As any experienced Binary veteran will tell you, the biggest risk with a Binary is the potential liability of unpaid volume sitting in a distributor's position.  Firestorm® offers multiple ways to manage this risk through flushing (removal) of volume:

• Timed Flush  - Firestorm® allows you to specify a time period after which the system will check for volume that has not been used and is older that the specified time period. When volume meeting this criteria is found, that volume will be removed (flushed) from the distributor's position. A typical timed flush would be configured as six months. This gives the distributor 6 months to get paid on any volume they earn. If they do not meet requirements, then they lose the volume after six months.  This limits your company's exposure to the risk of unpaid volume hanging around forever.
• Flush all unpaid volume after a commission run - This feature allows you to configure the system to flush any volume the distributor did not qualify to be paid for during a single commission run.
• Flexible volume carryover rules - If you do not wish to flush all of the unpaid volume in a distributor's position after a commission run, Firestorm® can be configured to allow volume to be carried over into the next pay period.  Carryover may be limited based on weak side or strong side or an actual amount of volume.
• Custom volume flush - If your company has specific flushing rules not covered by our configurable options, Firestorm®'s extensible architecture allows us to plug in a custom hook to implement any rule you can dream up!

Also known as payout limits, payout caps function to protect your company from overpaying Binary commissions based on incoming volume. Because all volume coming into the Binary tree flows upline and credits to every position upline, this type of protection is vital to your company. The payout cap provides a comprehensive safety net to ensure your compensation plan is designed correctly.  You specify a limit on payout (usually a percentage of revenue) and, if the system exceeds this payout, all commission payments for the current period are adjusted to bring the payout down to your specified limit. Firestorm® provides your company with several different types of caps that can be used by themselves or in combination for more precise control.

• Cap By Percentage Of Revenue - Our system allows you to configure an absolute limit on payout in the Binary that will not exceed the percentage of revenue that you decide.
• Cap By Pay Rank - Binary compensation plans commonly limit the maximum earnings on a given pay rank by a specified dollar amount.  Firestorm® allows you to quickly configure this limit with just a few clicks of the mouse!
• Separate Cap for Each Binary Plan - Since Firestorm® supports multiple binary plans running simultaneously, we also provide you with the ability to create a separate cap for each of the four plans we support
• Protected Amounts - Once of the most discouraging things that can happen for a new distributor is for their first commission check to get capped! Firestorm® has a unique feature that allows you to protect a specified dollar amount from being capped for a distributor. For example, it is possible for you to configure Firestorm® to "protect" the first $100 in commission that a distributor earns. No matter what, the first $100 this person earns will never receive a cap adjustment. You can configure any amount as a protected amount.
• Assignable Commission Types - Firestorm® allows you to include (or not include) any type of commission in the cap calculations. Having this ability allows very fine control over how the caps for your system will operate.
• Custom Cap - If your company requires some special processing when dealing with payout caps, Firestorm® has you covered.  Our extensible architecture allows us to plug in a completely custom payout cap written to your specifications.

Firestorm®'s Binary commissioning engine is reliable and fast! We offer support for threshold and percentage based payouts as described below.  Our years of experience in creating Binary systems have led us to several unique innovations that make our commissioning engine the most configurable and reliable on the market.

Threshold or Step Based Model

In the threshold model, a position in the tree accumulates volume in the left and right accumulators until a commission run is initiated.  At this point, the system will compare the volume currently in the position to the thresholds defined in the system. It will also enforce any balance requirement rules and other qualifications as required by your compensation plan and, if all is well, will pay a commission in the amount configured. Remember that Firestorm® supports up to 4 Binary plans running at once and each one can have its own thresholds and rules defined!

• Volume Balance Requirements - Firestorm® allows you to specify balance requirements for each threshold as a percentage of volume required on the weak side of a position. This makes setting up balance rules such as 1/3, 2/3 or 50/50 very easy to configure.
• Custom Actions - Some commission plans require some type of custom action to be performed as a distributor passes a specified threshold in the plan.  Our system allows us to plug in custom written procedures that will execute whenever a person passes a threshold that you specify. Separate actions can be tied to each threshold.
• Payout Limits by Rank - A maximum amount that a distributor may earn in a given pay cycle can be quickly and easily configured in Firestorm.
• Assignable Commission Types - Our system allows you to assign a unique commission type to each threshold in your plan.  This allows you to have a separate commission code for each step that a distributor passes.  These codes will show up on their paycheck.
• Strict Ratio Payouts - The commissioning engine can be configured to enforce a strict ratio payout. This type of payout requires that in order to be paid for a threshold, a specified amount of volume must be present on the left and right side for each threshold passed.

Percentage Based Model

The percentage based Binary model is based on the concept of paying a distributor a percentage of the volume on the left or right side (or both!) that has accumulated in their position since the last commission run.  This type of Binary payout is very exciting for the distributor but must be handled carefully by the company.  Firestorm® provides the tools you need to efficiently and effectively manage even this challenging type of Binary pay plan.

• Pays a percentage of the weak and/or strong side - Our system can be configured to pay any percentage of the volume accumulated on the weak or stong side of a position.
• Percentages Controlled By Rank - The actual percentages to be paid are controlled by the pay rank of the distributor. Each rank can be configured to pay a different percentage.
• Weak Side Match - Fully supported by Firestorm, this variation of the percentage based payout comes from the volume accumulated in the strong side only but must be "matched" by an equivalent amount of volume on the weak side of the position. This effectively limits the maximum volume that can be paid to what is currently on the weak side of the position.
• Maximum Volume Limits on Strong/Weak Side - Firestorm® allows you to define a maximum amount of volume that can be paid on during a single commission run.  This limit can be specified by strong side maximum and weak side maximum.
• Special Flushing Rules - When using the percentage based model, special flushing rules can be defined that govern the carry forward of unpaid volume. Options are: no carry forward, carry forward all unpaid volume,  limited (maximum for strong and weak may be specified), and custom

A pay cycle is basically a single commission run. Firestorm® allows you to have any pay cycle required by your compensation plan. Common pay cycle intervals are: Daily, Weekly or Monthly.  Firestoms® supports these and any other that may be required.

• Daily - A daily pay cycle is fully supported by the Firestorm® system. Commissioning processes can be run on any schedule you need.
• Weekly - Weekly cycles can be used for any of the Binary pay plans supported by the Firestorm® system.
• Monthly - Monthly cycles are supported and can be applied to any Binary pay plan.
• Any Interval You Need - Firestorm® can be used to generate pay cycles using any interval required by your compensation plan

Each separate Binary plan running on Firestorm® can have a different pay cycle! This allows your company to have features such as a Daily pay plan, a Weekly pay plan, AND a Monthly pay plan ALL RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME!

As orders come into the system, the volume push process is what sends volume credit up the Binary tree to be placed into the left or right side of each position. Firestorm® supports three types of volume pushes:

• Standard Push - For each product defined in the system, Firestorm® allows you to specify the amount of volume that will be credited to each distributor in the tree. Each product can be assigned to only push volume in 1 of the 4 Binary pay plans supported by Firestorm.  This allows you to use different products in different parts of your Binary pay plan to drive specific, desirable behaviors.
• Volume Rules Push - On a product by product basis, Firestorm® allows you to specify the amount of Binary volume a distributor will receive in their position controlled by the pay rank of that position. This feature allows you to give your leadership ranks a higher volume credit for a product that someone of a lower rank would receive. This can happen on the same order as it is pushed up the tree!
• Custom Push - Have special requirements? Firestorm® allows us to create a completely custom volume push process for your company. Since our system was built with extensibility from the ground up, your custom requirements can be implemented quickly with a minimal cost.
• Custom Qualifier - If your compensation plan requires special qualification rules be implemented during the volume push, they can be simply and quickly added by using a custom qualifier.

When enrolling new members into the Binary tree, Firestorm® supports many Binary specific features.

• Autoplace - Spillover is handled in several different ways by our system. Please see the detailed write-up below in the "Autoplace" feature description.
• Specified placement - Firestorm® allows a distributor to specify placement within their own tree by entering the appropriate ID numbers on the enrollment form.
• Graphical tree view supports "Click-n-Enroll" - To make things simpler for your distributors, our system has a unique feature that allows them to view their downline graphically and then click on a specific point in their tree to perform an enrollment in that spot.
• Multiple positions can be created on enrollment - Firestorm® supports the creation of 1 or more positions during enrollment. 3-pak, 7-pak, or 15-paks are no problem at all.
• Enroller, Sponsor and Placement relationships tracked separately - More advanced Binary compensation plans will sometimes allow a sponsorship to be given away to another distributor.  When this happens, Firestorm® maintains the original enroller relationship separately so you always know who the original sponsor was.

Autoplace is one of the great mysteries of the Binary world.  Simply stated, autoplace defines a set of rules to follow when a requested placement into the tree is not available because another person is already in that positon.  Firestorm® makes it easy with several different configurable autoplace options:

• Power Leg - Setting up a power leg based system is easy in Firestorm.  This option will place new enrollees into a member's structure on either the left or right side of their selected position at the very bottom of the chosen leg. Going left or right can be controlled by configuring the system to place on the weak or strong side of the distributor's chosen position. Once a direction (left or right) is determined, the system will place the new enrollee onto the bottom of the chosen leg. Distributors have the ability to override the default settings chosen by corporate (if you decide to allow it).
• Matrix Fill Lineage Required - This option will place new enrollees (and spillover) into a distributor's tree using a method that attempts to fill all open positions in the tree on a level before descending to a lower level. This option requires the member to choose a side (left or right) on which to place the new position.
• Matrix Fill Lineage Optional - This option is also a matrix fill as described above but specification of a side (lineage) is not required of the distributor.  The system will place the new position based on rules configured by corporate.
• Matrix Fill Load Front Line First - This matrix fill option functions just like the other two; with one exception.  The front line of a distributor is required to be completely filled before the system will descend to another level.  This guarantees that a distributor will have at least one position on their left and one position on their right side.
• Strong Side / Weak Side - In all autoplace methods, determining the weak and strong side of an organization is critical. Firestorm® allows you to specify if the system will use a position's current volume accumulators or their lifetime volume accumulators when making this decision.  This is important as the current volume accumulators will be adjusted down as commissions are earned or volume is adjusted.
• Custom Autoplace - None of these autoplace options fit your rules? No problem! Because of the extensible nature of Firestorm, our engineers can create a custom autoplace procedure for you to implement your rules with no compromise.

Our customer service interface provides several Binary specific features that makes managing your distributors much easier.  Our Binary features allow rapid access to all of the specific Binary information your distributors will want to know when they call in. Features such as:

• Binary Downline Viewer - Provides a graphical view of the distributor's downline in Binary format. This view is scrollable, making it easy and efficient for the customer service representative to answer common structure related questions.
• Tabular Quick View - While viewing the graphical tree viewer described above, a tabular (spreadsheet) view of the distributor's downline can be opened simultaneously in a side by side view.  This tabular view provides advanced searching capabilities and can be synchronized with the graphical viewer.  This allows your customer service representatives to quickly search a downline and then, with a single mouse click, view that spot in the downline graphically!
• Binary Volume History - Who got credit for what? This question can be answered instantly by using this unique tool. All volume that has been credited or debited from a distributor's position in the last week, month, or year can be viewed in detail. Order by order and event by event, volume shows which side it was credited to, what order it came from, and a comment describing the event that credited or debited the volume. Each record also shows the date and time that the volume passed through.
• Sponsorships - All positions sponsored by your distributor are clearly and quickly viewable with a single mouse click. This tool breaks down sponsorships by side along with other relevant information about each person sponsored.
• View Sponsor and Placement - Firestorm® allows your customer service representative to view the sponsor, enroller, and physical placement of the distributor. This is important for questions that might come up when doing research.
• Plus! All other features of the customer service module

Firestorm® goes so far as to allow your inventory to be set up as part of your Binary plan. As Firestorm® supports multiple Binary pay plans, the possibilities are endless in the ways that a compensation plan can be implemented to drive the specific behaviors you desire.

• Binary / Non-Binary Products - Each product in your inventory can be set up to credit volume into a Binary plan. This gives you maximum flexibility in placing products into different parts of your compensation plan based on the margins that your company has on each product.
• Product Grouping - Our system allows products to be grouped so that a specific arrangement of products will credit to a specific Binary compensation plan. Since Firestorm® supports up to 4 Binary plans running simultaneously, this allows different products to be used for different plans.
• Variable Volume Credit By Product - Products can be set up to provide a variable amount of volume credit based on the rank of the distributor receiving the credit.
• Fixed Volume Credit By Product - Our system allows the designation of a fixed amount of volume credit as well.

Yes! Firestorm® provides you with the ability to configure a Binary single level matching bonus without having to do any custom programming. This bonus is just one of the hundreds of ways to pay commissions in the Firestorm® system.  If your Binary match is for multiple levels, no problem! Our extensible platform makes even that type of match easy to implement.

• Single Level Binary Match - This tool provides you with a quick and easy way to set up a single level Binary match without have to do any custom programming.
• Fixed Amount or Percentage Based - The matching bonus can be set up to pay as a percentage of the commission being matched or a fixed amount.
• Configurable Qualifications - Qualifications to receive the matching bonus are also configurable. Qualification items supported through configuration are: Base commission earned, PSV amount, Number of Binary checks earned within a time period, Personal Sponsorships By Rank, Personal Customers, Binary Group Volume, and Purchase of a specific product or products. Additional qualifications can be implemented through the use of a custom hook.
• Multiple Level Binary Matches - Multiple level matches can be implemented in Firestorm® through the use of a special hook. This type of match may require a minimal amount of programming.
• Additional Qualifications - Special qualifications not covered by the configurable options listed above can be implemented through the use of a custom hook.

What is one of the most frustrating things for a distributor and a company? Misplacements in the structure because of an error on someone's part. In a rapidly growing Binary, this type of issue will come up. Firestorm® offers an exciting and unique feature that specifically addresses this issue. This tool offers a simple drag-n-drop interface that allows the correction of a placement error with just a few mouse clicks!

• Graphical Interface - This tool provides a graphical tree view in Binary format, making it much easier to understand and perform moves.
• Drag-n-Drop Editing - When using the tool, a starting point is searched for and then displayed. The operator then "drags" a position to a holding area, then "drops" that position onto a new spot in the tree! Move Complete!
• Positions Can Be Removed and Re-Inserted Anywhere In The Tree - There are no restrictions on which positions can be moved. Any placement error can be corrected.
• New Positions Can Be Created Anywhere In The Tree - Need to create a whole new position in the tree? No problem. The tool allows a move to be accomplished with a single mouse click!
• Positions Can Be Removed Permanently - A position can be permanently removed from the tree as long as it is on the end of a leg and has no downline.
• Scrollable 3-Level View - Once a starting point is displayed, the 3 level view can be scrolled up or down to locate the desired spot in the tree.

When managing a Binary system, inevitably you will have to make adjustments to a distributor's volume in their left or right side. Reasons for this vary, but typically it might be required because of a mistaken placement or a person has earned a reward, etc.. This tool allows you to make adjustments (positive or negative) to an individual but also to the entire upline as well!

• Adjust Volume (Positive or Negative) - Volume adjustments can be made to any of the 4 Binary accumulators supported by Firestorm. Positive and negative adjustments are possible.
• Apply Adjustment to a Single Distributor or Entire Upline -  Any adjustment made with this tool may be applied to a single distributor or the entire upline from that point. It is also possible to only affect the upline for N levels (where N is the number of levels upline that you wish to affect).
• Comments - Whenever a volume adjustment is made, the entry of a comment is required to describe why the adjustment is being made.  This comment will appear on the Volume History report viewable in customer service and by the distributor on the website.
• Recorded In Volume History - Firestorm® will record all adjustments made using this tool into the Volume History of every distributor's position being affected by the change.

In the Binary world, a voided order can cause special problems.  Since your distributors want to see volume credit as quickly as possible, the volume for an order is generally pushed up the tree immediately. When that order is voided, the volume needs to go away just as quickly. Firestorm® offers this capability and more!

• Negative Volume Can Be Sent Upline Automatically -  When an order is voided in the Firestorm® system, the administrator is given the option of sending negative volume upline in the appropriate pay plan (remember that Firestorm® supports up to 4) automatically. When this happens, the system will adjust the appropriate volume counters in each position upline that is credited with the original order.
• Binary and Non-Binary Products Handled Simultaneously - When an order contains both Binary credited products and non-Binary products, the system will automatically only send negative volume upline for the Binary specific products.
• Volume History Tracking - Whenever an order is voided in the Firestorm® system, all negative volume adjustments are recorded into volume history. This is viewable on the web by the distributor as well as customer service personnel in your office.

Our tabular genealogy report provides a spreadsheet-like view into a distributor's downline. This tool provides many advanced searching and sorting capabilities. The content displayed by this tool is fully controllable by you. You decide what information you want to display for each person in the downline and assign it to the report with just a few clicks of the mouse.

• Assignable Fields - The data that a distributor needs to see generally depends on the compensation plan of your company. Your system administrator can quickly assign fields to be displayed by using a configuration tool in Firestorm.
• Advanced Macro Capability For Custom Data - Need to display data specific to your compensation plan? Sales Numbers? Volume by a period of time? All of this and more is possible with the advanced macro capability this tool offers. Also, our engineers can create macros for you to display any piece of information you might need.
• Full Searching Capability - Searching on any assigned column is fully supported. Wildcard searches can also be performed. Want to see everyone of a specific pay rank? No problem! Simple select that column, enter the rank you are looking for, and click the filter button.
• Sort By Any Column - All columns include support for both ascending and descending sorts by clicking a column header.
• Sort By Structure - Structure sort gives your distributors the ability to view the physical layout of their downline.
• Advanced Filtering Capability - Filtering gives your distributors the ability to do complex filtering on the downline. Any field on the report can be used to filter out non-relevant records from the downline.
• "Jump To" Capability - If multiple records exist in the downline (ie: last name "smith"), this feature allows you to "jump" to the next occurrence of that record in the downline while still displaying the rest of the downline.
• Multiple Versions - Firestorm® allows your company to put up multiple versions this tool to display different data sets. There are no limits to the number of versions of this report that can be displayed.

Most people think visually. The concept behind this tool is to allow the distributor to "see" their binary downline. Using this approach makes understanding the Binary tree easier to comprehend and allows them to navigate the tree in an intuitive manner.

• Scrollable 3-Level or 4-Level View - The Binary tree can be presented in a 3-level (7 nodes visible) or 4-level (15 nodes visible)
• Quick Navigation To Top, Bottom Left, and Bottom Right - One click navigation in any direction
• Full Searching Capabilities - The tool allows your distributors to search their downline by several parameters. Search results are displayed in a grid that, when clicked, will synchronize itself to the tree view.
• Click A Node To Navigate (Up or Down) - clicking a node in the tree moves that position to the top of the tree and redraws from that level.
• Status of Each Position
• Click To Enroll - If a position is available for enrollment, a link is presented to the distributor. Clicking this link takes the distributor to the enrollment process with that position selected for placement. This link can be optionally suppressed.
• Personal Sponsorship Visually Identified - Any downline position personally sponsored by the distributor is visually identified.
• Customizable Display Icons - The icons in the tree viewer can be customized to use any image you desire. A common use of this feature is to insert a version of the company logo or branding.
• Basic Distributor Details Displayed for Each Node - Name, Pay Rank, ID Number and current left and right volume.

When a more compressive view of the downline is desired, this feature-rich tool offers many unique capabilities that are not available on the other tree view tools. This tool will display the binary structure to any depth and any width.

• Visual Display Of Entire Downline - This tool is unique in the way it works in that it will display any size downline to any depth or width and does so graphically!
• Displays Multiple Structure Types - If your Binary compensation plan includes a multi-level (unilevel) element to it, this report will display the unilevel structure for a distributor, either by physical placement or sponsorship lineage. This allows your distributor to see how they will be paid in all phases of your plan!
• User Specified Number Of Levels To Display At Once - Firestorm® allows you to configure how many levels of the structure can be displayed at one time.  While a distributor's entire downline is always viewable by drilling down, this option allows you to prevent someone with a huge downline from overloading your server.
• Drill Down Navigation - Clicking any node in the tree will bring that position to the top of the display and then re-draw the structure from that point down. Special icons indicate to the user if a downline continues down a leg or not.
• Distributor Details Displayed for Each Node - Name, Pay Rank, ID Number and Current Left and Right Volume.
• Advanced Distributor Details Spotlight Report - Fully configurable pop-up report to display any information desired about a person in the tree. Firestorm® allows you to place any data you want on this report with simple configurations performed by administrative personnel.
• Frontline Activity Report - If so configured, this tool will bring up a special front line activity report for the person who was clicked.
• Custom Reporting - If required for your compensation plan, Firestorm® offers the option of bringing up a custom report created specifically for your company when a person's name is clicked.
• Photo of Each Distributor - Each distributor's photograph is stored in the system and is displayed when that person's node is clicked in the tree.
• Color Coded Status of Each Distributor - Each distributor's status (active, inactive, terminated, etc.) is displayed on the report as a color coded icon.
• Full Searching Capabilities - The tool allows your distributors to search their downline by several parameters. Search results are displayed in a grid that, when clicked, will synchronize itself to the tree view.

Tracking volume as it moves through a position in the structure is a huge advantage for your distributors. This tool gives your members the ability view every point of volume credit (or debits) they have received, along with information on where that volume came from.

• Volume Displayed Separately for Left and Right - Every transaction against the selected position is broken apart into separate grids for left and right sides.
• All Volume Transactions Timestamped - All volume transactions (credits and debits) have an accompanying date and time that the transaction occurred on.
• Detailed Comments - As volume is credited or debited for the position, detailed comments are added to indicate where the volume was credited from. (ex: Order number, customer or distributor name, etc). These comments allow distributors to answer their own questions without having to call your customer service department!
• Every Position Viewable - If your compensation plan allows for multiple positions in the Binary tree, all positions are availalble for viewing.
• Volume In All 4 Binary Plans Viewable - If your compensation plan allows for multiple positions in the Binary tree, all positions are available for viewing.
• Number Of Days of History Viewable Controlled By The Company - You decide on how many days a distributor can go back and view volume for. This is typically set up for 30-60 days.

When an experienced Binary distributor is working your compensation plan, they will want to exercise precise control over how their organization is built. Since they will have new people enrolling on their replicated website, autoplace would normally place new enrollments into their downline using the autoplace rules defined by the company.  This tool allows the experienced distributor to specify where in their organization new enrollments will begin. From this point forward, autoplace rules apply. This will allow your distributor to direct new replicated website enrollments to the point in their downline that will be most beneficial.

Even when your distributor is not present with the new enrollee or is doing the enrollment themselves, their wishes for placement are still being carried out for them.

Normally, when a customer (a non-distributor) places an order in a Binary system, the distributor who sponsored that customer does not receive Binary volume credit for that order in their left / right accumulators. If your compensation plan allows it, this tool provides a way for the distributor to specify how they want the volume from the customer order placed into their position.

• Volume can be place by Left or Right on a percentage basis - When an order comes in, the volume can be assigned to your position by specifying a percentage of the volume to apply to each side.
• Volume can be placed on the Strong Side or Weak Side - The system will automatically calculate which side is which at the moment of the volume push and will apply the volume according to this configuration.
• Volume Assignment can be set up for all positions - If your plan allows multiple positions in the Binary tree, all positions can have a default setup.

Generally speaking, most Binary plans do not give volume credit for personal orders. However, if your compensation plan allows it, this tool will give your distributors a way to specify how they want volume placed into their position for personal orders.

• Volume can be placed by Left or Right on a percentage basis - When an order comes in, the volume can be assigned to your position by specifying a percentage of the volume to apply to each side.
• Volume can be placed on the Strong Side or Weak Side - The system will automatically calculate which side is which at the moment of the volume push and will apply the volume according to this configuration.
• Volume Assignment can be set up for all positions - If your plan allows multiple positions in the Binary tree, all positions can have a default set up.