diff --git a/vars/buildCause.groovy b/vars/buildCause.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7360d7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/buildCause.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// vars/buildCause.groovy
+
+/**
+ * Return the reason for the build
+ */
+Boolean call(Map config = [:]) {
+
+  String buildUser = "Unknown"
+  if (currentBuild.rawBuild.getCause(hudson.model.Cause$UserIdCause)) {
+    println "CAUSE ${currentBuild.rawBuild.getCause(hudson.model.Cause$UserIdCause).properties}"
+  } else {
+    println "currentBuild.rawBuild.getCause(hudson.model.Cause\$UserIdCause) is null"
+    println "so, " + currentBuild.rawBuild.getCause(hudson.triggers.TimerTrigger$TimerTriggerCause)
+    println "and " + currentBuild.getBuildCauses('hudson.triggers.TimerTrigger$TimerTriggerCause').isEmpty()
+  }
+  /* [userName:Brian J. Murrell,
+      userIdOrUnknown:bmurrell,
+      userId:bmurrell,
+      class:class hudson.model.Cause$UserIdCause,
+      userUrl:user/bmurrell,
+      shortDescription:Started by user Brian J. Murrell]
+  */
+  def causes = currentBuild.getBuildCauses()
+
+  // Get a specific Cause type (in this case the user who kicked off the build),
+  // if present.
+  def specificCause = currentBuild.getBuildCauses('hudson.model.Cause$UserIdCause')
+  println "specificCause: " + specificCause
+
+  println currentBuild.getBuildCauses().shortDescription[0]
+
+
+  /*
+  def buildCauses = currentBuild.rawBuild.getCauses()
+  //echo buildCauses
+  echo buildCauses.getShortDescription()
+  echo buildCauses.getUserId() 
+  echo buildCauses.getUserName() 
+  echo buildCauses.getUserUrl() 
+  echo buildCauses.hashCode() 
+  if (buildCauses.contains("hudson.triggers.TimerTrigger")){
+    buildUser = "TimerTrigger"
+  }*/ /* else {
+    wrap([$class: 'BuildUser']) {
+      buildUser = "${BUILD_USER}"
+    }
+  }*/
+  echo "Initiated by: ${buildUser}"
+
+  return !currentBuild.getBuildCauses('hudson.triggers.TimerTrigger$TimerTriggerCause').isEmpty()
+}
diff --git a/vars/startedByTimer.groovy b/vars/startedByTimer.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a93439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vars/startedByTimer.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// vars/startedByTimer.groovy
+
+/**
+ * Return the reason for the build
+ * 
+ * This needs to be here rather than in pipeline-lib or Jenkinsfile due to
+ * Scripts not permitted to use method net.sf.json.JSON isEmpty.
+ */
+Boolean call(Map config = [:]) {
+
+  return !currentBuild.getBuildCauses('hudson.triggers.TimerTrigger$TimerTriggerCause').isEmpty()
+
+}