Do You Have Your Source Files?

So you have a project, a website or something technology based created for you by an outsource consultant or an in-house staff.

All is wonderful and you happily use whatever was created for a period of time.

After some time (may be many years later), you want to make some updates. If you are lucky that outsource consultant or in-house staff is available. More than likely that outsource consultant is nowhere to be found or the in-house staff is no longer with your firm or has moved on to a new position where

they do not have the time to help you.

If you were to become my client, and wished for me to take on the updates for this technology based item, my question to you before starting the upgrade development would be ‘Do You Have Your Source Files’?

Simple question I know .. but more often than not your response will be NO! or What?

What are the source files:

1. For websites, the source files are all information used to create the website. All original graphic files,

content sources, administrative information used to load the website or access the databases, and

more of the like.

2. For software, middleware or applications custom developed for you, the source files are all graphic

files, content sources, logic flowcharts or specification documents, administrative information used

to deploy the application, and more of the like.

The definition of source files can be different from the two listed above, but there will be a common element. Source files are whatever files and materials were used to create whatever you had created. Some of these source files will be irrelevant for the purposes of the upgrade; however, a few may be relevant to refer to or use as a time saving ‘jump point’ during the upgrade process.

Here is the long and the short of it, you paid to have something developed either to an outsource consultant or by payment of wages to an in-house staff. So, all of that stuff belongs to you!

Now it should be the responsibility of the developer to provide all source files and materials used during the development; in a perfect world.

My experiences indicate that this rarely happens and my clients end up paying my firm to chase or reverse engineer these source files and materials before the upgrade can begin. This is a huge waste of time and monetary resources.

There are various reasons that the developer may not have provided these: such as expectation of a continued business relationship, lack of long term vision in terms of the usable life of what was created, they may have been in a rush, or who knows.

So please protect yourself! Take it upon yourself to ask for all the source files and materials at the end of the project. Put these files and materials in a safe place and ensure that other key personnel know where they are; as you may have moved on within or outside the firm and no longer have direct involvement in the upgrades.

I hope that you found this article helpful.

Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me at tony@force12.net.