Do your clients own the source files?

Here is a question that isn’t really related to ThemeForest.

Let’s say you create a brochure for a company. You finish the job, they get their 10,000 brochures, and you both part ways.

Can that company contact you next year and ask for your source files for that particular job? Do they own those…or do you? I’m not exactly sure on this one.

I assume it would partially depend on the contract; but assuming there wasn’t one…what do you all think?

hi jeff, this has been discussed over @ flashden a while ago…

and the general opinion was NO….

almost nobody includes the source files in the budget unless specified and pay extra for them….

in my personal experience, source files are kept by me, and given only at an extra (hefty) payment….

LINK .

Thanks, Garro. That’s how I feel as well.

I’m in a similar situation right now – and I’m not sure what to do.

glad to be of help…

the other side of the coin…. a friend of mine decided to give away the source files of a proyect because it wasnt worth the trouble…. the client was talking about going to court and stuff like that….

every situation is diferent…. so it really depends on yer situation….

Actually, normally the clients should get the source files, making them pay extra afterwards sounds a bit like blackmail to me. Of course it all depends on the contract, but usually clients expect (and require) complete sourcefiles to the work they commissioned. The question is why not give them away ?

as you say OX, it depends on the contract, even if it is verbal…..

you just say… with source files: $ xAmount…. without: $ less than xAmount

but they dont go away for free…. at least not with me….

Hi jeff,

we should not give sources file unless the client pay extra money for that sources if the client pays extra money we should give the sources

But what is your reason for NOT giving the sources away ?

LINK .

you can go to that link, OXY

there you can find a lot of reasons why it costs extra to get the source files…

I’d charge some extra for it actually, and let them explicitly ask for it.

Suppose your client needs an update on the brochure, he needs someone to edit the file, as long as you are the only one with the files, the client needs to come back; in other words: New Design Job! Again in other words: Money!

So really charge them some extra.