The why, when and who of copy reporting.
How to report copy activity.
We are a new church, and this will be our first report. We have several master copies of transparencies we’ve made prior to the report period. Do we report on these master copies?
In this case, yes. If you are reporting for the very first time, please report on all master copies of Projection Masters, Print Collections, and Custom Arrangements in your possession.
What is a copy?
Any duplication of song words or music, such as printing the lyrics in the bulletin or on song sheets, storing lyrics in a computer so you can project them on a screen, photocopying from a hymnal, or recording music during your service. When recording your worship service, this also includes recording the choir, specials and offertories.
How often do I have to report my church’s copy activity?
License Holders are only required to report for a specific six month period approximately every 2.5 years. The ministry will be notified by mail at the beginning of your reporting period.
If I can't find a song, does that mean it's not covered by the Church Copyright License?
Not necessarily. The Church Copyright License is based on copyright owners, rather than on individual songs. Copyright Owners covered by CCLI may have not yet submitted ownership details for every song; that's why their songs may not appear in our database. To determine if a copyright owner is covered by CCLI, please use the Song Search located on the License Holder Support Page.
Sometimes we make several copies and then sometimes we can go months without making any copies. What do I do with the report on the weeks I don't make any copies?
Simply report during the weeks in which you do have copy activity, and don't worry about the other weeks. You'll still receive email reminders each week, but you may disregard the ones that don't apply to you.
I print each song we do on Sunday in 4-5 different formats (for our praise team, computer operator, etc.) I may make several copies of each format. Is this one printing or a separate printing for each format?
The key is, how many different master copies are you creating, and what is their purpose? If you are creating 4-5 different master copies, then each master would be given a credit in the category that applies. Examples: If you create a song sheet for the worship team to keep and re-use, you would give 1 credit in the PRINT category for each unique master. If you provide a temporary lyric sheet to the computer operator, this would be reported as 1 credit in the SINGLE category. The creation of a new projection slide or presentation would be given 1 credit as a PROJECTION MASTER.
If you are simply re-using copies that you created prior to the beginning of your assigned reporting period, then no additional credits should be given. You also mention that you may make several duplicate copies of each format. Keep in mind that creation is the key—not the number of duplicate copies you make, or the number of times they were used. Report one credit for each master copy you create.
We do not plan on copying any songs during this report period. How do I report that?
We'd like you to wait until near the end of the reporting period before you tell us that you have had no reporting activity—because sometimes plans can change. If you have had no activity by the final month, please log in and go to the Home Page. At that time, we will make a link available that says "No Copy Activity This Period." Just click that link, and you're done.
How will I know when it's my church's turn to report copy activity?
According to the Terms of Agreement of your Church Copyright License, your church is required to report copy activity for a six-month period, once every 2-1/2 years. When it is your church's turn to report, we will send you a notification letter, which includes easy instructions on how to log in and report your church's copy activity online.
Suppose this week we sing "All Consuming Fire." I type out the words in the program, and make 40 copies. Per your instructions, I enter one (1) on the reporting page. Then, four weeks from now, we sing that song again. Do we report again in the copy section, does that one (1) cover that song no matter how many weeks we use it during our reporting period?
It depends what you mean by the word "program"—and whether you use that same document again four weeks from now, or if you create a new document. Creation is the key: not the number of duplicate copies made or the number of uses.
If your program is typically destroyed or no longer functional after a single use (e.g. a weekly bulletin), then you will enter one credit into the Single Print category this week for creating a single-use master copy. In four weeks, we assume that you will create another single-use master copy. If so, you will enter another credit into the Single Print category.
If your program is intended for multiple uses (e.g. a songbook), you will enter one credit into the Print Collection category this week for creating a Print Collection master copy. In four weeks, if your church sings “All Consuming Fire” using that same program again, no additional credit should be given.
What happens if I cannot find our specific piece of music on your list?
If, after a thorough search, you cannot find your song, you do not need to report on it. With the Online Copy Report, there is no longer any need for write-ins or unverified songs. Our song database includes all the songs eligible for reporting, so you only need to report copy activity for songs we've listed.
I print each song we do on Sunday in 4-5 different formats (for our praise team, computer operator, etc.) I may make several copies of each format. Is this one printing or a separate printing for each format?
The key is, how many different master copies are you creating, and what is their purpose? If you are creating 4-5 different master copies, then each master would be given a credit in the category that applies. Examples: If you create a song sheet for the worship team to keep and re-use, you would give 1 credit in the PRINT category for each unique master. If you provide a temporary lyric sheet to the computer operator, this would be reported as 1 credit in the SINGLE category. The creation of a new projection slide or presentation would be given 1 credit as a PROJECTION MASTER.
If you are simply re-using copies that you created prior to the beginning of your assigned reporting period, then no additional credits should be given. You also mention that you may make several duplicate copies of each format. Keep in mind that creation is the key—not the number of duplicate copies you make, or the number of times they were used. Report one credit for each master copy you create.
Let’s say we are using master copies that we made in the 2 ½ year gap between our previous reporting period and this current reporting period. Do we report the first time we use them in this period, or do we only report when we make new master copies within a report period?
Since creation is the key, you would only report when you make a new master copy within a report period.
I print each song we do on Sunday in 4-5 different formats (for our praise team, computer operator, etc.) I may make several copies of each format. Is this one printing or a separate printing for each format?
The key is, how many different master copies are you creating, and what is their purpose? If you are creating 4-5 different master copies, then each master would be given a credit in the category that applies. Examples: If you create a song sheet for the worship team to keep and re-use, you would give 1 credit in the PRINT category for each unique master. If you provide a temporary lyric sheet to the computer operator, this would be reported as 1 credit in the SINGLE category. The creation of a new projection slide or presentation would be given 1 credit as a PROJECTION MASTER.
If you are simply re-using copies that you created prior to the beginning of your assigned reporting period, then no additional credits should be given. You also mention that you may make several duplicate copies of each format. Keep in mind that creation is the key—not the number of duplicate copies you make, or the number of times they were used. Report one credit for each master copy you create.