> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nextlevelmca.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I add a lender?

> Add a funder you submit to, set where its packages go, switch it on or off, and remove one added by mistake.

A lender has to be in NextLevel MCA before you can submit deals to it. Adding one takes a minute: only the name is required, and you can finish its criteria and submission settings later.

<Note>
  You need the **Add Lenders** permission to create a lender, **Edit Lenders** to change one and **Delete Lenders** to remove one. Admins have all three. By default, other team members can see lenders but not change them. See [Roles and permissions](/help/roles).
</Note>

## Add the lender

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Lenders and click New lender">
    The **New lender** window has four steps: **Basics**, **Eligibility**, **Terms** and **Submission**. You can move between them with **Continue** and **Back**, or click a step's name at the top.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Basics: pick the lender and name it">
    In **Lender**, search the list of known lenders or choose **Custom lender (not in the list)**. Picking a known lender fills in **Lender name** for you (you can still edit it), and lets you request an API connection later if that lender offers one. See [Requesting an API connection](/help/lender-api-connection).

    **Lender name** is the only required field, and it must be unique in your workspace. Then set:

    * **Status**: **Active** or **Inactive**. Inactive lenders are left out of matching.
    * **Paper grades**: the credit tiers the lender writes (**A**, **B**, **C**, **D**). These feed the match score.
    * **Contact name**, **Phone** and **Email** for your rep at the lender. This is for your reference; packages don't go to this address.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Eligibility and Terms: set its criteria">
    These two steps hold the lender's criteria: who it funds, how big, and on what terms. Leave anything blank that the lender doesn't restrict. The **Match impact** card on the right shows how many of your recent deals the lender would accept as you type. See [Setting lender criteria](/help/lender-criteria).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submission: say where packages go">
    * **Submission method**: every new lender starts on **Email**. If you want deals sent straight into the lender's system, tick **Request API access after creating this lender**.
    * **Submission emails**: type each address and press Enter. The first one is the primary recipient. Every address on the list receives the package.
    * **Commission & clawback**: **Payment terms** (for example Net 30), **Commission %** (the lender's usual commission to you) and **Clawback period** in days, weeks or months. These are used on the deal's commission summary. See [Lender Commissions](/help/lender-commissions).
    * **Notes**: internal only, never included in a submission.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create lender">
    **Create lender** saves everything and opens the lender's page. On any earlier step, **Save & finish later** creates the lender with what you've filled in so far.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If you close the window before saving, you're asked whether to discard what you entered. Use **Save & finish later** to keep it.
</Tip>

## The lender's page

Click a lender in the list to open it. The tabs are **Overview**, **Criteria**, **Terms & products**, **Deal history**, **Submission** and **Activity log**.

* The pencil button (**Edit lender**) changes the name, status, paper grades, contact, submission emails, commission and clawback, notes and tags.
* **Criteria** and **Terms & products** each have their own **Edit** button. See [Setting lender criteria](/help/lender-criteria).
* **Submission** is where the submission emails and the API connection live. Click **Edit** on **Submission emails** to add an address, remove one, or click **Primary** to move an address to the top.
* **Deal history** lists every deal sent to this lender with its outcome.
* **Activity log** shows every change made to the lender and who made it.

## Active and inactive lenders

An inactive lender stays in your list, with its history, but it is left out of lender matching and doesn't appear on a deal's **Submissions** tab. Use it for a lender you've stopped sending to, or one that has paused funding.

To switch a lender on or off:

* On the lender's page, open the **⋯** menu and choose **Deactivate** or **Activate**. An inactive lender shows a banner saying it is excluded from deal matching.
* In the Lenders list, use a row's **⋯** menu, or tick several lenders and use **Activate** or **Deactivate** in the bar that appears.

The **All**, **Active** and **Inactive** tabs above the list filter by status.

## Deleting a lender

Delete is for a lender added by mistake. Open the **⋯** menu on the lender's page (or its row in the list), choose **Delete lender** and confirm. This removes the lender and its criteria, and can't be undone.

A lender that has ever had a deal submitted to it can't be deleted. You'll see *Could not delete lender*. Deactivate it instead, which keeps its deal history.

## Other things on the Lenders list

* **Search** finds lenders by name, contact, email or tag.
* **Columns** chooses which columns show (saved on this device).
* Tick lenders and click **Export CSV** to download them. With nothing ticked, the export includes every lender in the current view.

## Common problems

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="“A lender with this name already exists”">
    Lender names are unique in a workspace. Check the **Inactive** tab, since the lender may already be there. Otherwise use a slightly different name.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A submission fails with “has no submission email address”">
    The lender has no submission emails and isn't connected by API. Add an address on the lender's **Submission** tab, then send again.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The lender doesn't show on a deal's Submissions tab">
    Only active lenders are listed. Check the lender's status.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I get an error when I click New lender or Save">
    Your role may not include the Add Lenders or Edit Lenders permission. Ask an admin.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


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