The properties of a sputtered film are strongly influenced by the deposition conditions. In this article we try to develop an understanding of the way in which the many parameters associated with sputtering process combine together to give only a few parameters which ultimately determine the film properties. In particular we consider the stresses in films and consider the conditions required to produce films with neutral stress, a state often required in films made in routine production. It is apparent that the product of the sputtering gas pressure and the substrate-target distance is a major factor in controlling the film stress, but also of relevance are the sputtering voltage and the substrate temperature. Many elemental and alloy films have been investigated, using variable argon pressures and substrate-target distances, at a low power and therefore a deposition temperature of approximately 20-40 degrees C. Detailed analyses have shown that a model of the total energy flux of particles bombarding the film is required to explain the results fully. In this article, the origin of film stress is ascribed to the total energy flux to the substrate per deposited atom, which in sputtering comes from both the arriving film atoms and the reflected neutrals.