Common billing & payment enquiries
Applicable to invoices issued by Jeux de Couleur Limited, United Kingdom and Book Matters LLC, USA
1. Are subscription prices fixed?
If your configuration does not change, your annual software subscription fee will remain the same for three years from the date you activated your first annual subscription. After that time, you will be billed at the rates in effect at the time of renewal, as published on our websites. We make every effort that major changes to the software subscription prices or to the available configuration options are announced on the Clients space at least one year in advance. Third-party fees (e.g. Hosted Desktop) may change more frequently; we are making every effort, however, to notify our customers in a timely manner of any forthcoming price increases.
2. Can we interrupt/downgrade our subscription and be billed pro-rata?
Unless otherwise advertised (promotion trials, special offers etc.), our subscriptions are continuous and based on annual commitment/billing. We do not provide on/off plans; the annual subscription term begins 30 days after the date of the annual subscription invoice, regardless of whether you pay the invoice earlier or later than this date or whether there are interruptions to the service due to unpaid invoices. Any unused subscription or service fees cannot be refunded.
3. Can we change the configuration of our subscription before it is due for renewal?
Yes, you can add/remove products/services, capacity or users up to 30 days before expiration of subscription, as long as this is technically permitted. In some cases, however (e.g. when adding the Royalty Portal option to an existing configuration), the initiation of a new subscription may be required before the end of the most recent subscription; thus any remaining time of that subscription would be applied pro-rata to the subscription fee of the amended configuration.
Requests for removal of users during the term of a subscription will be examined on a case-by-case basis. If granted, any remaining subscription fees will be applied pro-rata towards the fees of the next subscription terms. NOTE: Hosted Desktop subscriptions can be amended only at the end of an annual subscription term.
It is not possible:
– to revert from a subscription plan to a one-off plan or to return to an un-supported platform/version of the software if you purchased one (or more) annual subscriptions to our solutions after 1st January 2019 (versions 4.10.01 or higher).
– to remove the Rights add-on from your configuration after you have completed one royalty cycle that included/calculated revenues from foreign/subsidiary rights.
4. Can we change my locally-installed subscription to a Hosted Desktop subscription or the other way around?
Yes. A three-month notice is required if terminating a Hosted Desktop subscription; to change a locally installed arrangement to Hosted Desktop please allow 6-10 business days after payment of the corresponding invoice.
5. Can we re-initiate my subscription if it expired and we had let it lapse for a period of time?
Our subscriptions are continuous; we do not offer any project-based or time-metered plans. If you re-initiate your subscription sooner than 24 months after it expires, you will still be billed for the period you did not use the software. If you sign up for a subscription two years or more after an older subscription expired, you will not be billed for the interval period, you will be billed at the rates in effect at the time of re-initiating a subscription. Moreover, if your database is no longer compatible with the current version/configuration of software, you may incur data adjustment/data migration charges.
6. What happens to our data if we let our subscription expire?
Your data is in a file that is stored on your PC(s) or server or your Hosted Desktop environment, as applicable; you can download it, back it up and open it by any standard database client application (e.g. Microsoft Access).
(Hosted Desktop Service only) If you have not done so while your subscription is active, you can request us to provide you with a copy of your database up to 30 days after expiration/termination of subscription. After that time your Hosted Desktop server will be permanently removed and data (database and other documents, settings etc.) will be safely deleted from the hosting provider’s server. Re-instating a removed server will involve additional service charges.
7. How frequently do we receive invoices? Can we arrange a different frequency?
Unless otherwise specified on our published price lists, subscriptions are annual and there is a one-year commitment every time a subscription is renewed.
Note: For certain configurations, monthly payment via Direct Debit can be arranged for UK subscribers; if arranged, this is still based on annual billing and commitment, and there are no extra monthly charges.
8. What are the terms of your invoices?
Unless otherwise indicated on the invoice, renewal invoices are payable 30 days after receipt. First-time invoices, invoices for interim orders (e.g. additional capacity or additional users) are payable upon receipt. Invoices for data migration and other services are payable according to the terms outlined in the formal Estimate associated with those services.
9. Do we get prompted that our subscription is due to be renewed?
If you have a multi-user configuration or components with metered capacity (RIGHTS 20|20, EasyROL, Royalty Portal, Rights add-on) you may receive a renewal notification prompting you to review your configuration and notify us if there are changes to the configuration, your details, etc. You may also receive a payment reminder a few days before the expiration of the submission. NOTE: Subscriptions cannot be renewed if there are any outstanding invoices at the time of renewal.
10. Can charges for additional services be deferred to the next subscription renewal invoice?
Invoices for additional services, additional users, or additional volume capacity are payable upon receipt. Unpaid invoices for extra services that are higher than GBP 500.00 or USD 650.00 may affect your access to the application(s) and to any software services or platforms.
11. Is there a pay-as-you-go option?
Pay-as-you-go subscriptions (monthly or quarterly) are available only for occasional temporary users (e.g. interns, trainees, etc.), and exclusively as an add-on to a configuration of at least one full user under annual billing. This arrangement is available for up to six months per subscription term (e.g. two three-month interns, etc.). Special fees apply.
12. Is there a monthly payment option?
Commitment is annual, but payment in twelve monthly instalments by Direct Debit is available for customers in the United Kingdom; charges may apply (for other territories please enquire).
13. Our account has been inactive/closed for several years. Can we purchase a new subscription?
Yes, you can begin a new subscription, re-activate your account and access your database, if this is technically possible, at the prices in effect at the time of the new signup. You will not be billed for the interim terms if the subscription remained inactive for more than two years (see No. 5 above) but if there are any outstanding invoices from previous terms, payment will be required before initiating a new subscription.
14. What about refunds?
Software subscription payments and payments of data migration, Hosted Desktop & other services are non-refundable. In certain circumstances partial refunds of software only add-ons that customer may have ordered in error (e.g. additional title capacity or additional users) may be possible; requests must be submitted within 45 days of customer payment. NOTE: Pending on the circumstances, customer may incur refund fees as well as any payment platform processing fees that we incurred when we received their payment (calculated pro-rata for the refunded sums).
15. Can we temporarily suspend our subscription and resume use of the software at a later date?
Our subscriptions are continuous and based on annual commitment/billing; we do not provide on/off plans. Unless otherwise specified on the annual invoice, the annual subscription term begins 30 days after the date of the annual subscription invoice regardless of whether you pay the invoice earlier or later than this date or whether there are interruptions in the service because of overdue invoices. Under exceptional circumstances (e.g. if your company purchases a new imprint which involves a data migration project that requires a substantial downtime), you may request a subscription suspension of no more than four months, subject to an examination on a case-by-case basis (NOTE: Subscriptions with a Hosted Desktop or other third-party components cannot be interrupted/suspended).
Terms and advice on this page apply for subscription or service purchases invoiced by Jeux de Couleur Limited, United Kingdom and Book Matters LLC, USA. For subscription purchases via a reseller or services arranged via any of the RIGHTS 20|20 consultants as well for issues pertaining to payment platforms please refer to the policies of the supplier/provider.
Terms of use and privacy provisions
6 January 2019