Intellectual Property Ledger

The media industry faces the unique challenge of accounting for the acquisition of the right to exploit an author’s work, an artist’s performance, a songwriter’s song, etc. Accounting for the ensuing legal agreements (and the complex clauses they frequently impose) results in challenges not only in the underlying royalty calculations but also in the way that the overall account is managed:

• Does the agreement allow for recoupment of any costs from Author / Rights holder?
• Are advances paid? What happens when accounts remain in an un-recouped position?
• Are accounts for different works by the same author / rights holder cross recoupable?
• Do an agent / producer / sampler have any rights?
• Do any other contributors have rights?

The IP Ledger provides a solution to account royalty and cost information to Authors / Rights owners / Artists and any of the related rights sharers in an accurate, auditable and timely manner.

Some of the overriding objectives met are:

• Transparency of information
• Use of core SAP functionality to benefit from inherent integrity and control
• Provides additional Royalty process integrity and controls
• Adds visibility to Royalty Accounting stakeholders
• Increases transparency to external stakeholders
• Provides review process for complex statements
• Manage industry challenges around royaltor / sub-royaltor relationship
• Provides accounting tools for GAAP compliance

The IP Ledger solution delivers solutions to the unique requirements of the industry around accounting for IP.