This article will cover the following:
Before You Create the Profile
A little preparation before creating an advertiser profile saves significant back-and-forth later. Collect the following before opening CAKE:
- Legal company name — use this exactly as it appears in your contract to avoid naming mismatches in invoices.
- Primary billing contact — name, email address, and phone number.
- Preferred billing schedule — weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Changing this after the first invoice creates confusion.
- Any targeting restrictions — countries, devices, or offer types they're not willing to accept.
- Creative assets — banners, landing page URLs, or copy they want affiliates to use.
Creating the Advertiser Profile
1
Go to Advertisers > Add Advertiser.
2
Enter the company name exactly as it appears in your contract.
3
Add the billing contact details — name, email, phone.
4
Set the Status to Pending until their first offer has been tested and confirmed working.
5
Select the Billing Cycle agreed upon with the advertiser.
6
Add internal notes: assigned account manager, contract start date, any special terms.
7
Click Save.
Tip:
Use the Notes field liberally during onboarding. Notes are internal-only and never visible to the advertiser, making them ideal for recording context that doesn't belong in a formal field.
Use the Notes field liberally during onboarding. Notes are internal-only and never visible to the advertiser, making them ideal for recording context that doesn't belong in a formal field.
Billing Cycle Options
| Cycle | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Invoice generated every 7 days on a set day. | High-volume advertisers who need frequent reconciliation. |
| Bi-weekly | Invoice generated every 2 weeks, typically on the 1st and 15th. | Mid-volume clients who want regular but not constant billing. |
| Monthly | Invoice generated once per month on the last day or 1st of the following month. | Standard for most networks and advertisers. |
Caution:
Changing a billing cycle mid-period creates a partial invoice for the days already elapsed. Align all billing cycle changes with the start of a new period and confirm the change in writing with the advertiser.
Changing a billing cycle mid-period creates a partial invoice for the days already elapsed. Align all billing cycle changes with the start of a new period and confirm the change in writing with the advertiser.
Managing Status Changes
Advertiser status changes have immediate downstream effects on all linked offers. Here's how to handle the most common scenarios:
| Scenario | Status Change | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Advertiser is ready to go live | Pending → Active | Confirm at least one offer is set up and tested. |
| Advertiser pausing all campaigns temporarily | Active → Inactive | Notify all affiliates running their offers. |
| Billing dispute or compliance issue | Active → Suspended | Document the reason and expected resolution timeline. |
| Reactivating after suspension | Suspended → Active | Confirm the underlying issue is resolved before reactivating. |
Onboarding Checklist
- Company name collected and entered exactly as per contract
- Billing contact details on file
- Billing cycle confirmed and set
- Status set to Pending until first offer is live and tested
- Account manager assigned and noted in the profile
- Creative assets received or deadline agreed
- First offer created, tracking tested, and status set to Active
- Advertiser profile status updated to Active
If you have any questions, please reach out to your dedicated CAKE Client Success Manager/Account Manager or contact the CAKE Support Team at support@getCAKE.com.