Partner Management

Partners represent organizations that assist facilities or oversee activities. Clear records coordinate responsibilities and improve collaboration across the program. This document describes how to capture accurate partner details, maintain up-to-date information, and work effectively with stakeholders.

Why partner records matter

• Partners provide funding, supervision, or technical assistance, so accurate records support strategic planning.
• Contact information helps administrators reach the right focal point quickly during reporting cycles.
• Linking partners to facilities enables tailored dashboards and exports that reflect the correct coverage.
• Historical data documents how partnerships evolved and supports accountability to donors.

Understanding partner profiles

A partner profile typically includes:

• Organization name – Match official legal names to avoid confusion across systems.
• Acronym or short name – Useful for dashboards with limited space.
• Contact details – Primary focal person, phone number, email address, and mailing address.
• Scope of work – Description of funding focus, supervision area, or technical assistance provided.
• Assigned facilities or districts – Locations where the partner is actively engaged.
• Reporting preferences – Language, reporting frequency, or preferred invoice formats.
• Status – Indicates whether the partnership is active, on hold, or closed.
• Audit trail – Creation and update timestamps plus the users responsible.

Access and permissions

• Only users with administration privileges should create or edit partner records.
• Program managers may have read-only access to review partnership coverage before planning field visits.
• Exporting the partner list should be restricted to staff with a legitimate need, such as donor reporting or coordination with the ministry of health.

Adding a partner

Maintaining partner records

• Annual reviews – Once per year, verify contact details, coverage, and funding focus with each partner’s focal point.
• Change notifications – Document any change in leadership or scope and send updates to relevant program teams.
• Attachment storage – Store partnership agreements, memorandums of understanding, and renewal letters in a secure repository and link reference numbers in the partner profile.
• Status updates – Move partners to an inactive or closed status when agreements end. This keeps active lists clean while preserving historical context.
• Audit notes – Record why changes occurred, including meeting dates or official letters, to support audits.

Coordination tips

• Share dashboard access instructions and login guidelines with partner staff once their account is active.
• Provide orientation on how to interpret reports, invoices, and quality assessments that reference their facilities.
• Encourage regular communication between partner focal points and facility managers to align expectations.

Partner assignments and integration

• After creating a partner, immediately set up partner assignments so the system knows which datasets and facilities belong to them.
• Tariff and quality configuration should align with the partner’s coverage to ensure accurate payouts and quality scoring.
• When generating invoices, the system cross-references partner records with bank details and assignments, so keep all modules synchronized.

Responding to partner changes

• Leadership change – Update contact information and send the new focal point a welcome packet with system overview and documentation.
• Scope expansion – Adjust partner assignments to include new datasets or facilities, and confirm tariffs cover the additional services.
• Program exit – Close assignments, update status to inactive, and note the reason for exit so future staff understand the historical context.

Frequently asked questions

Can two partners cover the same facility? Yes. Use the scope description to clarify roles—for example, one partner funds maternal health while another supports quality supervision.

How do we track partner performance? Combine partner records with dashboards that display data entry timeliness, quality scores, and payment history for the linked facilities.

What happens when partner assignments change mid-year? Update the partner record with notes describing the change, adjust assignments, and inform finance to recalculate any affected invoices.

Do partners see their own records? Only if they have user accounts with appropriate permissions. Otherwise, partner records remain internal.

Troubleshooting

• Partner missing from dropdowns: check that the record is active and the user has permission to view it.
• Duplicate partners: merge records by consolidating coverage and deleting the redundant entry after documenting the merge.
• Incorrect contact details: reach out to regional coordinators or the partner’s headquarters to confirm updated information.
• Partner unable to access dashboards: verify that their user account is linked to the partner record and has the correct role.

Key takeaways

• Maintain comprehensive, accurate partner profiles to support coordination and transparency.
• Update records promptly when contact information or coverage changes.
• Align partner records with assignments, tariffs, quality scores, and banking details for consistent reporting.
• Communicate proactively with partners to build trust and streamline collaboration.

Accurate partner management supports transparency and strengthens the overall health system.