Partner Guide

How to Submit a CDA

The Commission Disbursement Authorization tells the title company exactly who gets paid at closing. Here's the whole process, start to signature — six steps, all in one tab.

WhereYour deal → CDA Workflow tab
WhoThe agent on the deal
WhenBefore closing — no deal closes without a signed CDA

The six steps

  1. 1

    Open the CDA Workflow tab

    Sign in, open Deals, and pick the deal that's closing. Click the CDA Workflow tab. Everything below happens there or on the Financials tab right next to it.

  2. 2

    Enter every dollar first

    On the Financials tab, add anything that moves money on this deal: referral fees you owe a referring brokerage, commission payables owed to a cooperating brokerage, and commission receivables you expect to collect. Referral fees need the referral agreement and a W-9 on file; payables need a W-9 too (in-house payees are covered automatically). A receivable set to auto-invoice needs an email address and an amount — or switch auto-send off for that receivable. Nothing to enter? That's fine — you'll confirm it in step 5.

  3. 3

    Clear the prerequisites checklist

    The CDA Workflow tab shows a live checklist: deal value, commission (percentage or flat fee), closing date, representation type with client names (both sides on an intermediary deal), the full property address, title company name and address on sale transactions, and every required document uploaded. Green across the board means you're ready. If an item genuinely doesn't apply, your broker can waive it.

  4. 4

    Answer any open broker conditions

    If your broker has added conditions to the deal (they look like COND-1234), respond to each one — mark it done, upload the document, or leave a note. An open condition blocks submission until it has a response.

  5. 5

    Confirm the commission acknowledgment

    Check the box confirming you've entered all commission receivables, payables, and referral fees for the deal. If there are no payables or no referral fees, you'll confirm that explicitly — “none” is an answer, not a blank.

  6. 6

    Pick your payout and submit

    Choose how you'd like this commission paid — Stripe payout, wire transfer, or mailed check (your default is pre-selected) — then hit Submit CDA Request. Done.

What happens after you submit

From here the platform carries it. You're notified at each stage.

Submitted

Your request lands in your broker’s review queue. You’re notified at every step from here.

Broker review

Your broker approves it or requests changes with notes. If changes are requested, answering the last open condition resubmits it automatically — no extra clicks.

E-signature

The approved CDA goes out for signature electronically.

Signed & locked

Commission figures lock, your payout amount is set, invoices queued to auto-send go out, and your payout moves forward. The deal can now be marked closed.

The three things that block most CDAs

A missing W-9

A referral fee or payable without a W-9 on file blocks submission. Upload it from the Financials tab.

An auto-invoice receivable with no email

An invoice with nowhere to send blocks the CDA. Add the email address and amount — or turn off auto-send for that receivable.

An unanswered broker condition

Any response clears it — mark it done, attach the document, or leave a note.

Quick answers

What exactly is a CDA?
A Commission Disbursement Authorization — the signed document that tells the title company exactly how to split and pay commission at closing. Nothing gets disbursed without it.
Why can’t I mark my deal closed?
A deal needs a signed CDA before it can be marked closed — every path checks for it. Submit the CDA, get it through signature, and closing unlocks.
Can I change something after it’s signed?
Yes. Use the Request CDA Amendment button next to the CDA Locked badge on the deal — for a commission change, a split change, or anything else. Your broker approves the amendment before anything pays out differently.

Ready when you are

Open your deal and the CDA Workflow tab walks you through it. Stuck on a step? Ask ConsoleX from your dashboard — it knows this process end to end.

Sign in and open your deal