Connect the relevant records
Bring together earnings and payout records for the same agreed program, period, and currency.
FOR MICROSOFT PARTNER FINANCE & OPERATIONS
Understand the gap between Microsoft incentive earnings and payouts.
ShadowThread is being built to connect reported earnings, adjustments, and payouts so your team can investigate differences with the supporting records in view.
Software in development. We’re gathering interest in a limited Microsoft incentive report-comparison pilot.
Start with a short form. No call required. Any review will be arranged separately.
HOW IT WORKS
Understand the difference before taking action.
The planned workflow follows the records from earnings to payout. Each finding should show its source, its calculation, and any missing information.
Account for explainable differences
Check supported payment statuses and adjustments before treating a difference as something to investigate.
Keep the reasoning visible
Show the records and calculations behind each finding, along with questions that need more evidence.
Who this is for
Finance and operations professionals at Microsoft partner companies who compare Partner Center incentive earnings with payout reports and investigate differences between them.
The pilot compares detailed Earnings–Default and Earnings–Payments CSV exports for one payment marked Sent, one partner, and one incentive program. It covers Rebate earnings in USD only, without currency conversion. Report compatibility must still be validated.
THE COMPLIMENTARY REVIEW
A defined scope.
A written explanation.
Request a review by answering three short questions about report availability and the pilot criteria. The ShadowThread team reviews potential fits and confirms availability, scope, and timing by email.
The pilot is limited to detailed Earnings–Default and Earnings–Payments CSV exports for one Sent payment, one partner, one incentive program, Rebate earnings, and USD without currency conversion. Summarized reports and other report types are outside this pilot. Any review will be arranged separately.
Request a ReviewWhat an agreed review would include
- A summary of the reports and checks included
- Differences needing investigation, or confirmation that no differences were found within scope
- Supporting record references, calculations, and limitations
- Open questions and suggested next steps
Registering interest does not create an account, authorize data sharing, or commit you to paid work. A review is not a financial audit or a guarantee of recovery.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE · SYNTHETIC DATA
A difference worth investigating, with its evidence attached.
This simplified example shows the intended explanation format. It is not a customer result or a product screenshot.
- Reported earnings Example records E-001–E-003
- $10,000
- Withheld tax Example payment record P-001
- −$500
- Expected net payout $10,000 − $500
- $9,500
- Reported payout Example payment record P-001
- $9,000
- Unexplained difference
- $500
Outcome: needs investigation
The reported payout is $500 below the expected net amount in these example records.
Next step: confirm whether another adjustment or payment record explains the difference. This assumes matching periods and currency, a sent payment status, and no other recorded adjustments.
All amounts are USD. The $500 difference is not a confirmed recovery or entitlement.
TAKING PART
Check your fit for the pilot.
You can discuss fit before sharing any files.
Confirm the pilot criteria
Share your name, work email, and company, then answer three questions about the two detailed reports, one Sent payment, and Rebate earnings in USD. Optional context is welcome. No uploads or sensitive financial data.
Agree the review
We confirm availability, supported reports, scope, timing, and the written outcome before you decide whether to proceed.
Share data only when ready
Data handling and secure sharing instructions must be confirmed first. An inquiry alone is not permission to upload or send financial data.
Keep control of identifying information.
The intended workflow removes direct identifying fields on your device and replaces supported identifiers with reference codes. The file that links those codes back to the original identifiers stays with you. This reduces what is shared; it does not make financial data anonymous.
These safeguards must be demonstrated in the agreed review environment before data collection.
Please do not email financial exports, credentials, or identifier reference files. This public website does not accept uploads.WHY SHADOWTHREAD?
The name reflects the work: bringing overlooked details into view and following the evidence that connects them.
Shadow represents differences that can be hard to see across reports. Thread represents the records and reasoning that help explain those differences.
ABOUT SHADOWTHREAD
Meet the Owner
Matt Terry · Founder, ShadowThread
I’m an IT leader with experience managing systems and networking teams, overseeing infrastructure, and helping people work through complex technical challenges. My focus is reliable operations, clear accountability, and information people can trust.
I’m building ShadowThread to bring that same approach to earnings reconciliation: less time comparing spreadsheets, clearer explanations of differences, and findings that finance and operations teams can trace back to supporting records.
Contact ShadowThreadQUESTIONS
Before you get in touch.
Can I use the software today?
ShadowThread is not generally available. The current public invitation is to register interest in a scoped review, not to sign up for software access. Availability and suitability will be confirmed by email.
Which reports and programs are supported?
Only detailed Earnings–Default and Earnings–Payments CSV exports from Microsoft Partner Center are in scope: one Sent payment, one partner, one incentive program, Rebate earnings, and USD without currency conversion. Summarized exports, other report types, reversals, and complex adjustments are outside the pilot. Your specific report compatibility still requires validation.
Is the review free?
An agreed complimentary review has no review fee within its written scope. The reporting period, reports, checks, and timing must be agreed first. Registering interest does not commit you to paid work.
Do I have to schedule a call?
No. Initial questions, scope agreement, and review communication can be handled by email.
What should I send first?
Use the review request form to share your name, work email, company, and answers to the three pilot-scope questions. Do not include report files, financial records, payment IDs, customer identifiers, account numbers, or credentials.
Does a difference mean Microsoft owes money?
No. A difference may be explained by timing, adjustments, missing information, or another record. A potential discrepancy is not a confirmed entitlement or recovery.
Is ShadowThread affiliated with Microsoft?
No. ShadowThread is an independent software product and is not endorsed by Microsoft. Microsoft and Partner Center are trademarks of their respective owner.
REQUEST A REVIEW
Interested in the Microsoft incentive pilot?
Answer three short scope questions. We’ll assess whether your inquiry is a potential fit, outside the current pilot, or needs clarification.
Request a ReviewOpens our Jotform interest form. No uploads or sensitive financial data. The ShadowThread team reviews potential fits. Any review will be arranged separately; submitting does not grant pilot access.