# Partner Central PRM: leads, deals and funds

*Experience Cloud Consultant Study Guide · Administration, Setup, and Configuration · Last updated October 24, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/experience-cloud-consultant/administration-setup-and-configuration/partner-central-prm-leads-deals-and-funds*

How to build channel sales on a Partner Central site: lead distribution through a queue and the Lead Inbox, deal registration with a lead record type, global action and approvals, partner opportunities and teams, and market development funds from budget to claim.

- Certification: Salesforce Experience Cloud Consultant
- Exam section: Administration, Setup, and Configuration
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/experience-cloud-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Apply the steps for implementing Channel Sales Partner Relationship Management (PRM).

## What the exam expects

- Tell lead distribution (the vendor sources the lead) from deal registration (the partner sources it) and name the channel conflict each one manages.
- Put the lead distribution steps in order: lead process, queue and list view, page layouts, record type, assignment rules, then the Lead Inbox.
- Configure deal registration: lead record type, global action on Quick Create, partner opportunities and an approval process, with reporting kept separate from marketing leads.
- Hide channel-only fields from partners and give a partner access to one opportunity without moving ownership.
- Set up market development funds and say which record a partner submits before and after a campaign.

Key terms: **lead distribution (lead pass)**, vendor-sourced leads passed to partners; **deal registration**, partner-sourced deals the vendor protects once approved; **channel conflict**, two sellers competing for one deal; **Lead Inbox**, the Partner Central component where partners accept queue leads; **MDF**, budgets, allocations, requests and claims for co-marketing money.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First lead distribution step | Create a lead process (status values) | [Configure Lead Distribution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_lead_distribution_intro.htm&type=5) |
| Saving a queue | Creates a list view with the same name; both need partner visibility | [Create a Queue](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_lead_distribution_queue_setup.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Accepting from the Lead Inbox | The partner becomes the lead owner | [Customize Partner Central for Lead Distribution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_leaddist_customize_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Deal registration global action | Target object Lead, deal registration record type, added to Quick Create | [Create a Global Action](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_deal_reg_global_actions.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Level-based access | Share list views and folders with Channel Program Member sharing groups | [Sharing Groups](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_program_groups.htm&language=en&type=5) |
| Partner accounts | Business accounts only; can't be deleted, only disabled | [Create Partner Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_partner_community_create_account.htm&type=5) |
| MDF objects | Budget, Allocation, Request (before), Claim (after spending) | [MDF Validation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000381432&language=en_US&type=1) |

## Check yourself

- Why must the lead process exist before the lead record type for lead distribution?
- When does a partner submit a Partner Fund Claim rather than a Partner Fund Request?
- What happens to a lead's owner when a partner accepts it from the Lead Inbox?
- Why can't a direct sales rep compete for a deal a partner registered?

## Sources

- [Lead Distribution and Deal Registration](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.networks_leaddist_dealreg.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Configure Lead Distribution in Partner Central](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_lead_distribution_intro.htm&type=5)
- [Configure Deal Registration in Partner Central](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_deal_reg_intro.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Market Development Funds](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_market_dev_funds_intro.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Manage Partner Relationships with Experience Cloud Sites](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.networks_partners_intro.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create a Lead Process for Lead Distribution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_lead_process.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create a Queue for Lead Distribution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_lead_distribution_queue_setup.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create Assignment Rules for Lead Distribution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_lead_assignment_rules_partners.htm&type=5)
- [Customize Partner Central for Lead Distribution](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_leaddist_customize_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Assign Leads to Partners](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_partners_assign_leads.htm&type=5)
- [Create a Global Action to Let Partners Register Deals](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_deal_reg_global_actions.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create Record Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.creating_record_types.htm&type=5)
- [Configure Partner Fund Claims](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_market_dev_claim_configure.htm&type=5)
- [Experience Cloud PRM: Market Development Funds (MDF) Validation Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=000381432&language=en_US&type=1)
- [Create Partner Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=experience.networks_partner_community_create_account.htm&type=5)
- [Considerations When Creating Partner Users](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=platform.exp_cloud_partner_create_considerations.htm&type=5)
- [Set Predefined Field Values for Quick Action Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.predefined_field_values.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Build a Modern Partner Portal with the Updated Partner Central 2.0 Template](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_sales_prm_pratnercentral_new.htm&language=en&release=256&type=5)
- [Field Permissions](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sf.admin_fls.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Partner Deal Registration Overview](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.partner-deal-registration-overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create a Channel Program](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_channel_programs.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Manage Channel Program Members with Sharing Groups](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_program_groups.htm&language=en&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 13 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Experience Cloud Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams