Management is cutting my job after I automated 15 hours of weekly work, do I have to document it for them?

[u/Claptrap_5Z]

When I took this coordinator job, our team was losing fifteen to twenty hours every week just updating client logs and manually formatting spreadsheets.

I built a few simple macros and formula templates that cut all that data entry down to an hour. I thought saving twenty hours a week would free me up for higher-level projects.

instead, my manager called me into a meeting last Friday. She told me that because our administrative workload dropped, they are merging my role with a part-time position and letting me go. To get my severance check, they want me to write step-by-step documentation for every macro I set up.

I literally worked myself out of a salary. I should of just kept doing the data entry by hand like the last person.

Do I ACTUALLY have to document processes I created that were not in my original job description?

[u/PNWoutdoors]

If they can afford it, delete the macros and forget about the severance.

[u/hollowman8904 → u/[deleted]]

If OP wants to go to jail maybe

[u/Somanylyingliars → u/hollowman8904]

LOL Jail? For what? Taking his own work?

[u/hollowman8904 → u/Somanylyingliars]

He doesn’t own that work - he was paid to do it.

If you pay someone to work on your home, they don’t now own that part of your home. Same thing.

[u/stpattylady → u/hollowman8904]

I was referring to just forgoing the severance if minimal and resigning if the OP doesn’t need the money or want to keep working knowing job is being eliminated. Only thing is…if you resign, then it could be impactful to unemployment. Any work you do while employed for paid wages is company property.