diff --git a/erpnext/patches.txt b/erpnext/patches.txt
index 65687c7c118..c5abaf1cb19 100644
--- a/erpnext/patches.txt
+++ b/erpnext/patches.txt
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ erpnext.patches.v14_0.update_proprietorship_to_individual
 erpnext.patches.v15_0.rename_subcontracting_fields
 erpnext.patches.v15_0.unset_incorrect_additional_discount_percentage
 erpnext.patches.v16_0.create_company_custom_fields
+erpnext.patches.v16_0.convert_commission_rate_to_percent
 
 [post_model_sync]
 erpnext.patches.v15_0.rename_gross_purchase_amount_to_net_purchase_amount
diff --git a/erpnext/patches/v16_0/convert_commission_rate_to_percent.py b/erpnext/patches/v16_0/convert_commission_rate_to_percent.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1b0fa81e2e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/erpnext/patches/v16_0/convert_commission_rate_to_percent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import frappe
+from frappe.utils import flt
+
+
+def execute():
+	"""Sanitize the free-text commission_rate values before the Data -> Percent column change.
+
+	Sales Person and Sales Team stored ``commission_rate`` as Data (varchar). This runs in
+	pre_model_sync so the values are clean numeric strings by the time the schema sync alters
+	the column to Percent; empty or non-numeric values become 0.
+	"""
+	for doctype in ("Sales Person", "Sales Team"):
+		if not frappe.db.has_column(doctype, "commission_rate"):
+			continue
+
+		# Percent maps to a NOT NULL decimal column, so empty/NULL/non-numeric text must become 0
+		# as well, otherwise the column type change fails under strict SQL mode.
+		rows = frappe.db.get_all(doctype, fields=["name", "commission_rate"])
+		for row in rows:
+			cleaned = flt(row.commission_rate)
+			if str(row.commission_rate) != str(cleaned):
+				frappe.db.set_value(doctype, row.name, "commission_rate", cleaned, update_modified=False)
diff --git a/erpnext/selling/doctype/sales_team/sales_team.json b/erpnext/selling/doctype/sales_team/sales_team.json
index e9d261ad066..a2cf5d66b2c 100644
--- a/erpnext/selling/doctype/sales_team/sales_team.json
+++ b/erpnext/selling/doctype/sales_team/sales_team.json
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
    "fetch_from": "sales_person.commission_rate",
    "fetch_if_empty": 1,
    "fieldname": "commission_rate",
-   "fieldtype": "Data",
+   "fieldtype": "Percent",
    "in_list_view": 1,
    "label": "Commission Rate",
    "read_only": 1
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
  "idx": 1,
  "istable": 1,
  "links": [],
- "modified": "2024-03-27 13:10:38.504580",
+ "modified": "2026-06-21 12:52:33.742603",
  "modified_by": "Administrator",
  "module": "Selling",
  "name": "Sales Team",
@@ -98,4 +98,4 @@
  "sort_order": "DESC",
  "states": [],
  "track_changes": 1
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/erpnext/setup/doctype/sales_person/sales_person.json b/erpnext/setup/doctype/sales_person/sales_person.json
index 57572c6d7d5..1486904e841 100644
--- a/erpnext/setup/doctype/sales_person/sales_person.json
+++ b/erpnext/setup/doctype/sales_person/sales_person.json
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
   },
   {
    "fieldname": "commission_rate",
-   "fieldtype": "Data",
+   "fieldtype": "Percent",
    "label": "Commission Rate",
    "print_hide": 1
   },
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
  "idx": 1,
  "is_tree": 1,
  "links": [],
- "modified": "2024-03-27 13:10:37.891377",
+ "modified": "2026-06-21 12:52:33.742603",
  "modified_by": "Administrator",
  "module": "Setup",
  "name": "Sales Person",
@@ -184,4 +184,4 @@
  "sort_field": "creation",
  "sort_order": "ASC",
  "states": []
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}