Comp Plans for Field Sales Reps: A Guide with QuotaPath

Compensating field sales reps is uniquely challenging given the nature of the job.

Territories vary dramatically. Travel time eats into selling hours. Pipelines swing based on seasons, distributor activity, and regional demand.

And deal cycles often stretch longer than inside-sales motions. This guide breaks down how to build simple, motivating, and fair comp plans for field reps. Plans that reward the behaviors you need most:

• Territory coverage
• Pipeline health
• Expansion
• And, long-term account development

But why listen to me? Well, in my role at QuotaPath and as a RevOps leader, I’ve helped hundreds of revenue leaders modernize their variable compensation over free comp plan consults.

Field sales comp structures don’t differ too terribly from your standard sales models, but there is some nuance. My guide below should help you create field compensation structures while keeping things clear, human, and actionable.

The Unique Challenges of Compensating Field Sales Reps

Now, let’s get specific about why field sales teams demand a different approach to compensation.

Field sales reps operate with a level of autonomy that most inside sales teams don’t experience.

They’re managing territories, building long-term relationships, and making judgment calls in real time. Because so much of their day occurs off-screen and off-CRM, the compensation plan becomes one of the clearest tools for guiding behavior.

Field selling also comes with massive variability:

• The territory itself can massively influence earning potential.
• Travel time creates real constraints. Most field reps lose hours every week to the road, logistics, and in-person coordination.
• Seasonality, industry cycles, and distributor dynamics can dramatically impact pipeline volume.

With longer sales cycles, reps often go weeks without concrete signals of progress. And, when compensation isn’t clear, this ambiguity turns into anxiety and disengagement.

Tip: Ask yourself - Does your current plan reward effort, progress, or only outcomes?

Core Principles of an Effective Field Sales Compensation Plan

Next, let’s define what a strong field sales compensation plan must accomplish.

1. Simplicity and Field Clarity

First up is balancing simplicity with clarity. Since field reps often work offline, they don’t have time to calculate breakpoints in parking lots or before a route starts. The plan needs to be memorable.

Our CEO AJ Bruno likes to follow this general rule: “If you can’t write your comp plan on a cocktail napkin, it’s too complex.” This holds true for field sales, too.

Keep mechanics tight:

• Simple rate
• Clear threshold
• Predictable accelerators

No hidden rules, exceptions, or “ask your manager” scenarios

2. Fairness Across Territories

Secondly, consider fairness across your team’s territories. Uneven earning potential breeds resentment and turnover.

Strong plans reduce luck and level the playing field.

Use tools like:

• Territory scoring based on TAM, account size, whitespace, or demand signal
• Quota normalization to balance upside
• Ramps when opening new markets or rebuilding underperforming territories
  

Use territory optimization tools like Badger Align to help you spot any imbalances or model different allocation scenarios.

3. Line of Sight to Performance

Additionally, reps should always know: “If I do X, I can earn Y.”

This becomes even more important in field motions where cycles are slower.

Tie compensation to controllable inputs:

• Meetings
• Route completion
• Product mix
• Expansion volume

And consider this checklist:

• Can the rep directly influence every comp component?
• Does the plan reflect how they actually sell?
• Does it avoid windfalls caused by territory luck?

The Most Effective Comp Plan Models for Field Reps

With the principles in place, let’s walk through proven structures built specifically for field sales.

#1: Quota-Based Commission Plans (Most Common)

These plans offer clarity and transparency, and are ideal for mature territories and predictable cycles.

Example Structure:

• 10% commission on booked revenue
• 1.5× accelerator above 100% quota
• Quarterly true-ups to account for long-cycle sales
  

Best used when reps manage a stable book with steady demand.

#2: Hybrid Activity + Revenue Plans

Great for routes where reps influence pipeline long before revenue lands.

Pair leading indicators with lagging ones.

Example:

• $50 per qualified onsite meeting
• $200 bonus for weekly territory route completion
• 8% commission on revenue

This model reduces anxiety during slow periods and reinforces consistency.

#3: Territory Growth or Penetration Bonuses

Strong for equalizing earnings across territories and driving expansion.

Example:

• 2% kicker on revenue from newly penetrated accounts
• Bonus for increasing product adoption in existing accounts
  

This structure rewards reps for working the full breadth of their territory, not just “easy win” accounts.

#4: Multi-Year or Long-Cycle Accelerators

Field reps often nurture accounts over months or years. Rewarding long-term success keeps morale high.

Example accelerators:

• Increased commission for multi-year contracts
• Velocity bonuses for deals closed in less-than-average cycle time
• Higher payout bands for expansion revenue

How to Align Comp With Field Sales Behaviors That Drive Results

Once you’ve identified the framework of your comp plan, tie compensation components directly to the behaviors your field sellers must prioritize.

Incentivize Route Coverage & Consistency

Show up in market → build relationships → grow pipeline.

Example: Bonus for hitting 90% of weekly planned route coverage. Badger Maps helps reps plan efficient routes and track adherence, giving you the visibility needed to measure and reward consistency in the field.

Tie Incentives to High-Value Activities

These often have outsized downstream impact:

• In-person demos
• Multi-stakeholder meetings
• Distributor or retail partner visits

Encourage Pipeline Discipline

Field reps sometimes “hold” deals or wait for timing. Incentives should promote healthy, steady movement.

Options include:

• Bonuses for stage progression
• Rewards for forecast accuracy
• Micro-spiffs for updating aging deals

Promote Healthy Product Mix

Weighted credit can encourage the sale of products that matter most strategically, like those that are most profitable to the organization or yield higher chances of the customer re-purchasing or renewing.

Best Practices for Designing Comp Plans for Field Teams

So, where should you begin?

Step 1: Start With Territory Assessment

Evaluate historical performance, market maturity, account quality, and potential before setting quota.

Step 2: Normalize Earning Potential Across Reps

Score territories using inputs like past revenue, whitespace, visit frequency, and route load, then calibrate quotas so that earning potential is balanced across all reps.

Step 3: Test the Plan With Real Data

Model it using historical deals to identify unintended winners or losers.

Step 4: Keep Payout Cycles Predictable

Monthly or quarterly payouts work best for long-cycle field teams.

Step 5: Build Transparency Across All Earnings

Show reps what to expect from each deal, route, or activity. Transparency builds trust and reduces disputes, one of the most important elements of strong comp design. (Note: bringing transparency for all commission stakeholders is core to QuotaPath.)

Final Recommendations:

To sum up, here’s what I’d emphasize after helping hundreds of companies modernize field rep compensation.

• Choose a structure reps can explain in under 30 seconds.
• Build incentives that reflect the actual reality of field selling.
• Model every change before rollout.
• Revisit territories and quotas twice a year.
• Prioritize transparency above everything else.
  

Want help modeling your next field compensation plan? Set up time with me for a comp plan consultation.

Author: Ryan Milligan, VP of RevOps at QuotaPath