SOS Inventory

Discovery and scoping (1–2 weeks)

Goals and stakeholders: Identify core processes to support (inventory, manufacturing, procurement, order management, BOMs, lot/serial tracking, kitting, integrations).

Data mapping: Determine which data to migrate (item master, suppliers, customers, open orders, bills of materials, pricing, warehouses, units of measure, bins/locations).

System design: Define required configurations (locations, warehouses, default GL accounts, tax rules, pricing tiers, workflows).

Setup and configuration (2–6 weeks)

Account setup: Create company profile, user roles, permissions, and security settings.

Master data import: Import items, customers, vendors, warehouses, BOMs, routings if applicable, pricing, and open transactions.

Processes configuration:

• Inventory: stock locations, lot/serial tracking, units of measure, reorder points, cycles, replenishment rules.

• Orders: sales/purchase order flows, backorder handling, drop-shipment, ASN integration.

• Manufacturing (if used): BOMs, routings, work orders, material issues, scrap.

• Integrations: ERP/accounting links (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, or other), e-commerce, shipping, POS.

Automated rules: Reorder points, min/max, lot/serial assignments, default vendors, cost method (FIFO/LIFO/Standard), and valuation.

Permissions and workflows: Approval routing, order status transitions, audit trails.

Data migration and validation (1–3 weeks)

Data cleansing: Remove duplicates, normalize fields, ensure SKUs map correctly.

Import runs: Incremental migrations of master data, then a final cut-over for transactions if needed.

Validation: Reconcile counts, pricing, inventory balances, and open orders.

Order and fulfillment

• Sales orders, purchase orders, drop-ship, backorder management

• Allocation rules, packing lists, shipment confirmations

• Return merchandise authorization (RMA) workflows

• Custom workflows based on order type or customer

Manufacturing/production (if used)

• BOMs, routings, work orders, material reservations

• Scrap handling, yield tracking, and capacity planning (where applicable)

Integrations and data flows

• Integrate with accounting platforms (e.g., QuickBooks Online/Desktop, Xero, NetSuite, Sage, etc.)

• E-commerce channel integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, etc.)

• Shipping carriers and label generation (UPS, FedEx, USPS)

• ERP and business intelligence tools (reporting, dashboards)

Automation and rules

• Reorder points and minimum/maximum inventory

• Auto-fulfillment rules, ASN creation, vendor approvals

• Custom fields and metadata for items and transactions (if supported)

Reporting and analytics

• Standard dashboards and reports

• Custom report builders and saved searches

• KPIs (inventory turns, gross margin, fill rate, order cycle time)

Data structure and governance

• Field mappings, naming conventions, data validation rules

• Access control, roles, and permissions

Subscription pricing

• Per-seat or per-user monthly fees (often tiered by features or storage)

• Might be charged per warehouse or per module (inventory, order management, manufacturing)

• Usually billed monthly or annually with discounts for annual commitment

Setup and implementation

• Professional services for implementation, data migration, customization, and training

• Typical ranges (varies widely):

  • Small/standard deployments: a few thousand to tens of thousands USD

  • Larger or complex deployments: tens of thousands USD

• Some providers offer flat-rate onboarding or phased onboarding with milestones

Data migration fees

• One-time or per-record migration charges for moving master data and historical transactions

Integrations and connectors

• Fees for connecting to accounting systems, e-commerce platforms, shipping, or ERP or API access

• Some integrations are included in higher plans; others are add-ons

Support and maintenance

• The monthly support/maintenance fee is usually included in the subscription or as a percentage of the subscription

• Tiered support options (Basic/Standard/Premium) with different response times and hours

• Onboarding and training support may incur additional charges

Taxes and regional charges

• Taxes or compliance-related fees depending on location

Admin training: Guided sessions for system setup, user roles, permissions, and core workflows (inventory, orders, BOMs, manufacturing if applicable).

End-user training: Role-based training for daily tasks (receiving, putaway, picking/packing, shipping, invoicing, returns, basic reporting).

Documentation: Online help center, knowledge base articles, and step-by-step guides.

Video tutorials: On-demand walkthroughs for common processes.

Sandbox/test environment: A safe space to practice end-to-end scenarios before going live.

Quick-start templates: Pre-configured workflows and sample data to accelerate initial setup.

Training materials: SOP templates, user guides, and cheat sheets for quick reference.

Data encryption: In transit (TLS) and at rest (encryption standards typical for cloud ERP systems).

Access control: Role-based access control (RBAC) with user permissions to limit visibility and actions by role.

Authentication: User credentials with options for strong passwords; potential support for SSO (single sign-on) via SAML/SSO providers on supported plans or with partner configurations.

Audit trails: Activity logs for critical actions (e.g., changes in inventory, orders, price changes, user access modifications) to support traceability and compliance.

Data residency options: Depending on region, there may be choices or requirements around data storage locations; confirm with SOS Inventory or a partner.

Vendor security practices: Shared responsibility model typical for cloud software; verify SOC 2/ISO certifications or third-party security assessments if you require them.

Cloud-native model: SOS Inventory is a managed cloud service, so most updates are applied by the provider without on-premise upgrades on your side.

Release frequency: Vendors typically publish new features, improvements, and bug fixes on a scheduled cadence (monthly or quarterly releases are common). Some minor patches may be deployed more frequently to address critical issues.

Data ownership: Your organization typically retains ownership of all data you input into SOS Inventory (items, customers, vendors, orders, transactions, BOMs, configurations, etc.).

Data export rights: You should have the ability to export your data in standard, machine-readable formats (CSV, Excel, JSON, etc.) at any time, subject to reasonable export windows and data retention policies.

Data format consistency: Expect well-documented data schemas and export templates to facilitate migration to another system or for archival purposes.

Data retention after termination: Clarify whether data is retained for a grace period, and the process and timeframe to provide a final data export upon termination.

Deletion and anonymization: There should be a policy for secure data deletion on request after termination, with any legal hold or ongoing contractual obligations accounted for.

Data localization: If you have regulatory requirements, confirm whether data can be stored and processed in a specific region or data center.

Flexible user licensing: options to add or remove users or change seat counts with prorated pricing.

Data capacity: Limits on item records, transactions, or file storage; how scaling affects limits and whether you incur overage charges.

Multi-entity support: If you grow to multiple subsidiaries or warehouses, ensure the platform can scale to multiple entities with centralized or segmented data.

Performance and uptime guarantees: SLAs around response times and availability as you scale (important for growing e-commerce or distribution operations).

Migration assistance: For significant scale changes (e.g., large data migration, onboarding of many users, integration intensification), availability of professional services or partner support.

Renewal cadence: Typically annual or monthly with auto-renewal unless canceled, and notification requirements before renewal.

Price protections: Whether prices are fixed for a period, subject to annual increases, or tied to usage metrics.

Termination rights: Conditions for termination for convenience, cure periods for breaches, and notice periods.

Data handling at end of term: Procedures and timelines for data export, data deletion, and return of data post-termination.

Migration assistance: Availability of transition support or partner-assisted migration when you leave.

Service levels during notice period: Continuity of service during the wind-down and any impact on integrations or data access.

Penalties or exit fees: Any early termination fees, minimum spend requirements, or non-cancelable clauses.

Post-termination support: Whether limited support or access to knowledge resources remains after termination and for how long.

Payment terms: Invoicing cadence, accepted payment methods, and any suspension rights for non-payment.

Data protection laws: Alignment with GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other regional privacy regimes; data processing addendums (DPA) should be available.

Security certifications: Look for SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27701 (privacy), PCI DSS (if handling payment data directly), or other relevant certifications.

Industry-specific compliance: For healthcare, finance, or regulated manufacturing, confirm any additional controls or attestations.

Data processing and sub-processing: Clarity on how data is processed, by whom (including any subprocessors), and how subprocessors are vetted.

Breach notification: Policy and timelines for security incidents, including customer notifications and remediation steps.

Audit rights: Whether customers can request security assessments or review without compromising security.

Data residency and sovereignty: Where data is stored and processed, and options to choose regional storage.