How to license your company's workflow data
Download the data inventory workbook
List each system, how far back it goes and roughly how large it is, before you talk to buyers.
What's in the file
- Tab: Read Me
- Tab: EXAMPLE - Filled Out
- Tab: Inventory_COMPANY NAME
The short answer
Workflow data is the record of work inside your company: chat, email, documents, CRM, support and project history. A scoped licence can let a buyer use a copy while you retain your records. The agreement must define rights, permitted use, exclusions, preparation, fees and payment. Confirm the terms before transferring any data.
In this guide
1. What counts as workflow data
It is the everyday output of people doing their jobs, kept in the tools your company already uses. What makes it useful is context: a request, the discussion around it, the document that came out of it and the result.
- Chat and emailSlack, Microsoft Teams, shared inboxes
- DocumentsSOPs, playbooks, proposals, knowledge bases
- CRM and supportDeals, accounts, tickets and their resolutions
- Projects and operationsTask boards, ERP, warehouse and service records
2. Who buys it and how deals work
Companies can work with programmes that source data for AI labs. Two common routes differ in how the price and payment conditions are defined.
Fixed-price buyers
A written offer can define a fixed price for the agreed scope. Acceptance conditions, deductions and the payment trigger still need to be agreed.
You get a defined contractual price, subject to its payment conditions. You give up the chance of a higher price.
Marketplaces and brokers
They find buyers for your data and take a share of each sale. Pay depends on demand.
You get possible revenue from completed licences. You give up a defined contractual price, subject to its payment conditions.
Terms also differ on exclusivity. An exclusive licence can restrict further licensing within its agreed scope, permitted uses and period. A non-exclusive licence can permit other licences, subject to the rights you retain and existing agreements.
3. What buyers look at
Each buyer sets its own requirements, and they change. These are the questions that come up most often when buyers screen a company.
- Company size and history. Some buyers set a minimum headcount or years in operation.
- How far back your records go and whether they are complete.
- Connected history across tools, for example a ticket that links to a chat thread and a document.
- Freshness. Whether your company is still creating new records, which matters for ongoing licenses.
- Language and country. Some buyers focus on particular languages or regions.
- Rights and sensitive data. Whether you own the data outright and whether it includes regulated information.
A few buyers publish calculators that show an indicative range for a given set of inputs, such as micro1 and Handshake. Treat any calculator figure as a starting point, not an offer.
4. Rights, privacy and contracts
This is the part that most often slows a deal down. Work through it with your lawyer before you commit to a buyer.
- Customer and partner contracts. Confidentiality clauses and data processing agreements may limit what you can share, even after de-identification.
- Personal and confidential information. Confirm the permitted use, applicable privacy obligations and the agreed preparation process. De-identification does not by itself establish licensing rights.
- Regulated data. Health and financial records need specialist review before transfer. A generic workflow agreement may not cover them.
- Employees. Check your employee privacy notices and policies, and local rules on workplace communications.
- Tool terms. Some software providers restrict how exported data may be used.
- Who can sign. Confirm who in your company has authority to sign a data license.
5. How a deal usually runs
- 1List what you have. Tools, years of history and rough size. No need to export anything yet.
- 2Check your rights. Contracts, privacy obligations and who can sign.
- 3Shortlist buyers that fit. Match your data type, size and preferred terms to each buyer's requirements.
- 4Buyer review. The buyer asks questions and may review a de-identified sample under an NDA.
- 5Offer and contract. Price, exclusivity, permitted uses, payment terms and how data is deleted at the end.
- 6De-identify, deliver and get paid. Follow the agreed process and keep a record of what was delivered.
Download the offer comparison workbook
Put written offers side by side, with scope, exclusivity and missing terms visible.
What's in the file
- Tab: Offers
- Tab: Scope & exclusivity
6. Checklist before you talk to buyers
Use these questions to prepare your proposed scope.
7. Common questions
Do we give up our data when we license it?
A scoped licence can give a buyer specified rights to use a copy. Retained rights and any ownership transfer depend on the written agreement.
Does de-identification prove we can license it?
No. Access, ownership, client agreements, prior grants, privacy obligations and authority to approve need separate review.
Is a calculator estimate an offer?
No. A calculator result is indicative. A buyer must review your exact scope and agree the price and terms.
Can a closed or winding-down company license its data?
Some programmes consider operating, winding-down or closed companies. Rights, timing, transfer availability and signing authority still need individual review.
8. Sources
Source register
Records checked 2026-10-04. Programme statements are not independently verified seller outcomes.
Programme facts are separate from your legal rights and a signed offer. Use qualified advice for your proposed scope.
Related guides
See which buyer programmes fit your data
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