Software Evaluation License Agreement (SELA)

Software Evaluation Licence Agreement: Create a Verified SELA

A verified software evaluation licence agreement (often called a SELA) gives a prospective customer the right to try software for a limited time, only to decide whether to buy it. It sets out the software, the evaluation period, what the evaluator may and may not do, confidentiality, feedback and limits on liability. Robot Lawyer drafts the agreement from your answers, for the law of the country or state you choose. On the Verified plan, a legal professional checks it before you sign.

CONTENTS

What Is a Software Evaluation Licence Agreement?

A SELA is a short, limited licence. It lets the evaluator install and test the software, while protecting the owner's intellectual property and confidential information and making clear that the software is provided for evaluation only, without the warranties of a paid licence.

When Do You Need One?

• Free trials for business customers
  Letting a customer test your software before signing a full licence.
• Pilots and proofs of concept
  A limited deployment to show the software works.
• Beta testing
  Sharing pre-release software and getting feedback.

What's Included in Your Agreement?

• The software
  The software and any documentation being evaluated.
• The licence
  A limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use it for evaluation only.
• The evaluation period
  When it starts and ends, exactly as you choose.
• Restrictions
  No copying, reverse engineering, production use or sharing.
• Confidentiality and feedback
  Protection for the software and use of the evaluator's feedback.
• Liability
  The software is provided as is, and liability is limited to the fees paid, with no liability for indirect loss.
• The end of the evaluation
  Uninstalling the software, or moving to a full licence.

Liability Limits (UK Only)

In the UK, limits on liability in business contracts must be reasonable under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, and liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud, can't be excluded. Your agreement is drafted with this in mind.

How It Works on Robot Lawyer

1. Answer the questions
   Tell us about the software, the parties and the evaluation period.
2. Generate your agreement
   We draft a complete software evaluation licence.
3. Get it verified
   On the Verified plan, a qualified legal professional checks the agreement within 24 hours and makes amendments where needed. See how our documents are verified.
4. Sign and start the trial
   Both parties sign before the software is made available.

Software Evaluation Licence FAQs

What does SELA stand for?

SELA stands for software evaluation licence agreement: a short licence for trialling software before buying it.

Can the evaluator use the software for real work?

Usually not. A SELA limits use to evaluation, often in a test environment, unless it says otherwise.

What happens at the end of the evaluation?

The evaluator must stop using the software and remove it, unless the parties sign a full Software License Agreement.

Create a Verified Software Evaluation Licence

Let customers trial your software safely. Related documents: Software License Agreement, End User License Agreement, SaaS Agreement and Non-Disclosure Agreement.