Free resources
Ten rebate agreement templates, free to download
Annotated drafting templates for trade schemes, rebates and allowances — with the six clauses that prevent almost every dispute marked in each. Ungated: no form, no email address.
14-day free trial · no credit card
The downloads
- Ten rebate agreement templatesWord document
Ten annotated drafting templates. Square brackets mark what you complete; drafting notes explain why each clause is there and what goes wrong without it.
- Scheme terms scheduleExcel workbook
Twenty fields per scheme with the claim deadline calculated, a slab calculator running both bases off the same inputs, and the six questions to send when a circular arrives.
Three more workbooks from the same set, referenced by the guides below:
- Company claim trackerExcel workbook
Scheme register, tagged purchases, computed entitlement, claims by state, settlement matching, ageing by company, and a dashboard whose headline number is the unclaimed gap.
- Net landing cost calculatorExcel workbook
List price to true net landing cost, with free goods flowing into the unit cost — so a 10+1 costs at 9.09%, not 10%.
- Rebate accrual modelExcel workbook
Twelve months of tiered accrual at the expected rate, with the whole-volume and stepped settlement worked side by side and the true-up shown.
The six clauses that recur in every template
These are the whole point of the pack. Each one removes an ambiguity that otherwise produces a dispute, and each is a single sentence.
| Clause | The ambiguity it removes | Cost when missing |
|---|---|---|
| Calculation basis | Whole-volume or stepped | Can exceed half the value of the scheme |
| Qualifying Purchase Value | GST, freight, on-invoice discount, free goods | A persistent few percent on every claim |
| Governing date | Invoice, despatch or receipt | Lumpy disputes on period-boundary invoices |
| Returns and credit notes | Gross or net, and which returns | One-directional; can drop the base a whole slab |
| Amendment | Whether revisions apply backwards | History repriced silently — the top audit finding |
| Claim window | Days, from what event, measured to what | No recovery route once missed |
Why the basis clause is worth the most
The templates carry both options with a note to delete one. Here is why that matters, on a real structure:
Slab table: up to ₹25,00,000 0.0%
₹25,00,000–₹50,00,000 1.5%
₹50,00,000–₹75,00,000 2.5%
above ₹75,00,000 3.5%
Qualifying base: ₹57,00,000
Whole-volume ₹57,00,000 × 2.5% = ₹1,42,500
Stepped ₹37,500 + ₹17,500 = ₹55,000
──────────
Difference ₹87,500Identical volume, identical table, 2.6 times the money. Both readings are plausible from a circular that publishes the table and says nothing more — and where it is unstated, the reading that prevails is the one held by whoever issues the credit note. The five recurring causes of that gap are in rebate discrepancies.
The clause worth adopting even if you use nothing else
From the master trade terms agreement:
The Company may from time to time issue scheme circulars under this Agreement. Each circular shall carry a unique Scheme reference and shall state, as a minimum, the matters listed in Schedule B. Where a circular is silent on any matter listed in Schedule B, the corresponding provision of this Agreement shall apply.
This solves the structural problem of Indian distribution: most schemes arrive as circulars, not negotiated contracts. There is no signature moment, no legal review, and no opportunity to negotiate terms. A PDF arrives and the terms are whatever it says — or, more often, whatever it does not say.
The clause makes the master agreement the default for every field a circular omits. Sign it once per counterparty and the incomplete circulars that follow are no longer ambiguous, because the gaps have already been filled. Schedule B is also, usefully, the list to check a circular against as it arrives — the fuller pre-signature version is in ten things to check before signing a rebate deal.
How to use the pack
If you are a distributor. You will rarely be negotiating these — you will be receiving circulars. Use the templates as a checklist against what arrives, and the six-questions sheet as a reply. Asked before the period starts, those questions get answered neutrally; asked at settlement, they get answered by whoever is about to issue the credit note. Where you do have a master agreement, get the circular clause above into it.
If you are a manufacturer or brand. Use them as the drafting standard for schemes you issue. Publishing complete terms costs nothing and removes most of what your claims team currently spends its time on — and it does more for dealer trust than a rate change, because it makes the process predictable rather than generous. The evidence for that is in do distributor rebates build loyalty.
What these templates are not
- Not legal advice. They are general drafting guidance and a starting point for a conversation with a qualified advisor, not a substitute for one. Have anything you intend to sign reviewed by someone qualified in your jurisdiction.
- Not ready to sign as they stand. Every template carries square brackets for the terms only you can supply, and options to elect between.
- Not a tax opinion. Whether a settlement carries a tax adjustment depends on the scheme's structure and the statutory conditions in force — see what GST compliance actually requires. Verify against current CBIC material and confirm with a tax advisor.
Frequently asked questions
What is in the rebate agreement template pack?
Ten annotated drafting templates: a master trade terms agreement, volume rebate and turnover discount, growth incentive, quantity purchase scheme circular, free goods and bonus scheme circular, special pricing and rate difference authorisation, display and visibility, price protection, expiry and breakage allowance, and market development or co-op advertising.
Are the templates free?
Yes, and ungated — no form, no email address. The templates are the argument, so putting them behind a form defeats the point of publishing them.
Which clause is worth the most?
The calculation basis clause — whether a slab is whole-volume or stepped. On an identical volume and an identical slab table it can be the difference between ₹1,42,500 and ₹55,000, and a circular that publishes the table often says nothing about the basis.
What are the six clauses that recur in every template?
Calculation basis, qualifying purchase value, governing date, treatment of returns and credit notes, the amendment clause, and the claim window. Each removes one ambiguity, each is a single sentence, and together they prevent most rebate disputes.
I only receive circulars — I never negotiate an agreement. Are these useful?
Yes, in two ways. Use the templates as a checklist against what arrives, and use the six-questions sheet as a reply. If you have any master agreement with a counterparty, the single highest-value change is a clause making that agreement the default for anything a circular leaves unstated.
Is this legal advice?
No. The templates are general drafting guidance and say so. They are a starting point for a conversation with a qualified advisor, not a substitute for one, and any agreement you intend to sign should be reviewed by someone qualified in your jurisdiction.
What does the scheme terms schedule do?
It holds twenty fields per scheme with the claim deadline calculated from period end plus the claim window, a slab calculator that runs whole-volume and stepped off the same inputs and shows distance to the next threshold, and the six questions to send the day a circular arrives.
Can I edit the workbooks?
Yes. Input cells are marked in blue on a yellow fill; calculated cells are black and should not be overwritten. Each workbook carries example rows in italic blue — delete those before entering your own schemes.
See it on your own data in 60 seconds
Start a free trial and import your customers and products, or launch an instant demo sandbox pre-loaded with realistic claims.