ClaimDS Docs & Help Center
Everything you need to use ClaimDS and fix issues along the way — step-by-step guides, troubleshooting for the problems people actually hit, and plain-language definitions of the terms the product uses.
Getting started
Create your workspace, invite your team, and reach your first settlement.- How-toGetting started with ClaimDSGo from an empty workspace to your first settled claim in seven steps — set up your channel, import partners, create a scheme, submit and settle.
- FAQClaimDS frequently asked questionsQuick answers about ClaimDS — setup time, partner logins, GST credit notes, the AI features, and how settlements are calculated.
- How-toInvite your team and set rolesAdd people to your ClaimDS workspace and give each the right role, so claims, settlements, reports and the audit trail reach the right people.
- How-toUnderstand your dashboardThe ClaimDS dashboard is your role-aware home — a setup checklist when you are new, then the KPIs, claims queue and activity for your role.
- How-toSwitch between workspacesIf you belong to more than one ClaimDS workspace, here's how to switch between them — and why your role and data are scoped separately to each.
- How-toAccept an invite and verify your emailJoin a ClaimDS workspace you were invited to — accept the email invite, verify your address, and sign in with the role you were given.
- ConceptThe claim-to-settlement lifecycleHow a rebate moves through ClaimDS end to end — from master data and agreements, through volume and accruals, to claims, reconciliation and settlement.
Master data & transactions
Set up counterparties and materials, and load your sales and purchase invoices.- How-toAdd a counterpartyAdd a customer, vendor or distributor to ClaimDS master data, with the GST identifiers, addresses and aliases that claims and settlements reference.
- How-toAdd a materialAdd a material or SKU to ClaimDS master data with its code, name, HSN and unit of measure, so agreements, claims and invoices share one catalogue.
- How-toImport your data from ExcelBulk-load counterparties and materials into ClaimDS from a spreadsheet, with validation that flags duplicates, bad GSTINs and missing fields first.
- How-toLoad sales and purchase invoicesBring customer billing documents and vendor purchase invoices into ClaimDS — the transaction data the engine reads to accrue rebates.
- ConceptWhat is business volume?Business volume is the per-line sales and purchase data ClaimDS reads to calculate rebates — your invoices, projected into the form the engine works on.
- ConceptWhat is a counterparty?A counterparty is any trading partner in ClaimDS — a customer, a vendor, or both — with the code, GST details and categories everything else references.
- ConceptMaterial master dataWhat a material record holds in ClaimDS — code, HSN, unit of measure, MRP and list price with history, and the categories the rebate engine reads.
- ConceptPricing — MRP and list priceHow pricing works in ClaimDS — MRP and list price live on each material with effective dates and history, and there's no separate price list to maintain.
- How-toEdit or deactivate master dataChange a counterparty or material in ClaimDS — most fields edit freely, a few are fixed, and you deactivate rather than delete.
- ConceptWhat changing master data affectsWhen you change a counterparty, material or price in ClaimDS, it applies to future transactions — past business volume keeps the values it was loaded with.
- How-toEdit or cancel a transactionCorrect or cancel a business-volume document in ClaimDS — edit a line's figures or cancel the document; a document and line number can't be reused.
- ConceptHow ClaimDS connects to your ERPClaimDS connects to your ERP through Excel — you export your data, upload it, and reconcile back. There's no live API sync, so it works with any ERP.
- How-toUpload data from ExcelUpload master data and transactions to ClaimDS from Excel — download the template, fill it, upload to preview and fix errors, then confirm the import.
- How-toDownload and export to ExcelDownload a blank Excel template or export your current ClaimDS data — templates carry a notes sheet, and exports give you the live data as a spreadsheet.
- ConceptIntegration setup best practicesBest practices for your ClaimDS Excel integration — load master data before transactions, keep tax verbatim from your ERP, and correct by re-uploading.
Claims & deductions
Raise, submit and track sales, purchase, inbound-channel claims and deductions.- How-toSubmit and track a sales claimRaise a sales claim in ClaimDS, attach its document, send it through approval, and follow it from draft to submitted, approved and posted.
- How-toRaise a purchase claimClaim what a vendor owes you in ClaimDS — a retroactive price adjustment, a special-pricing (ship-and-debit) claim, or a stock-protection claim.
- How-toHandle an inbound deductionWork the deductions inbox in ClaimDS — the debit notes customers take off invoices — so each is reviewed, matched and reconciled, not lost.
- How-toHandle inbound channel claimsWork the ClaimDS reviewer queue for chargebacks and billbacks partners raise against you — check each against its agreement, then approve or dispute.
- How-toDispute a claim or deductionWhen a claim, chargeback or deduction isn't right, dispute it in ClaimDS instead of accepting it, so the disagreement is recorded and resolved.
- How-toRaise a stock-protection claimClaim a manufacturer price drop on held inventory in ClaimDS — declare the eligible stock or use a snapshot, enter the old and new prices, and submit.
- How-toHandling returns and stock rotationClaimDS has no dedicated returns or rotation claim, but the money they create — allowances, credits, price drops — maps to the existing claim types.
- How-toRaise a special-pricing claimRaise a special-pricing claim in ClaimDS — a per-deal chargeback for one customer, or a periodic billback across a group reconciled over a period.
- How-toCancel a claimCancel a claim in ClaimDS — a draft is removed, a submitted or approved one records a cancellation factsheet, and a posted one's accrual is reversed.
- ConceptThe claim approval workflowA ClaimDS claim moves from draft to submitted to approved or rejected, then posted — with an awaiting-info loop and an immutable factsheet at approval.
- ConceptChanging a claim after submissionClaimDS has no amend-a-claim flow — a claim freezes when submitted. To change it you cancel and re-raise, except for the awaiting-info round-trip.
Rebate agreements
Model sales and purchase rebate agreements, slabs and amendments.- How-toCreate a sales rebate agreementSet up a sales rebate agreement in ClaimDS — slabs, eligible products and partners, validity and eligibility criteria — so the engine can accrue.
- How-toCreate a purchase rebate agreementSet up a purchase rebate agreement in ClaimDS to track rebates vendors owe you — slabs, products, validity, eligibility — so accruals build automatically.
- How-toAmend an agreementChange a live rebate agreement safely in ClaimDS — financial changes route through the amendment approval queue, so nothing alters accruals unreviewed.
- ConceptHow rebate accruals workUnderstand accruals in ClaimDS — how the calculation engine turns business volume into the rebate owed, and how accruals flow into settlements.
- How-toSet up slabs and tiers on an agreementConfigure an agreement's rate structure in ClaimDS — volume slabs, stepped bands, tiered rates, a flat formula, or a growth or target scale.
- ConceptHow a rebate is calculated — the calculation basisA ClaimDS agreement's calculation basis decides how volume becomes a rebate — volume slab, stepped, tiered, flat, growth or target achievement.
- ConceptThe agreement lifecycleHow a rebate agreement moves through ClaimDS — draft, active, accruing, amended through approval, and settled — with every stage recorded.
- ConceptWhole-volume vs stepped rebatesThe key difference in ClaimDS slabs — a volume slab pays one rate on all the volume, while stepped pays each band's rate only on the volume in that band.
- ConceptGrowth and target rebatesTwo ClaimDS bases reward movement, not size — growth pays on year-on-year increase, target achievement on how much of a set target a partner reaches.
- ConceptChoosing a calculation basisHow to pick the right ClaimDS calculation basis — volume, stepped, tiered, flat, growth or target — plus best practices and common questions.
- ConceptHow an agreement is created and activatedA ClaimDS agreement moves from draft to active — you build everything in draft, then activate to make it live, after which the core terms lock.
- ConceptAgreement amendments and approvalsA live ClaimDS agreement's money terms change through an amendment — one is submitted, a manager approves or rejects it, and the next run posts the delta.
Settlements & reconciliation
Reconcile claims to credit notes and run settlements end to end.- How-toReconcile a claim to a credit noteMap an approved claim to a GST credit note on a reconciliation sheet so the settled amount comes from one agreed source — per principal, per period.
- How-toRun a settlementCompute, review, record the payout and reverse a settlement in ClaimDS — the cross-agreement console that turns reconciled claims into payments.
- TroubleshootingA claim won't reconcileWhen a claim and its credit note don't tie out in ClaimDS, find the difference — a quantity gap, a price change or a missing document — and clear it.
- How-toTrack expected settlementsUse the ClaimDS expected-settlements view to see what you still expect to settle, aged by principal, so nothing owed to you slips past due.
- ConceptSettlement documentsWhat documents a settlement run produces in ClaimDS — a GST credit note, a vendor credit-memo draft, or none — and where they're indexed.
- ConceptReconciliation line statesThe states a reconciliation line moves through in ClaimDS — matched, held, approved, rejected or written off — and how a sheet finally closes.
- How-toReverse an accrual or a settlementHow to reverse in ClaimDS — undo a posted accrual (one entry or a whole run) or void a committed settlement before its payout, each on a recorded trail.
- How-toWork a reconciliation sheet end to endUpload a principal's settlement data, review the matches, decide each line, and let the sheet close — the full reconciliation workflow in ClaimDS.
- How-toMonth-end close in ClaimDSA practical close routine in ClaimDS — review accruals, pre-validate GST, reconcile and settle, then check what's outstanding before you close.
GST & compliance
GST credit notes, place-of-supply, and the audit trail.- ConceptGST credit notes for rebates, explainedHow a settled rebate claim becomes a GST credit note in ClaimDS — the required particulars, the input-tax-credit reversal, and one reconciled source.
- How-toPre-validate GST before you settleUse the ClaimDS Smart GST pre-validation tool to scan credit and debit notes for compliance issues before the GSTR-1 window — fix blockers first.
- ConceptPlace of supply and the tax splitHow ClaimDS derives place of supply to decide intra-state versus inter-state treatment, and why that splits tax into CGST+SGST or IGST.
- How-toUse the audit trailFind, filter and export the ClaimDS audit trail — the tamper-evident record of every change — for an internal review, an auditor or compliance.
- ConceptThe ITC-reversal lifecycleHow ClaimDS tracks input-tax-credit reversal on a GST credit note — pending, confirmed or disputed — so both sides of the adjustment stay aligned.
- ConceptTDS on incentivesHow ClaimDS supports TDS on incentives and rebates — tracking the turnover and PAN-status signals behind 194Q, 194R and 206AA — while you confirm the law.
- ConceptCredit notes, credit memos and debit memosThree different instruments in ClaimDS — a GST credit note you issue, a credit-memo draft you request from a vendor, and a debit memo from your ERP.
- ConceptChoosing the GST rate on a credit noteOn a GST credit note ClaimDS uses the original invoice's rate; the latest or a manual rate apply only to a commercial, zero-GST note.
- ConceptHow tax is worked out on a claimA ClaimDS claim takes its tax from the original invoice proportionally, or from rates you enter manually — set per agreement, fixed once claims start.
- ConceptGST registration types and what they changeA counterparty's GST registration — regular, composition, SEZ or unregistered — changes how ClaimDS treats a credit note at settlement.
- ConceptHow tax is captured on your transactionsClaimDS captures the GST on your transactions exactly as your ERP reported it — it doesn't recalculate rates. Tax determination stays with your ERP.
- How-toSet the tax basis on a settlementHow to set the tax basis on a ClaimDS settlement — when to use the original invoice rate, the latest rate, or a manual one, and the best practice for each.
Reports & analytics
Accrual registers, settlement history, the founder dashboard and generated documents.- How-toA tour of ClaimDS reportsFind your way around the ClaimDS reporting area — the founder dashboard, finance registers, commercial reports and documents index — and its role-gating.
- How-toRead the accrual registerUse the ClaimDS finance reports to see posted accruals for a period and age your open accruals, so you know what's earned and what's unsettled.
- How-toReview settlement history and write-offsUse the ClaimDS finance reports to see settlement history and write-offs and reversals — the record of what's been paid and what's been unwound.
- How-toFind a generated documentUse the ClaimDS documents index to find the credit notes, statements, letters and compliance exports the product has generated, and hand them off.
- ConceptClaimDS and your finance numbersClaimDS determines the rebate and settlement numbers your finance team needs — it isn't a general ledger and doesn't track revenue, cost or margin itself.
- ConceptHow accruals and settlements postWhat "posted" means in ClaimDS — an accrual is booked as a rebate provision and a settlement as a payable, each with GL-code metadata for your ledger.
- How-toPull your finance registersGet the finance numbers out of ClaimDS — the accrual, settlement, open-accruals and write-off registers, plus agreement and counterparty reports.
- ConceptClaimDS and net-net marginNet-net margin is gross sales minus all trade spend. ClaimDS determines the rebate and deduction layer that feeds it — your BI or ERP does the margin math.
- FAQFinance and margin — FAQsAnswers on how ClaimDS fits your finance stack — GL posting, revenue, cost, net and net-net margin, planning, and the reports it does provide.
Smart insights (AI)
Recovery opportunities, risk scores and what-if scenarios — computed on your data.- ConceptHow Smart insights workClaimDS Smart turns your claims and settlement data into recovery opportunities, risk scores and forecasts — computed on your data, explained by AI.
- How-toFind recovery opportunitiesUse ClaimDS Smart to surface recoverable cash — margin leakage, aged overdue claims, and a rolled-up view of what's recoverable and at risk.
- How-toRead risk and month-end close insightsUse ClaimDS Smart to score counterparty risk, forecast your net settlement position, and get ahead of month-end close blockers, from your data.
- How-toBuild and save what-if scenariosModel what-if scenarios with ClaimDS Smart — optimise slab thresholds, work a deduction dispute, and save scenarios to compare, computed on your data.
- How-toDetect claim anomaliesUse ClaimDS Smart to surface unusual claims — outliers and odd patterns worth a second look — computed from your own data, before they settle.
- ConceptThe festival indexHow the ClaimDS Smart festival index reflects India's seasonal demand peaks — computed from your own data — to make forecasting more realistic.
- How-toRead an AI agreement summaryUse ClaimDS Smart to get a plain-language summary of how a rebate agreement is performing — numbers computed from your data, explained clearly.
Settings & billing
Company profile, billing and plan, billing types, security and lookup codes.- How-toConfigure your company profileSet up your ClaimDS company profile — legal entity type, PAN, GST registration and industries — which drive credit-note formats and statutory IDs.
- How-toManage billing and your planView your ClaimDS plan and usage, and upgrade when you need more — including unlocking the subscription-gated Smart insights tier.
- How-toSet up billing typesConfigure sales and purchase billing types in ClaimDS so each business-volume line is categorised correctly for settlement.
- How-toManage security settingsHarden your ClaimDS workspace — turn on two-factor authentication, set the session timeout, and review data residency — from one place in Settings.
- How-toConfigure lookup codesSet up ClaimDS lookup-code namespaces — the controlled lists for customer, material and tax categories that keep your master data consistent.
- How-toManage your profileUpdate your personal ClaimDS profile — your name, email and preferences — which is separate from your workspace's company and security settings.
Administration
For workspace admins: background jobs, templates and the settlement cap.- How-toReview background jobsAs an admin, check the history of ClaimDS background jobs — the scheduled processes that run behind the scenes — and read their error logs.
- How-toManage reconciliation and claim templatesDefine the ClaimDS reconciliation-sheet and inbound-claim templates so your team works from consistent, repeatable structures (admin only).
- How-toSet a settlement capAs an admin, configure the global ClaimDS settlement cap — a hard ceiling that stops a settlement paying out beyond what the claims support.
Troubleshooting
Fix sign-in problems, permission errors, and claims that won't reconcile.- TroubleshootingYou can't sign inFix common ClaimDS sign-in problems — a wrong password, a locked account after too many attempts, an expired session, or no access to the workspace.
- Troubleshooting"You don't have permission" — fixing access errorsClaimDS gates each area by role. If you hit a permission or access-denied message, here's how roles work and how to get the access you need.
- TroubleshootingFixing counterparty import errorsWhen a bulk counterparty import is flagged in ClaimDS — duplicates, invalid GSTINs, missing fields — read the validation and clean your file.
- Troubleshooting"Email already registered" or "workspace URL not available"ClaimDS says your email is already registered or your workspace URL is taken? What each message means, and whether to sign in, get invited or rename.
- TroubleshootingMy rebate isn't accruingExpected a rebate but nothing's accruing in ClaimDS? Work the usual causes — an inactive agreement, dates outside validity, eligibility, or missing data.
- TroubleshootingA settlement won't completeStuck settling in ClaimDS? Work the common blockers — unreconciled lines, GST pre-validation blockers, role permissions, and stale-PENDING runs.
- FAQTroubleshooting FAQQuick answers to common ClaimDS problems — sign-in failures, permission errors, missing accruals, settlements that won't complete, and imports.
Concepts & glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms ClaimDS uses.- GlossaryClaimDS glossaryPlain-language definitions of the ClaimDS terms — rebate, accrual, chargeback, billback, deduction, credit note, settlement, reconciliation and more.
- ConceptWhat is a rebate?A rebate is an amount a seller returns to a buyer based on what they purchase — how rebates work in distributor channels and how ClaimDS tracks them.
- ConceptWhat are chargebacks and billbacks?Chargebacks and billbacks in ClaimDS — claims you receive from partners, and the per-deal or periodic special-pricing claims you raise up to a vendor.
- ConceptWhat is a deduction?A deduction is an amount a customer takes off an invoice rather than filing a claim — why it erodes margin and how ClaimDS gives them an inbox.
- ConceptWhat is a credit note?A credit note settles a claim on the books — and under GST, a tax document with required particulars. What it carries and how ClaimDS generates it.
- ConceptWhat is a settlement?A settlement turns reconciled claims and accruals into a paid partner balance — what it means in ClaimDS and why settlements are reversed, not deleted.
- ConceptWhat is reconciliation?Reconciliation matches approved claims to the credit-note lines that settle them, per principal and period — what it means in ClaimDS and why it's first.
- ConceptWhat is a retroactive price adjustment (RPA)?A retroactive price adjustment recovers a price change on already-invoiced business — what an RPA is and how ClaimDS settles it against the invoice.
- ConceptWhat is a special-pricing (ship-and-debit) claim?A special-pricing or ship-and-debit claim recovers the gap when you sell at a specially agreed price — what an SPA is and how ClaimDS handles it.
- ConceptWhat are market development funds?Market development funds (MDF) and co-op funds are manufacturer money that pays channel partners for marketing — how they are claimed, and how ClaimDS settles them.
- ConceptWhat is stock protection?Stock protection is a ClaimDS claim that recovers a manufacturer price drop on inventory you still hold — on cost, on MRP, or both.
- ConceptWhat is a trade promotion budget?A trade promotion budget is the money a manufacturer plans for channel schemes and spend — how it is allocated, tracked as budget vs actual, and used in ClaimDS.
- ConceptHow the calculation engine worksHow the ClaimDS calculation engine turns business volume into rebate accruals, the rate types it supports, and why figures are computed not hand-keyed.
- ConceptRebate slabs and rate scalesHow rebate rates are structured in ClaimDS — volume slabs, stepped bands, tiered rates, flat formulas, and growth or target scales.
- ConceptHow accrual adjustments workWhen an agreement's slabs, rates or eligibility change, ClaimDS adjusts accruals automatically — posting the difference rather than rewriting history.
- ConceptReversals — accruals and settlementsHow ClaimDS reverses rather than deletes — accrual reversals (manual, bulk or automatic) and settlement reversals before payout, each on a clear trail.
- ConceptWhat is a factsheet?A factsheet is a frozen, tamper-evident summary ClaimDS generates at a claim approval, reconciliation close or settlement — and an auditor can verify it.
- How-toVerify a factsheetHow to read a ClaimDS factsheet and confirm it hasn't been altered — using the fingerprint it carries, which an auditor can independently re-check.
- ConceptPrice protection in ClaimDSPrice protection in ClaimDS is the stock-protection claim — recovering a manufacturer price drop on inventory you still hold, on cost or MRP.
- ConceptBuyback in ClaimDSBuyback isn't a claim type in ClaimDS — here's what it means and how to capture the financial side with the claim types the product does have.
- ConceptHow ClaimDS handles changesClaimDS edits forward and reverses or cancels rather than deleting — documents are immutable, history stays frozen, and every change is on the audit trail.
- ConceptWhat you can import and exportWhat you can move in and out of ClaimDS with Excel — counterparties, materials, HSN codes, sales and purchase business volume, inventory, and agreements.
Prefer a guided walkthrough?
Book a demo and we'll set ClaimDS up on your own channel structure — or just talk to us.