Business acumen!

[scooterscot]

My client requires that I meet the terms & conditions I am contractually obligated to carry out. I’m fine with this.

Recently I identified a solution that would allow my client to save a large amount of time producing results plus increasing their customer’s confidence, through using software I own as opposed to working with spreadsheets.

My client naturally wants to take the easy route and are happy for me to do this but I’ve said not without compensation, as there is nothing in my contract about using my licensed software, which has cost me well into five figured sums.

They don’t like this.

They believe I’m being already compensated through my daily rate, but this is really not the case as I am fully meeting the requirements as defined in my contract through my daily rate already. I’m not obligated to provided further, in my opinion.

Was I right to say no?

[Badger]

Yes

[jim2406]

Definately

This way you've either lost nothing (other than perhaps some goodwill), and possibly gained them coming back next week saying 'ok we'll pay you XXXX to use your software'

They may just be trying it on to see if they can get it free before paying

If you can demonstrate it will save them money, to the right audience (IE someone that cares about budget rather than a bean counter) IMO they will go for it sooner or later, if they don't it's their loss

[Cheshire Cat]

Offer them a free trial, and let them know that if they wish to keep usnig the licensed software after X date, then the fee is £blahblahblah.
Ensure a separate contract is drawn up for their purchase of the license.

[scooterscot]

cheers guys - The air is so close you could cut it with a knife, but reading those responses makes me feel a lot better.

Registered charity I'm not!

[d000hg]

Maybe you could have recommended your software without saying you wrote it, pointing them to the product web-site... and maybe even to a similar product if you want to seem impartial.
You could also say the software belongs to your company not to you... especially if anyone else was involved writing it and therefore would have to agree to it being used.

[scooterscot]

Maybe you could have recommended your software without saying you wrote it, pointing them to the product web-site... and maybe even to a similar product if you want to seem impartial.
You could also say the software belongs to your company not to you... especially if anyone else was involved writing it and therefore would have to agree to it being used.

I take your point.

The client knows of the softwares very well in fact, the client understands I'm a licensed user and not the owner, like I indicated above.

[Turion]

If you've already paid for/created this software, and it was not specifically bought or authorized for the project, you are being cheeky. This is not an additional cost to you so why expect the client to pay?

In my opinion you've cocked up badly. You would have been much better just keeping quiet and use their spreadsheets.

[d000hg]

Did you develop this software before starting at the company, or after seeing the need for it once you started?

[Moscow Mule]

My client requires that I meet the terms & conditions I am contractually obligated to carry out. I’m fine with this.

Recently I identified a solution that would allow my client to save a large amount of time producing results plus increasing their customer’s confidence, through using software I own as opposed to working with spreadsheets.

My client naturally wants to take the easy route and are happy for me to do this but I’ve said not without compensation, as there is nothing in my contract about using my licensed software, which has cost me well into five figured sums.

They don’t like this.

They believe I’m being already compensated through my daily rate, but this is really not the case as I am fully meeting the requirements as defined in my contract through my daily rate already. I’m not obligated to provided further, in my opinion.

Was I right to say no?

What does it say in your contract that about supply of all the relevant tools to do your job?

I think you're on wobbly ground anyway to be honest.