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Marketing fund is where most franchisors lose trust. Franchisees pay in, then can't see where it went. SalesThumb tracks one org-level fund: each shop's contribution (a configurable % of gross revenue) is calculated automatically once a month when royalties close — the collection itself is a manual step, not a bank-level auto-debit — HQ logs its own national campaigns (channel, budget, spend, leads, awarded franchisees) by hand, and franchisees submit reimbursement claims for their own local spend — a flyer run, a sponsorship, a local ad buy — that HQ approves, rejects, or marks paid. Every step is visible on one balance: contributions in, minus campaign spend, minus paid claims.
Sample Franchise Group · Marketing Fund
National marketing fund (NMF). Where every franchisee's 2.0% goes, and what it's buying.
$42,180
Fund balance
Available to deploy
$8,940
Contributions (MTD)
5 shops
$6,200
Spend (MTD)
2 active campaigns
312
Leads generated
18 awarded · $20 CPL
National Spring Sale — Paid Social
ACTIVESpend
$4,100
of $8,000
Channel
Meta
Leads
212
Brand Search — Ceramic + PPF terms
ACTIVESpend
$2,100
of $5,000
Channel
Leads
100
Campaign spend + leads are entered by HQ staff — there's no live sync from Meta/Google, so numbers are only as fresh as the last manual update.
Features, zoomed in
Three capabilities built specifically for the day-to-day of a working shop.
Deep dive · 01
There's no national/regional/local split — every shop in an org contributes into the same fund, and HQ spends from the same balance whether it's a national campaign or a franchisee's local reimbursement claim. The Contributions tab shows exactly what each shop's revenue generated this month at the org's configured rate; the Campaigns tab is where HQ logs what it spent (channel, budget, spend, leads) by hand, since there's no live ad-platform sync.
Sample Franchise Group · Marketing Fund
Where every franchisee's 2.0% goes, and what it's buying
Fund balance
$42,180
Available to deploy
Contributions (MTD)
$8,940
5 shops
Spend (MTD)
$6,200
2 active campaigns
Leads generated
312
18 awarded · $20 CPL
This month's contributions
2.0% of gross revenue calculated automatically at royalty close — collection is a manual step
| Shop | Revenue | Rate | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix · Desert Ridge | $61,400 | 2.0% | $1,228 |
| Tampa · Westshore | $54,900 | 2.0% | $1,098 |
| Scottsdale · Kierland | $48,200 | 2.0% | $964 |
| Austin · South Lamar | $52,700 | 2.0% | $1,054 |
| Dallas · Plano | $40,100 | 2.0% | $802 |
Contribution rate is set per org (with optional per-shop overrides) — this example uses 2.0%. One fund, no national/regional/local split.
Deep dive · 02
A franchisee submits a claim (amount, category, description, optional receipt) from their own settings page. It lands in HQ's Claims queue as Submitted. HQ can ask the AI-suggestion chip to read the claim and receipt for a suggested verdict and reason — that's a suggestion only, never an action. HQ clicks Approve or Reject (with a note) themselves. Once approved, HQ marks it Paid by typing a reference note (check #, wire ref) once money actually moves outside the platform — there's no payment-rail integration on this path, since the underlying processor is mid-migration.
Claims · Submitted
Austin · South Lamar
SubmittedLocal advertising$400.00Local radio spots · 2 weeks, KXYZ 98.1 — flyer + on-air mention for the spring ceramic promo.
AI suggests: Approve — receipt total matches claimed amount, category fits local advertising. — you decide.
Approving moves the claim to Approved. From there, HQ marks it Paid by hand once money actually moves outside the platform (check, wire, etc.) — there's no payment-rail call and no automated budget check.
What's included
Everything that ships on day one. No feature-gating surprises inside a single plan.
See every angle
Every meaningful view, the path through it, and the moments that matter — so you know exactly what you're buying.
Claim submission (franchisee side)
Marketing Fund Claims · Austin · South Lamar
Request reimbursement from HQ for your local marketing spend.
New claim
Amount (USD)
Category
Description
Receipt (optional)
Your claims
Most recent first
HQ note: Check #4021 sent 6/2
HQ note: Missing receipt — resubmit with proof of spend
No automated budget checks run on submit — HQ reviews every claim by hand and leaves a note when it decides.
Who it's for
What it replaces
How it works
One org-wide rate (a % of gross revenue), with an optional per-shop override. No pool split, no regional tiers.
The royalty-close cron calculates each shop's contribution automatically once a month — collection is a manual step, not a bank-level auto-debit. HQ logs its own campaigns (channel, budget, spend, leads) by hand as it spends.
A franchisee submits a claim with an optional receipt. HQ can ask for an AI suggestion, then approves, rejects, or marks it paid by hand — every action lands in the audit log.
What this looks like in a shop
Illustrative scenario: Sample Franchise Group runs one national marketing fund across 5 shops at a 2% contribution rate. HQ logs its Q2 paid-social campaign in the Campaigns tab by hand as spend comes in. Austin submits a $400 claim for two weeks of local radio spots with a receipt attached; it shows up in HQ's queue, the AI-suggestion chip flags it as a likely approve since the receipt matches the claimed amount, and HQ approves it — then marks it paid once the check goes out.
Questions
Fits in with
Royalty engine
Calculates each shop's fund contribution automatically at monthly close (collection is a manual step, same as royalty payments)
R2 file storage
Franchisee-uploaded receipt photos/PDFs
Explore more
A cron closes the month automatically — sums paid invoices per shop, applies each shop's rate, generates itemized statements. Collecting the money is a manual step: a NACHA file you originate through your own bank, or payments you record by hand.
Server-enforced brand-color locks, network-wide minimum pricing, and a structured visit-checklist runner that turns every failed item into a tracked corrective action — not a spreadsheet note.
Whether you're a solo operator or a franchisor with hundreds of locations, every shop rolls up into one HQ view with consolidated KPIs, centralized catalogs, and push-to-shop pricing and templates.
Built-in segments (everyone, new in 30 days, inactive 90+ days, VIPs, or a single tag), a full recipient preview before you send, and replies that land in your normal inbox — not a separate tool to babysit.