Adoption coaching: user champions, periodic feedback loops.
Documentation: updated playbooks, process diagrams, and knowledge base.
Customisation
Workflow and process customization
Custom matter types, stages, and task checklists.
Conditional logic for automations (if/then branches, reminders, escalations).
Custom approval workflows for disbursements,/title holds, and fee splits.
Document templates and branding
Custom document templates, letterheads, and email templates.
Doc assembly with dynamic fields pulled from Qualia data.
Data model and fields
Custom fields and mappings for contacts, properties, transactions, and documents.
Data validation rules and mandatory fields.
Roles and permissions
Granular access controls, user groups, and security roles.
Separate dashboards and views by role or office.
Integrations
Native integrations (e.g., with title/escrow partners, e-signature providers, accounting systems).
API-based custom integrations for CRMs, data warehouses, or internal apps.
Reporting and analytics
Custom dashboards and reports tailored to KPIs (cycle time, throughput, fee collection, error rates).
Scheduled reports to stakeholders.
Automation and business rules
Custom triggers, reminders, escalations, and auto-assign rules.
Automated file creation, e-record submission, and notification workflows.
Security and compliance
Custom retention policies, audit trails, and access monitoring.
Additional Costs
Setup/implementation fees
May cover discovery, configuration, data migration, integrations, and go-live assistance.
Could be a one-time fee or staged across deployment phases.
Licensing or subscription fees
Per-user or per-seat pricing, often with a minimum seat count.
May vary by module (core transaction management, document management, e-signature, reporting).
Setup or professional services
Optional services for advanced customization, integration development, and onboarding coaching.
May be billed hourly or as fixed project milestones.
Maintenance and support
Ongoing support: helpdesk access, issue resolution, and system monitoring.
Software maintenance: updates, security patches, and access to new features.
Some vendors offer tiered support (Standard, Pro, Enterprise) with different response times.
Data storage and e-signature charges
Fees for storage of documents, backups, and archiving.
If using integrated e-signature, there may be per-document or per-signature charges.
Training and enablement
Additional training sessions, coaching, and user certification programs.
Add-ons and optional modules
Advanced reporting, API access, custom development, and premium integrations may incur extra costs.
Training
Onboarding and introductory training
Structured onboarding program for new clients, often including admin training, super-user training, and end-user training.
Training materials typically include structured guides, video tutorials, checklists, and sample templates.
Role-based training
Training tailored to different roles (paralegals, title staff, escrow officers, accountants, office admins) to cover the features most relevant to each function.
Live and self-paced options
Live training sessions (virtual or on-site) for core workflows and configuration topics.
Self-paced learning resources (on-demand videos, knowledge base articles, step-by-step tutorials).
Documentation and knowledge base
Access to a centralized knowledge base with how-to articles, best practices, templates, and troubleshooting.
Change management and coaching
Adoption support, champion programs, and periodic refresher sessions to reinforce new features and process changes.
Customer support and service levels
Typically a tiered support model (e.g., Standard, Enhanced/Pro, Enterprise) with defined response times and SLAs.
Support channels often include email, chat, and phone, plus an issue-tracking portal.
Access to customer success resources and periodic health-checks or business reviews to ensure the system is meeting goals.
Training for ongoing usage
Periodic training for new features or modules.
Reloads of training for new staff or office locations as needed.
Security Measures
Data access and authentication
Role-based access control (RBAC) with granular permissions to restrict who can view/edit sensitive data.
Support for strong authentication options (e.g., SSO/SAML) to integrate with an organization’s identity provider.
Data encryption
Data encryption at rest and in transit (TLS for data in transit; encryption standards for stored data).
Audit trails and compliance
Comprehensive logging of user activity for traceability and compliance.
Audit reports to support internal controls and regulatory requirements.
Data separation and tenancy
Multi-tenant or dedicated tenancy architectures with data isolation between customers.
Clear data ownership and data retention policies.
Data backup and disaster recovery
Regular backups with defined RPO/RTO targets.
DR plans and tested recovery procedures to minimize downtime and data loss.
Updates
Release frequency
Vendors typically release updates on a quarterly or biannual basis, with minor patches as needed.
Major releases may occur a few times a year, introducing new features, improvements, and security fixes.
Update types
Feature updates: new capabilities and enhancements.
Security patches: critical fixes rolled into regular updates.
Maintenance releases: bug fixes and reliability improvements.
Update and deployment process
Staged rollout approach (pilot/offices first, then broader deployment) to manage risk.
Pre-release testing environments (sandbox) for UAT and validation before production deployment.
Change logs and release notes provided to customers detailing new features, changes, and any required action.
Administration and planning
Customers are often given advance notice of upcoming releases with the ability to schedule or approve deployment windows.
Some environments allow postponing non-critical updates to align with internal schedules.
Data Ownership and Portability
Data ownership
Customers typically retain ownership of their data. Qualia acts as a data processor/host for the customer’s data.
The contract should specify that the customer owns all data they input or generate in Qualia, including documents, transaction records, contacts, and attachments.
Data usage rights
Qualia may use aggregated, de-identified data for product improvement, benchmarking, or analytics only if not tied to identifiable customer data, and usually with an opt-out option.
Data portability
Customer should have the right to export their data in a usable, machine-readable format (e.g., CSV, JSON, or standardized document formats) upon request.
The provider should support a formal data return or migration process at contract end or upon request, including a defined timeline and any associated fees.
Data retention after termination: terms should specify how long Qualia retains data post-termination and the process for secure deletion, subject to legal/regulatory retention requirements.
Data localization and storage
If applicable, contracts may specify data residency options (data stored in specified regions or data centers).
Encryption at rest and in transit, access controls, and backups should be defined regardless of location.
Scaling Up / Down
Flexibility
Most platforms offer scalable licensing (per-user or per-seat) and may support tiered pricing or add-on modules.
Organizations can typically add users, offices, or modules with a defined lead time and approval process.
Change management
Provisions for onboarding additional users, increasing storage, or enabling extra modules should be reflected in updated quotes and SLAs.
There may be minimum-term commitments per tier, with possible mid-term adjustments for growth.
Cost implications
Scaling up usually increases monthly/annual fees proportionally to seats, storage, and module usage.
Scaling down may involve seat reduction, cancellation of certain add-ons, and potential early-termination considerations if there are amortized implementation costs.
The terms & conditions for contract renewal and cancellation
Renewal terms
Most cloud/software contracts auto-renew unless a notice of non-renewal is provided within a specified window (e.g., 30–90 days before term end).
Pricing at renewal may be subject to a renewal rate adjustment, often tied to inflation, market rates, or usage levels.
Renewal options may include updated SLAs, revised modules, or changed support levels.
Term length and termination
Common terms: annual or multi-year commitments with penalties for early termination, especially if there were setup/implementation costs.
Some contracts offer a termination-for-convenience clause with a defined notice period and a residual payment (depending on amortized onboarding or discounts).
Pro-rated refunds or credits for unused time are sometimes available, though not guaranteed.
Cancellation process
Steps typically include formal written notice, data export/deletion window, and transition assistance (limited) to mitigate business disruption.
Exit obligations: return or deletion of data, decommissioning of access, and retrieval of data in a portable format.
Data post-termination
Data deletion timelines and verification, ensuring compliance with data retention obligations and regulatory requirements.
Agreement on ongoing access to data export for a defined period post-termination if needed for a transition.
Compliance
SOC 2 Type II (Security and Availability) or SOC 1 as applicable.
ISO 27001 for information security management.
ISO 27701 for privacy information management (where applicable).
GDPR readiness and data processing addendum (DPA) for EU data subjects, if you handle EU data.
CCPA/CPRA readiness for California data subjects (where applicable).
HIPAA or HITECH considerations only if handling protected health information (not typical for Qualia unless specific use cases arise).
Data residency/compliance certifications for real estate/title data (state-specific retention and e-record requirements may apply).
Audit rights and vulnerability management programs (frequency of penetration testing, patch management cadence).
