Royalty Management Information:
Software, Resources, & More
Royalty Information & Resources
With over 25 years of royalty management experience, MetaComet® Systems has mastered the science of calculating, paying, and reporting on royalties. We’ve compiled these resources to help you do the same.
The ROI of Royalty Automation: An IPG Podcast
We're talking about royalty management with David Marlin, President of MetaComet Systems. He’s telling us about the ways automation can make royalties easier and more cost-effective, and has got some thoughts on measuring the value of better royalty management, and on implementing new automation systems.
Nav Press Case Study: Royalty Automation = Competitive Advantage
Good royalty management makes publishers leaner, faster and safer. Here’s how MetaComet® Systems’ solutions sharpened one top publisher’s practices For some publishers, royalty management can be a chore—a process that soaks up time and frustrates publishers and authors alike. But royalty automation and software solutions from MetaComet® Systems have transformed it into a far simpler, speedier and more precise […]
Online Courses: Royalty Management for Instructors and Professors
As education continues to move online, the compensation scheme for instructors and professors moves along with it. It is now easier than ever to allocate revenues directly to professors and their courses, which provides an opportunity for royalty-based payments. Managing those royalties, though, is a challenge fraught with risk. The opportunities for mistakes is high, […]
Consolidating Sales Data: Phase III of the Royalty Management Life Cycle™ Model
Do you have trouble managing all your sales data? Keeping track of all the files received each month from each source Combining those files into a single sales database Managing currency conversions Reporting and analyzing your sales Using those sales to calculate royalties This article, a part of our Royalty Management Life Cycle™ series, shows […]
Introduction To Revenue Sharing
Revenue sharing is a tactic that many companies use today. Allowing employees to share in company profits helps to lure the best and the brightest on the market. Companies also promote revenue sharing as a way to motivate employees. Higher revenues mean more money for the employees. Collective Bargaining Often Determines The Split The percentage […]
An Agent’s Perspective on Royalty Statement Errors
Tis the season, right? Agent Kristen at Pub Rants is certainly caught up in the spirit, and has the decorations to prove it: a desk full of royalty statements. Yes, it’s high royalty season – the period in late Fall, before the close of the fiscal year, when publishers are tallying volumes and percentages at […]
Choosing the Right Royalty Software: Royalty Accounting
As I mentioned in Part 1, publishing is a deceptively complex business. I touched on a few of the general considerations in choosing a royalty software solution for your company in Part 1, from general function areas to investigate, to how to vet a royalty software manufacturer. This article will focus specifically on the royalty […]
Choosing the Right Royalty Accounting Software Solution for Your Company – Part 1
Publishing is a deceptively complex business, requiring the ability to track book production, royalties, returns, multiple warehouses, multiple sales channels, etc. With so many time-consuming administrative tasks, the day-to-day business of publishing can become an exercise in data management, rather than an endeavor to find the most marketable books and put them into print. […]
Soho Press Case Study
The Challenge: Soho Press is a boutique publisher, dedicated to publishing as an art. Since 1987, Soho’s mission has been to “publish good books well….whatever is interesting, moving and well written,” earning both mainstream success and a cult following, for its stylish satire, literary fiction, and noir-ish thrillers and mysteries. Dedication to artistic and literary […]
Frequently Asked Royalty Information Questions
What are royalties and how are they paid?
A royalty is a payment made by one party (the licensee) to another (the licensor) for the ongoing use of an asset, commonly a piece of intellectual property. Payment methods and frequency are established in a royalty licensing agreement between the two parties. For more details, see our article entitled, “How Do Royalties Work?”
How much is the average royalty check?
Royalty payments vary widely across different industries and within industries as well, depending on the value of the asset being licensed, the sales volume within the royalty period, and many other factors. So, there is no such thing as an average, normal, or typical royalty check. To learn more about the elements that affect a royalty check, see our article, “How Are Royalties Calculated?”
How do I calculate my royalties?
Royalties are calculated based on a percentage of sales revenue or a flat fee per unit sold. The percentage or fee is agreed upon in a royalty licensing agreement between the licensor and licensee. The agreement will also outline other variables that will affect royalty payments. For more information, read our post, “How Are Royalties Calculated?”
Who receives royalty payments?
Royalty recipients include copyright holders (like writers, illustrators, and composers), patent owners (such as inventors), natural resource owners, and franchisors, among others. See our article, “What Are Royalties in Business?” for further examples of people and companies that receive royalty payments.
What types of royalties exist?
Common types of royalties include book publishing royalties, music royalties, patent royalties, franchise fees, and oil and gas royalties. Our blog post, “Different Types of Royalties,” goes into more detail about the various types of royalties you may encounter.
How often are royalties paid out?
Payments are typically made quarterly or annually, and sometimes monthly or semiannually, depending on the terms of the royalty agreement.
What is included in a royalty agreement?
A royalty licensing agreement will include, at a minimum, a definition of the rights granted, usage conditions, and payment terms. Our article about “How Do Royalties Work?” delves into the deeper details of royalty agreements.
Are royalties taxed?
Yes, royalty payments are taxed as income.