisco way San Jose, CA 95131

United States

mailto:[email protected]


Updated 9/12/17


Figure 15. Submission steps: Questionnaire


Updated 9/12/17


Section 3: Terms and conditions

11. Review the terms and conditions.

12. Check the Click Here to Sign check box to accept.

13. Click Continue (Figure 16). You will be directed to the final step of your submission.

Figure 16. Submission steps: Accepting terms and conditions



Updated 9/12/17


Section 4: Review and submit

14. Review your mandatory information under the Review and Submit tab. Under Enrollment Summary, items designated with

a red X status indicate that required information is still needed. All items must have a green check before you can submit the

application.

15. Click Submit Request (Figure 17).

Figure 17. Submission steps: Reviewing and submitting your activation POP

Submission confirmation

After your application has been submitted, you will receive an email confirmation from Cisco and will be able to view your

submission status (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Submission steps: Confirmation


USA

Gar Smith


Updated 9/12/17


Cisco review

Upon your submission, Cisco will review the submitted documents within 5 business days. You may be asked for additional

information or customer verification. Such inquiries will be sent to the partner contact from the Who Is Involved tab. Approved

POP submissions will be paid in the earliest VIP 30 payment run. You’ll receive an email notification when your POP submission

is approved.

Activation support and resources

Table 5 provides support guidance for software activation. When opening a case using the Customer Service Central tool, you

might see the category “Other Option” appear. Disregard this option and proceed to step 2. When using the “View All” function,

you will need to use the scroll bar to view all available options.

Table 5. Software activation: Support and resources

Issues How to resolve in advance Correct pathway to choose

Program rules and administration

Activation bonus requirements Program rules questions Exception requests Open a support case if review of VIP

documentation does not answer your

question.

Additional Support > View All > Partner Program Bookings Claim

POP preparation and submission

Payment and reconciliation questions

Technical questions

Any technical questions on implementation and activation

Refer to resources and links located

in the Software Activation POP

documents.

Contact Partner Support

Partner Support

Provides support to partners for all

presales, post sales, training, quotes and

program help.

Partner Support or call 1-800-553-NETS

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/psn/web/workspace

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/partners/support-help.html


Updated 9/12/17


Support and resources


Updated 9/12/17


Support and resources

Table 6 provides guidance for some of the most common support case issues and recommendations for how you can resolve

them. Important: When opening a case using the Customer Service Central tool, you might see the category “Other Option”

appear. Disregard this option and proceed to step 2. When using the “View All” function, you will need to use the scroll bar to

view all available options.

Table 6. Quick reference table for common support issues

Issues How to resolve in advance Correct pathway to choose

Tool-related support: Upon submission of your case, you will receive a response from Cisco within 2 business days with a

status. To check the status of your case, refer to the Customer Service Central portal at

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/psn/web/workspace and select the “My Cases” tab for further information.

Access to tools (assign partner admin role and so on)

Open a support case.

Tools > View All > Channel Partner Tool Access

Tool support (partner registration, associate contacts, assign rebate coordinator, and so on)

Tools > View All > Channel Partner Tool Support

Other tool-related support: partner registration, associate contacts, assign rebate coordinator.

Tools > View All > Channel Partner Tool Support

Program rules and bookings

Program rules questions Open a support case if review of VIP

documentation does not answer your

question.

Additional Support > View All > Partner Program Bookings Claim

Bookings

Enrollment and administration

Enrollment: Not able to complete the enrollment process using the Partner Program Enrollment tool

Refer to the Partner Self-Service tool for

more information.

Contact the partner administrator for your

company, who can help resolve your issue.

Important: The rebate coordinator role is

required for rebate collection and must be

assigned specifically for the Value Incentive

Program.

Open a support case.

Additional Support > View All > Partner Program or Promotion Enrollment

Login issues

Tools > View All > Channel Partner Tool Access

Associating your Cisco.com ID with your company

Assigning a Value Incentive Program rebate coordinator

Updating your company information





Updated 9/12/17


Compensation

Rebate claim notification not received because of incorrect or missing contact information

Use Partner Self-Service tool.

Additional Support > View All > Partner Program Payment eligibility

Rebate coordinator for Value Incentive Program not assigned

Incorrect beneficiary name on claim notification

Questions regarding payment amounts

Open a support case. Additional Support > View All > Partner Program Bookings Claim



Updated 9/12/17


Frequently asked questions


Updated 9/12/17


Frequently asked questions

Support case management

Q. Can I submit multiple cases for the same issue?

A. If you are experiencing separate issues, it is recommended that you submit separate cases. Do not submit multiple cases

for the same issue, because this will not expedite resolution. Instead, follow the case escalation pathway for the original

case. If a previous case was closed prematurely, reopen the case if possible rather than opening a new one. You can

prevent premature case closure by responding to case inquiries in a timely manner.

Q. How do I escalate a case using the standard Cisco support escalation process?

A. Use Customer Service Central to submit and escalate a case. Customer Service Central allows you to submit and track

interactions for both services and products in a streamlined and simple-to-use manner. There is no longer a 24-hour

wait to escalate a case in Customer Service Central; cases can be escalated immediately.

Rebate coordinator role

Q. How do I assign a rebate coordinator in the Partner Self-Service tool for the Value Incentive Program?

A. Refer to the training section of the Global EasyPay website and access the Global EasyPay Manage Program Contacts

training document. Included in this training document are the steps for setting up a rebate coordinator in Partner Self-

Service. It’s important to note that this assignment, and any updates, can be made only by the partner administrator for

your company. Cisco cannot make updates to the rebate coordinator.

Payments, metrics, bookings, and metrics freeze

Q. What are the program rules for rebate claims, and how can I avoid expired claims?

A. Cisco might not be able to make Global EasyPay payments to a partner for several reasons, including incorrect banking

information, lack of required supporting documentation, and incorrect contact information. If Cisco cannot make such

Global EasyPay payments because of the partner’s failure to either respond to Cisco’s requests for payment details or

provide Cisco with correct payment details, Cisco will retain the payment for 90 calendar days after Cisco’s first attempt

to notify the partner that additional information is needed to process the payment. If the partner does not remedy its

failure by providing correct payment details within that 90-day time period, the partner will forfeit any right to that

specific payment.

Partners that have initiated a claim for payment within the 90 calendar days, resulting in a payment delivery failure as a

result of incorrect or incomplete information, will have an additional 30 calendar days from first notification that payment

delivery failed to resolve the issue. If the partner fails to respond to support inquiries and requests for information within

the additional 30–calendar day window, the partner will forfeit any right to that specific payment.

Q. What is the process if I have concerns about my VIP bookings and potential rebate payments?

A. As communicated in the published program rules for the Cisco Value Incentive Program, eligible bookings will be

reported through the Total Program View portal. If you believe there are discrepancies between what is indicated by

Cisco and your own sales records, you are responsible for reporting the discrepancies to Cisco in a support case before

the deadline for the applicable VIP period.

Q. When are the bookings frozen for rebate calculation?

A. Bookings are frozen on the last day of the VIP period.


Updated 9/12/17


Calendar and timing

Q. How are the dates on the calendar established?

A. The incentives team works with operations and finance to define the dates for the rebate payment calendar.

Q. Are there specific dates for payments?

A. Yes. See Table 2 and the Program Calendar in TPV to view targeted payment notification dates.

Notifications and communications

Q. What information is included in the rebate notification sent to partners?

A. The notification sent to partners includes the rebate type, rebate amount, link to claim, and instructions along with a PIN

for rebate coordinators, among other related information.

Q. Who is responsible for sending out notifications to partners?

A. The Global EasyPay team sends rebate notifications to partners. If any questions arise regarding these notifications,

contact the Cisco Global EasyPay team at [email protected]. Note that payments will be distributed

under the name Vistex, Inc.

Q. Where can I find more information about the Value Incentive Program?

A. Refer to the program documents on the program website at www.cisco.com/go/vip.

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Documents

Value Incentive Program Operations Guide - · PDF fileEach VIP period, the SKUs list defines VIP ... For Channel Partners only. Do not distribute. Page 9 of 19 Updated 9/12/17 VIP