Profit sharing: How to make sure you're not cheated?

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by don_k, Sep 4, 2010.

  1. don_k

    don_k Well-Known Member

    Oct 9, 2008
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    Hi, how do you make sure your partner (usually the programmer) is not cheating in profit-sharing? I mean, do you usually have access to the iTunes account so you can make sure the numbers are right?

    I'm just curious. Because if the artist or audio guy doesn't have access to see the actual profit, then any bad scenario could happen?
     
  2. VanKanix

    VanKanix Active Member

    Feb 17, 2010
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    Hmmm

    Normally, it is ok because audio or designer have an original data and can claim for this if other team mate cheated. (Should keep email or contract)

    Or can share the itunes account and see the report from apple.
    If somebody cheat, yeah he will go jail isn't it?

    Or... I'm not sure whether apple can send a report to everyone.(who is registered as a team.)
     
  3. etoiles

    etoiles Well-Known Member

    Profit sharing operations usually use a service like appfigures.com, which offer multi-user access to your ITC account (you can set restrictions).

    We have never used them, but looks pretty elegant for that kind of dealio...
     
  4. GlennX

    GlennX Well-Known Member

    May 10, 2009
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    I agree, get whoever has access to the itunes connect account to register with appfigures and set you up with guest access. A word of warning though, it would be possible for them to cheat by not letting appfigures log on to itunes connect and manually uploading edited reports. You can check if it is set to auto-import near the top of the reports page.
     
  5. Appacity

    Appacity Member

    Aug 20, 2010
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    Another option is you can create an iTunes Connect account (access to financials only etc) in Manage Users. Create an iTunes Connect user with a Role of Finance -- this does give them the ability to change bank info though. Too bad Apple doesn't have a read only mode for Financials/etc.

    Appfigures is also great, but keep in mind they aren't perfect and won't always be accurate -- I received a recent email from them that the August figures may be messed up -- I'm assuming this is due to iAds and UI changes in iTunes Connect. But the ultimate source is iTunes connect.
     
  6. mobile1up

    mobile1up Well-Known Member

    Nov 6, 2008
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    Technical Director
    Munich, Germany
    you can create a special account. i also download my sales data and put them up on a special link on the website - so they can be accessible by the people i work with. a key thing, which has now recently changed is that the payments are no longer locked to the seven regions - which means apple can make payments faster. you should, in all your agreements, have the ability to request the financial reports at any point.

    if you are working with the right person; this is not going to be an issue for you.

    PS: what you should also do; is get an advance on royalties. this means you get something now and then if everything works out; you can get more money over time. you typically get less this way upfront, but you have the option to make it big if it does makes it big :) when i do royalty sharing; i always have an upfront (advance on royalties), putting me out of pocket first - but, partners need to eat too.
     
  7. don_k

    don_k Well-Known Member

    Oct 9, 2008
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    Thanks for the answers guys, it's all sorted out now!
     
  8. Actually, appFigures said that the reports from Apple were messed up, so sometimes even the ultimate source is not correct.

    Apparently it seemed that developer X was getting reports for developer Y in some cases.

    Didn't hear back from them if the issue was resolved.
     

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