---
title: Writers, publishers and shares
description: "Add writers and publishers to a work, set each right's shares so they total 100%, and correct a name across your saved works."
keywords: [writers, publishers, shares, IPI, territories, administrator, sub-publisher, original publisher, controlled, ownership, totals 100%]
---

Use the **Writers** and **Publishers** parts of the work editor to say who wrote a work, who publishes it and how each right is split.

## Add a writer

1. Press **Add writer**. A row opens.
2. Type the first and last name.
3. Type the [IPI](/docs/cwr/glossary#ipi): 9 to 11 digits, no spaces or punctuation, leading zeros kept. Leave it blank if unknown. If the last two digits do not fit, the box warns, but the work still saves. See [the IPI problem](/docs/cwr/problems-and-fixes#ipi-invalid).
4. Choose a role: **Composer (music)** ([composer](/docs/cwr/glossary#writer_designation_c)), **Lyricist (words)** ([author](/docs/cwr/glossary#writer_designation_a)) or **Music and lyrics** ([both](/docs/cwr/glossary#writer_designation_ca)).
5. Enter the shares (below). Choose **Controlled by your company** if you represent this writer. "Your company" is the publisher sending the file. See [controlled](/docs/cwr/glossary#controlled).
6. Under **Society details**, choose the society for each right the writer holds.

![The Writers part of the work editor with one writer open, showing the boxes for name, role, IPI, shares and control.](/docs/img/workspace/writers-publishers.png)

## Add a publisher

1. Press **Add original publisher**. If you saved publisher details in **Settings**, the row starts as that publisher. Type over it for another.
2. Fill in the name, IPI, control and shares. The role starts as **Original Publisher**.
3. On that row, press **Add administrator** or **Add sub-publisher**. Each starts with zero ownership shares and joins the original publisher in one **Publishing arrangement**.

The roles:

- **Original Publisher** ([original publisher](/docs/cwr/glossary#publisher_type_e)): signed the writer and owns the rights.
- **Acquirer**: bought the rights from the original publisher.
- **Publishing Administrator** ([administrator](/docs/cwr/glossary#publisher_type_am)): runs the rights for the owner.
- **Sub-Publisher** ([sub-publisher](/docs/cwr/glossary#publisher_type_se)): represents the original publisher in other countries.
- **Substituted Publisher**: stands in for a sub-publisher in a territory.
- **Income Participant**: receives income without owning or running it.

The last four hold no ownership share.

## Shares

Each row has three share boxes, for performing, mechanical and synchronisation rights. Type 0 to 100, as 50 or 50%. Leave a box blank if you do not know it yet; type 0 if the party has none. See [shares](/docs/cwr/glossary#shares).

- Each right is totalled on its own, across every writer and publisher on the work, and must come to exactly 100%.
- For performing rights, the writers together hold 0% or at least 49.94%, and the publishers together no more than 50.06%.
- Use no more than two decimal places. A file carries two, so shares that look like 100% can miss it. Use figures such as 33.33, 33.33 and 33.34.

## What you will see when they do not total

The rows concerned are marked **To do**. In the **To do** panel, **Ownership shares need attention** names each problem: a right totalling 90% when it needs 100%, a share that is not a number, or a blank share. Its **Go to** links take you to the boxes. You can still save. See [the shares problem](/docs/cwr/problems-and-fixes#shares-total).

When two decimals are the cause, **Round to two decimals** lists the new figures first, and **Apply these shares** changes the form, not the saved work.

## Territories, people and corrections

- **Writer territory details** and, for a publisher, **Agreement and territory details** take territories. **Coverage** is **Include** or **Exclude**, and excluded territories are sent with zero collection shares.
- **Choose writer from directory** (or **Choose publisher from directory**) copies a saved person's name, IPI and societies onto this work. Shares, roles, control and territories stay as they are.
- **Correct this writer in saved works** (or **Correct this publisher in saved works**) appears once the person has an IPI or party ID, and is off while the work has unsaved changes. Choose **This work only**, or every matching saved work.

## Related

- [Fix problems on a work](/docs/workspace/catalogue/fix-problems)
- [Edit a work](/docs/workspace/catalogue/edit-a-work)