Draw Against Commission Calculator

About this calculator

A draw against commission is a pay structure common in sales roles: the employer advances a guaranteed "draw" amount each pay period as a safety net, and that draw is later recovered from the commissions the salesperson actually earns. If earned commission in a period exceeds the draw, the rep keeps commission minus any outstanding draw balance; if commission falls short, they still receive the draw, but the shortfall is carried forward as a debt to be recovered from future commission.

Sales managers and compensation teams use draw structures to give new or seasonal reps predictable income during ramp-up periods while still tying long-term pay to performance. This calculator computes the actual take-home pay for a period once the draw and earned commission are known — a distinction that matters because "recoverable" draws, unlike a flat salary, can leave an employee owing back pay if commissions never catch up.