If I make tools for my job, can I sell them back to my employer?

ifeelabreeze

I work in Supply Chain, there's a lot of work that could be automated but isn't.

I'm going to build some Python scripts to do the leg work for me and I'm hoping to make a few bob in the process.

If it's made on company time it's theirs, I get that, and if it's part of my job to build them it's also theirs. But it's not part of my job and if I'm doing this on my personal device in the evenings - it won't be done on their time, so can I (in theory) sell it back to them?

Jim_Hodge

Done outside work hours and on your own device? Then you need to ask your employer if it can be used in the work environment at all. You could make a case for a bonus if they really want it. But you're no different to any cold call seller looking to sell your employers a product or system.

alias no.9

You can sell them anything they are prepared to buy but maybe think what the correct way to approach it would be. Maybe outline what you propose to do, the benefit it will bring and agree some kind of measure of success.

Look at negotiating a bonus payment or promotion and pay rise for successful delivery of the work rather than selling it to them.

Do also be aware that within most contracts of employment, there is significant flexibility for the employer to change your duties, if you tell them that you can do this, they may just chose to redeploy you to this role as part of the day job.

Wheety

Yeah, definitely talk to your employer before bringing in your own software. You will also need to make sure it's secure and has safeguards to stop erroneous actions from happening.

elperello

Best to draw up a proposal and costing for what you have to offer and put it in the first instance to your line manager.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058287633/if-i-make-tools-for-my-job-can-i-sell-them-back-to-my-employer

I assume by selling it to them you would be selling the intellectual property? I'm not sure you could legally sell them a set of software that you have turned into a product while still being an employee, you'd presumably need to found your own company to do that

Tbh, I'm not sure the company would be willing to buy the IP from you unless it saved them millions and was uniquely complicated in a way that made it difficult to replicate

It sounds like this automation solves a problem which is fairly unique to that particular company and role, so it's not likely you can turn it into a product for the wider industry

In that case the company can just say "looks cool, you want €100k? How about we just pay a software company the same amount to develop the same tooling and they have to deal with support and bugs"

However, there are other ways you can turn this into a money maker.

Probably the simplest way would be to automate something time consuming but fairly straightforward and then present this to management with the potential coat savings

You could then propose other areas for improvement and that you are given an expanded role to automate this stuff, maybe even end up managing a small team of developers. And while you're taking on an expanded role, you could have a discussion about the expanded salary in the process 😁

AndrewJRenko

Are you sure that your corporate IT security controls are so loose as to allow to import code onto the corporate system?

Bit of a disaster from a cyber security point of view if so.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058287633/if-i-make-tools-for-my-job-can-i-sell-them-back-to-my-employer

Once they know you can do it. What's stopping them asking you to create those scripts at work?

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120338600#Comment_120338600

Indeed.

And even if the OP did get to deploy them, who will maintain them once s/he leaves? The company probably don't want to employer a developer in your job long-term.

Claw Hammer

There are a few issues. When you sell software, you also have to sell maintenance. You may also be using knowledge gained from your employment to develop the software so you may be in breach of your employment contract.

It would be better for you to consider asking your employer to pay you overtime to develop tools which the employer will then own.

runawaybishop

I would have thought there were IP issues with you developing software outside the job, with information you gained within the job.

hullaballoo

Tbf we would need to see your contract of employment to assist but of course there is a bar on giving legal advice so that can't happen either. All that we can do is blindly speculate, which as you can see above, is about as useful as a wooden frying pan.