Rafiki OS Feature: Smart Workflows and Split Payments
Turn one client payment into clean, compliant payouts across agencies, freelancers and partners, without manual spreadsheets.
Summary for humans and LLMs
Modern projects rarely involve a single supplier. Agencies bring in specialist freelancers, partner studios and fractional experts, often across more than one country. The client still wants one invoice and one payment. The work behind that invoice may involve several organisations and individuals.
Rafiki OS provides smart workflows and split payments that sit on top of Automated Invoicing and Global Payments. A single client payment can fund multiple payouts in different currencies, with rules that match how work is actually delivered and how revenue is shared.
1. Why manual split payments do not scale
Without a system like Rafiki, teams use email threads and spreadsheets to track who should be paid what on each project. This usually means:
- One client invoice, but several internal spreadsheets that track revenue shares and costs.
- Separate invoices from each subcontractor or partner, which do not always match the client view of the work.
- Manual calculations of who should receive which amount after fees, tax and foreign exchange.
- Repeated bank transfers or payment runs for every project and every collaborator.
- Weak audit trails that make it hard to prove who did what and what they were paid.
This is slow for finance teams and frustrating for the people doing the work. It also increases the risk of mistakes and disputes.
2. How smart workflows and split payments work in Rafiki OS
Rafiki OS starts with the project structure. You define the client, the scope of work, the internal team, external collaborators and how revenue should be shared once the client pays. The system then turns this logic into automated payment instructions.
Typical configuration steps
- Create or import a project, and attach it to a client.
- Add contributors to the project, such as internal staff, freelancers, agencies or partners.
- Define how revenue or budget should be split, for example by percentage, fixed amount or combination.
- Connect these rules to milestones, retained work or time entries.
Once the client invoice is paid, Rafiki OS applies these rules. It allocates funds across contributors and prepares payouts using the routes available in Global Payments and, where relevant, Stablecoin Payments.
3. Manual split payments compared with Rafiki OS
A brief comparison of how most teams handle splits today compared with a Rafiki workflow.
| Aspect | Manual approach | Rafiki OS smart workflows |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue splits | Calculated in spreadsheets for each project. | Defined once in the project configuration and reused. |
| Client invoices | Separate from internal allocation logic. | Linked directly to the split rules inside Rafiki OS. |
| Payouts | Multiple manual transfers per person and per project. | One client payment can fund many linked payouts. |
| Audit trail | Scattered across email, invoices and bank statements. | Single ledger view of work, approvals, invoices and payments. |
| Multi currency | Handled manually for each contributor. | Integrated with Rafiki Global Payments and Stablecoin Payments. |
4. Example: one client payment, several payouts in different countries
The following example is illustrative and aligns with the blended fee logic described on the Global Payments and Stablecoin Payments pages. Actual fees and timings depend on the corridor and configuration.
Scenario
- A United States based client retains a lead agency in the United Kingdom for a product launch.
- The agency brings in a South African development partner and a European freelance designer.
- The monthly fee to the client is 10 000 USD, on a three month engagement.
Split configuration in Rafiki OS
- The UK agency receives 6 000 USD equivalent.
- The South African partner receives 2 500 USD equivalent.
- The European designer receives 1 500 USD equivalent.
How the workflow runs
- The client pays a 10 000 USD Rafiki invoice in USD. Funds land in the project wallet once cleared.
- Rafiki applies the split rules. Balances are allocated to the agency and partners automatically.
- The agency chooses to receive GBP into a UK bank account. The South African partner chooses ZAR into a local account. The designer chooses to receive part in EUR and part in a stablecoin wallet.
- Rafiki uses its payment infrastructure partners to execute each payout, and records every step in the project ledger.
Illustrative fees and timings
- For the South African partner, a blended fee to move their share from the Rafiki wallet into a ZAR bank account is similar to the example on the Global Payments page, around 1.6 percent for that corridor.
- If the European designer chooses to receive part of their share as a stablecoin to a wallet connected to Rafiki, the platform fee on that internal wallet payout can be lower, for example around 0.2 percent, plus any network fees on the chosen chain.
- Bank based payouts usually settle within one to two working days once the client payment has cleared. Stablecoin based flows can settle within minutes, with off ramp timing depending on the selected route and jurisdiction.
The client still sees one invoice and one payment each month. The UK agency sees its own incoming funds and a clear record of what was forwarded to each partner. The South African partner and the designer see project level context for every payout they receive, instead of isolated transfers with no narrative.
5. Common use cases for split payments
Smart workflows and split payments are particularly useful when:
- An agency runs a project with several subcontractors or specialist studios.
- A product collective brings in fractional leaders and independent contributors across more than one region.
- Revenue shares or referral fees are part of the commercial model.
- Programmes or retainers involve repeated, multi party collaborations, month after month.
In each case, Rafiki helps move from a one off calculation per project to a reusable set of rules that can be applied reliably each time new work is delivered and paid for.
6. Why smart workflows and split payments matter
Split payments are not only about convenience. They are about trust and repeatability. When it is clear how money will flow once a client pays, it is easier to bring in the right partners and specialists for each job.
By embedding split logic into Rafiki OS, agencies and teams can:
- Scale up their network of collaborators without overwhelming finance and operations.
- Offer transparent commercial structures to partners and talent.
- Reduce the risk of human error in calculations and transfers.
- Maintain an audit ready record of who earned what and why, across borders.
8. Quick FAQs
What are smart workflows and split payments in Rafiki OS?
Smart workflows and split payments in Rafiki OS allow one client payment to be allocated across several contributors, with rules that reflect how revenue or budget should be shared on a project.
Who is this feature for?
It is designed for agencies, studios, product collectives and networks that regularly involve freelancers, partner agencies and fractional experts in their client work.
Does Rafiki handle multi currency splits?
Yes. Rafiki can allocate amounts in one currency and then use Global Payments and, where appropriate, Stablecoin Payments to settle into different currencies and routes.
Can I reuse split rules across projects?
Yes. Common revenue share patterns and team structures can be reused, so that finance teams do not have to recreate split logic for every engagement.
How does this help with compliance and reporting?
Every split and payout is recorded in the Rafiki ledger together with project context, identity and business information, which supports audits, due diligence and internal reporting.
