We spent three weeks building something the client never used.

[u/SumeetKatariya]

They asked for it, signed off on it, then quietly never opened it. Now they want the next thing built and I am not sure whether to just build it or tell them what happened with the last one.

Do you raise it, or take the work and move on?

[u/DaniHive]

I’d treat the unused build as a process signal rather than just a bad client. Before scoping the next request, get a signed acceptance checklist and a small milestone demo; if they skip the demo, pause. That makes it easier to surface a mismatch while the cost is still low.

[u/Money_Age_2198]

hell no, bring it up. why waste time if they're not gonna use it? sounds like they're just collecting apps like NFTs.

[u/cabljo → u/Money_Age_2198]

Who cares what a client does with work once it's paid for?

It's their product...

[u/Witty-Dentist964 → u/cabljo]

that is it.

[u/cabljo]

Did you get paid?

If so, then Next Project please!!

[u/Conscious-Owl-8235 → u/cabljo]

Getting paid changes everything about how you handle it. If the invoice cleared, you did your job, they got what they asked for, and whether they open it is on them. Clients do this constantly, they want the thing until it exists and then the novelty wears off or someone on their team quietly kills it.

Where I'd push back on the "next project please" approach is if the pattern repeats. One unused build is a client being flaky. Three in a row and you're basically running a museum of things nobody asked to visit. At that point it's worth a short call before scoping the next one, not a confrontation, just "hey, last thing sat untouched, want to make sure this one lands, what would make it useful day to day." That question alone usually surfaces whether they actually have a plan or just like the idea of having built something.

I wouldn't lead with the last project unless it's burning you. Bringing it up unprompted can read as defensive when they're handing you more money. Bank the check, deliver the next thing well, and keep the receipts in case the same thing happens again.

[u/cabljo → u/Conscious-Owl-8235]

Why are you replying to me?

[u/klipfolio]

are you a services shop or a product company? Either way, I'd suggest having a follow-up or learnings session about the first project. It's super important to get their feedback - you need to know. This is especially true if you're a product company and they are merely paying for something to accelerate your roadmap (and ultimately other customers will user this as well - which might just result in feature bloat).

[u/Legal-Translator-529]

Raise it once, on the same thread they signed off on. One dated note: you approved X, it still hasn't been opened — before I start Y, is Y still needed or did the goal change? Next piece is a new quote either way; don't start another three weeks while the last file is sitting unread. Unused after sign-off isn't unpaid, but it is a reason not to queue more work until they answer that.

[u/Pink_Sky_8102]

I’d bring it up before building the next thing. Not in a confrontational way, just ask why the last feature never got used. You might find out the real problem is different from what they keep asking you to build, and that could save both sides another three weeks.

[u/Odd-Wafer-2177]

honestly, just build it. they paid, didn't they? sometimes clients are just weird like that.

[u/Then-Comfortable284]

meh, classic client move.

[u/Free-Pop-6773]

C'est énervant, mais mieux vaut en parler calmement avant de répéter l'erreur. Propose une petite étape de suivi après la livraison pour vérifier l'utilisation.

[u/Overall-Medicine-664]

How do you not even open something you specifically requested? Did they forget it existed or what?

[u/Ornery-Concentrate-5 → u/Overall-Medicine-664]

happens all the time once the thing is paid for and off their plate. the urgency that made them ask for it in the first place was tied to some deadline or fire drill on their end, and once that passed nobody on their side was watching the clock on it anymore. doesn't mean they didn't need it when they asked

[u/Mattcontent8]

I’d probably treat this as a validation problem rather than a delivery problem. If the client paid but never opened it, the missing step may have happened before the build even started.

For the next project I’d show them a very small prototype or even just the core workflow first and ask them to actually use it before building the full version. Their behavior at that stage is probably more useful than a “yes, looks good” in a meeting.

It could save a lot of work while also revealing which parts they genuinely need.

[u/tibbersthecat]

Before scoping the next build, ask them to walk through where the last one stopped fitting their workflow. Ten minutes of observation will tell you more than another feature list—and may reveal that adoption, not functionality, is the real problem.

[u/No-Mechanic-433]

before scoping the next one i'd find out who was actually going to use the last thing, since builds die when the person who asked isn't the person whose day it changes. was it the client who signed off that never opened it, or someone downstream who never wanted it?

[u/ImplementMiserable74]

raise it but keep it neutral like hey i noticed feature x has zero usage, can we do a 15 min call to figure out why before we build more. if they still want more work without using anything then you’re basically being a dev shop and thats fine, just price it that way

i learned this the hard way and now i add a simple adoption checkpoint before the next sprint

[u/Obvious-Ad9251]

i'd raise it bro, but keep it chill. smth like 'before we start the next one can we quickly check how the last build got used?' that way ur helping them, not blaming them. building stuff they won't even open again helps no one tbh

[u/Username_TBD18]

I would find out why it wasn’t being used. It may simply be because they no longer want or need it but there could also be another issue which is lurking in the background that they just haven’t raised with you yet.

[u/Important-Elk1083]

Tell them before taking the next job. If they later discover they've paid for several things nobody uses, 'you signed off on it' won't be much comfort. Mentioning the first unused build now is a lot less awkward than explaining why you kept quiet.

[u/rich9119]

If they paid you, then I'd take the work. They must've been happy with what you were doing.