so my ex manager who left our company recently called me up a couple of days back to share a document.
Are you someone who makes decisions for your company on what documents to share with outsiders? If not, then this is a red flag.
However, im confused whether or not I should share it as he could have easily copied it and taken it while he was working here or in his notice period but he is asking me to do it now.
Most contracts have clauses saying that if you leave the company you're not allowed to take company documents with you. If he'd copied the document during his notice period, he would have been liable.
This is somewhat a confidential doc you can say as its related to sales.
Sales documents aren't just "somewhat" confidential; most companies consider them key competitive/strategic information.
He said his new company where he is working is different and does not have any similarity to us however he wants this document just for reference.
Doesn't matter. He's not with the company, he doesn't have any right to company confidential data. Even if you don't know about any bad thing he might do with them. They're confidential, that's all the reason you need to deny him.
I find it a bit fishy and im worried if this might affect our business or Im I just overreacting?
He's asking you to do something now, that if he had done himself back then, could have gotten him sued. Right now, it could get you fired and/or sued. Yeah, it's fishy.
As an aside: what constitutes confidential data? As a rule of thumb, any data not available to the general public.
- Sales prices for consumers: not confidential.
- Sales prices for business customers who are getting a special discount or have some kind of cheap grandfathered contract: confidential.
- The real prices at which you purchase stock (perhaps with a discount because you're a big buyer): confidential.
- Which products are going on sale next month: confidential.
- Which products are on sale right now: not confidential.
- Current sales figures: confidential.
- Sales figures published in a press release: not confidential.
You should consider whether you should warn your current manager that your former manager is snooping around and asking for this document. If he gets hold of it, perhaps from someone else careless, suspicion might fall on you (since you have access and knew him).