You can add and refer clients from your Gusto Partner dashboard. Expand the sections below to learn more.
Adding a client to your dashboard gives you full access to your client's payroll account, including the ability to run payroll and view reports. New Gusto clients added from this page will count towards the Partner program.
A client counts toward your partner tier and rewards only if you add them through your Partner dashboard. If a client's account is created outside this flow, for example, if they sign up on their own and later add you as an accountant administrator, the account will not be reward eligible, even though it appears in your dashboard.
Note: If you are only referring a client and will not manage their payroll, that client will not count toward your tier or rewards. Go to Add and refer clients to your partner dashboard for referral-only steps.
Pro tip: If you need to add several clients at once, select Add multiple clients to upload a spreadsheet instead of entering each client individually. If your client already has a Gusto account, select Send a request to ask to be added as their accountant, rather than creating a new account for them.
Select Add clients in the top right of your Home or Clients page.
Enter your client's business's legal name.
Enter your client's email address, first and last name, and we'll invite them to create an admin account.
Do not use a temporary email address, or use your email to create the account. If you do, make sure you go back and change it to the client's email address.
Choose when you want us to send your client their invite:
Invite now: We’ll send your client their invite immediately.
Invite after I’ve finished setting up their payroll: We’ll send the invite once you complete their payroll setup.
For firm billed accounts, your client cannot edit or see plan and billing details.
Select Save & continue.
Choose a billing option for your client. Select Manage default if you want to change your firm's default option:
Client with revenue sharing for your firm (default): We'll bill your client at the standard rate, and you'll get money every month based on the cost of your client's plan.
Client with a discount: We'll bill your client at your discounted partner rate.
Firm billed with a discount: We'll bill your firm at your discounted partner rate. Select Verify a bank account to use this option.
Note: If your client only pays contractors, they do not qualify for a partner discount, no matter your tier. You can choose whether your firm or your client is billed at the standard rate:
The firm will pay: We'll bill your firm at the standard rate. Select Verify a bank account to choose this option.
The client will pay: We'll bill your client at the standard rate.
Select Add client to Gusto. By selecting this, you agree to Gusto's terms and conditions.
You'll see a confirmation that your client's Gusto account was created. Select who will regularly run payroll for this client. This determines which payroll emails you'll receive and does not impact your access.
I will run payroll for this client
Someone else at my firm will run payroll for this client
My client will run payroll
Other
Select Save and continue.
Continue through payroll setup, where you'll enter details about your client’s business and select the best plan for your client’s business.
If you're an administrative user or admin on the client's Gusto account, the client will automatically show up on your Partner dashboard.
If your client is missing from your Partner dashboard, have the primary administrator for that client add you as an accountant administrator and enter the email address associated with your Gusto accountant account. Once you're added, this client will automatically show up in your Partner dashboard.
Note: If you do not create the account from your Partner dashboard, it will not be eligible for the partner discount.
Gusto Partners who refer Gusto to a non-client business using their link can earn money.
Referrers are paid based on a tiered program. You get $300 for your first referral, $400 for your second, $500 for your third, $700 for your fourth, and $1,000 for every one after that.
Referees are paid $100.
This type of referral does not give you administrative access to the company's payroll or reports. If you want administrative access, add a new client or an existing client from your dashboard instead.
To refer a business, follow these steps:
Click your name in the top-right corner of your account, then select Refer & earn.
Choose how you want to share your link:
Click Copy link to send it through your preferred communication method.
Share the link on Facebook, X, or LinkedIn.
Invite people by email. Enter their email addresses on the page, then preview your message and click Send email.
After the business you referred signs up and pays their first Gusto invoice, you and the referred business both get your gift cards. You can check the referral status at the bottom of the Refer & earn section. Payouts happen 30 days after any free trial ends and the company has paid their first Gusto bill.
Only Firm admins can remove a client. Before you start, make sure someone from the company is assigned as the primary admin on the account.
To remove a client from your firm's dashboard, follow these steps:
Go to the Clients section.
Click the three dots under the Actions column of the client you want to remove, then select Remove client. You can also remove a single client from the Client details page or the Firm Members tab on the Client details page.
Note: If a firm member is the primary admin on a client’s account, you will be prompted to reassign the primary admin during the removal process. Removing a client set up as partner-billed will automatically switch billing to the client — the client will get an email notification, and their Gusto account stays active after removal.