Access Data Base development

[TonyA]

Hi, My wife has developed a database for a property company which allows the principals to access details of the property, details of the seller and compare with possible buyers. This DB did not exist previously and her job description does not include db development but does include data capturing. She feels that this db is her intellectual property (developed on her own time at home). The company is quite keen on using the DB. Wife feels should sell it to them. Any ideas on a fair price, she has spent about 10 hours developing DB.

 

[midrange]

The information in the database is your wife's company's?

 

[TonyA]

It can be used for any propoerty developer. At present the data is the data related to the company she is working for.

 

[greggpb]

If I was your wife, a data capturer, I would liscense the database to them for a fee... and resell to other people.. if you have the market.. else sell it of 5k.. but just remember if she sell's it she igs gonna have to maintain it for free as long as she works for the company.

 

[dequadin]

I believe the database "application" is your wifes IP as she did it out of her own will, on her own time (IANAL)

Selling these things back to your company always causes problems (support, animosity, etc). It only took 10 hours to develop, so why not give it to them for free and score some brownie points?

 

[somescrub]

Database development is never a static execise. especially with access. 10 hours dev time is not alot. You dont mention if your wife is experienced and at what level this development is.
It is obviously having some value attached by the company.
It is a access app. (not a full blown standalone app) which is like trying to sell a excel sheet you wrote.
I dont think you have a comercially sellable product as yet. but what she does have is leverage.
I would suggest giving the app to the company and re-negotiating more money to develop the application.
There will always be enhacements and changes as business sees, recognises and requests them.

it's more of a opportunity that something to make a quick buck out of.

 

[guest2013-1]

If the company didn't actively pay her to develop such a DB then it's her IP.

The biggest caveat for your wife though is supporting the application (and doing her normal data capturing job) and making changes to it at the request of the company (which they'll obviously have to pay for). If she has limited exposure in anything "dev" related, the task of maintaining/supporting and developing the database to their needs/requirements to keep them happy will become a fulltime job in itself. So be careful when you start charging a monthly fee for it or selling to other people.

What I would do is to sell the IP entirely to the company. This way removing any real responsibility of maintaining/further developing the database from me while I do my normal data capturing job. If and when they do require support or development/extra features, charge seperately for it based on the time I spend on it after working hours, or come to an agreement that, with a payrise, I will maintain/support this application and that any new development work would be done during office hours IF her appointed work (capturing data) will not be affected. If it's affected and they expect her to perform with her primary role still, charge for working on it after hours.

10 hours work is roughly R4000 (what I usually charge, yea, not rolling in it, but it keeps the idiots at bay with the price and normally gives me the guys who's serious), but I'd up that figure to R10k including the IP.

It won't cost them that much to contract someone in India to replicate what she's done. So be careful.

 

[jeanres]

uhm its access give it away for free because it will suck in 3 months time

 

[DarkStreet]

It won't cost them that much to contract someone in India to replicate what she's done. So be careful.

Depends if they want to take that chance

 

[TKD01]

especially with access. 10 hours dev time is not alot.
It is a access app. (not a full blown standalone app) which is like trying to sell a excel sheet you wrote. I dont think you have a comercially sellable product as yet

Agree.
To be honest, 10 hours is nothing (well its a "normal" ONE day for a database developer). It seems your wife is not a experienced "developer" thus we can assume that its a very simple "app" - in fact I'll bet that you'd be able to replicate it in Excel within a couple of hours.

If the company didn't actively pay her to develop such a DB then it's her IP.

10 hours work is roughly R4000 (what I usually charge, yea, not rolling in it, but it keeps the idiots at bay with the price and normally gives me the guys who's serious), but I'd up that figure to R10k including the IP.

(within context of 10hrs Access Dev)
With regards to IP - the app is completely useless without the information / data - which belongs to the business (thus the business' IP). I'll put my head on a block but I'm pretty sure there is no complex Business Rules and Logic built in (which would relate to her IP).

Don't try to squeeze money for something like this - the biggest "return on her time/effort investment" is (hopefully) the fact that the business appreciates her effort and initiative to support business functions ("brownie points" was mentioned).

 

[TonyA]

Thanks for advice. Thats basically the route she's decided to go ie brownie points

 

[D15]

uhm its access give it away for free because it will suck in 3 months time

I question that! I built a fairly complex Access app for my own company about 10 years ago and it still doing sterling service everyday! (24/7 Control Room application)