'AITA for not sending coworker my template after he used my stuff in a meeting and didn't credit me?'

"AITA for not sending coworker my template after he basically used my stuff in a meeting and didn't mention I helped?"

I (28M) work on a small team and there's a newer guy on our team (I'll call him Joe). We sit near each other and our work overlaps a lot so I've helped him out here and there. A few weeks ago he asked me how I put together this weekly report we have to do. Over the years I've made my own template and a routine that makes it way faster.

He asked if I could send him my template file. I told him I'd happily walk him through how I do it and explain the steps but I didn't really want to just hand over my exact file. It's basically my personal workflow and I've tweaked it forever. So I stayed after work and spent about 45 minutes showing him everything.

I shared my screen, explained where I pull the numbers, order I do things, what to watch out for, ALL of it. He took notes, thanked me, seemed totally normal about it. The next week we had a team meeting and Joe presented his report for the first time. And I'm sitting there listening like this is basically my report.

Same EVERYTHING even a couple little phrases I always use when I explain the numbers. When our boss asked him how he put it together Joe said something like "I built a simple structure that makes it easier" and left it at that, I mean no mention that I spent time walking him through it at all.

After the meeting I pulled him aside and said "hey, I'm glad it went well but it felt weird hearing you use my exact structure and wording and not even mentioning I helped you." He got defensive right away and said he didn't think he needed to "credit" anyone for help and that I was being insecure for even bringing it up.

Since then he keeps asking again for the actual template file like "it would save time" and "I already understand it anyway." I told him no and said I'll answer questions if he's stuck but I'm not sending him the file.

Now he's been cold to me and I've heard he's telling people I'm gatekeeping and trying to make him look bad. A couple coworkers said I should just send it because it's a team environment and "it's not that deep."

I don't want to be the difficult person but also feel like I already helped him a lot and he showed me exactly how he's going to act with it.

AITA for refusing to send the template?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

bansheeceilidh wrote:

The template is your work product, meaning the hours of your day that you are paid to do the work you are doing produce results, otherwise why would your company pay you? If he’s new and bad-mouthing someone already, you might want to point out to your peers who are guilting you that he will eventually feel like he has agency to do it to them too.

flippingtimmy wrote:

If you have a company intranet, document your solution and upload the template there. Then email your team including the bosses, sharing the link and template with them, saying that you're sharing it because co-worker asked for it and you thought it might benefit everyone.

You can record a video demonstration of your solution by using the snipping tool in windows, or the equivalent on whatever operating system you're using. In one fell swoop, you're being a great employee by helping your colleagues and company, and you're showing everyone that your co-worker is full of it. Without having to say it out loud.

If there are parts of your solution you haven't shared, you can remove those from the template if you're not comfortable sharing them. ETA - NTA. There are people in the workplace who will beg, borrow and steal to make themselves stand out for promotion. I've seen these people take the ideas of others and get promoted too often.

C_Majascula wrote:

NTA. If he wants to get sole credit for developing a time-saving template, he can spend some time and effort making his own. However, what I would do in your case is send the file to the entire team, copying your boss, and write something like.

"On XX date, I walked you through the process I've developed over the last YY months to complete the weekly report in an efficient manner. Attached is the file that underlies the process. If you would like to continue using this process, please feel free and if you have any improvements, please let the team know."

Individual_ad_9213 wrote:

NTA; there's little that is more irritating than a co-worker who, quite literally, steals your work (I'm thinking of the template as being your work) and claims it as their own. That your coworker claimed not to know that he was supposed to credit you betrays an incredible lack of either:

Educational preparation since post-secondary students are told, told again, and yet again to always credit others for their ideas; and/or

Ethics.

TitaniaT-rex wrote:

NTA. If anyone says, “it’s not that deep,” it 100% is. I hate that phrase. He can make his own template if it’s not that deep, or go cry to his boss and tell him what’s going on. He won’t because then his lies will show.

kittycatluvrrrr wrote:

NTA. Do not share your template with him. And depending on your relationship with your manager, it might be worth saying something. I wouldn’t full on tattle on him, but I would bring it up to make sure your manager is aware of your work.

“I am really happy to see that Joe’s presentation went well! I met with him last week and spent about 45 minutes walking him through my template and giving him some general tips. He seems to really appreciate my template and has been asking for a copy of it, so it had me thinking that this might actually be a great resource for the entire team. Do you have any objections if I shared this with our team?”

bobofiddlesticks wrote:

NTA.

If he wants credit for the work, he should, you know. Do the work.