CLIENT Interview
CLIENT Interview
Strongly
ee l y
Disagree
Agree
1. Our current
inventory
processes are
highly efficient.
2. Tasks are
completed
quickly and
without
significant
delays.
4. Information is
easily
accessible
when needed.
5. We have
clear and
standardized
procedures for
our daily
operations.
Part 1: Understanding Your Current Operations (Likert Scale)
For the following statements, please indicate your level of agreement or
satisfaction using the scale:
• 1 = Strongly Disagree / Very Low Satisfaction
• 2 = Disagree / Low Satisfaction
• 3 = Neutral / Moderate Satisfaction
• 4 = Agree / High Satisfaction
• 5 = Strongly Agree / Very High Satisfaction
• N/A = Not Applicable / Don't Know
B. Data Management:
Statement Strongly Disagr Neutra Agree Strong N/A
Disagree ee l ly
Agree
1
6. Our method of
storing and
managing
product data is
organized and
secure.
7. It is easy to
retrieve specific
product or stock
level information
when required.
8. We
experience
issues with
duplicate
product entries
or
inconsistencies
in stock data.
9. Generating
inventory and
sales reports is a
straightforward
process.
2
Statement Strongly Disagr Neutra Agree Strong N/A
Disagree ee l ly
Agree
13. We often
encounter
bottlenecks in
stock receiving
or order
fulfillment.
14. Errors
frequently occur
in stock counts
or inventory
records.
15. A significant
amount of time
is spent on
repetitive or
manual stock
tracking tasks.
16. We struggle
with managing
or tracking
inventory across
multiple
locations.
17. We have
difficulty
analyzing
inventory
turnover and
product demand
trends.
18. Stockouts or
overstocking are
common issues
19. We are
interested in
automating
reordering to
prevent
stockouts.
20. We believe
an updated
inventory
system could
significantly
reduce
3
operational
costs.
4
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________
7. User Perspective:
Who would be the primary users of an IMS in your organization and
what would they need to do?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________
5
(e.g., Admin,
Warehouse
Staff, Sales
Staff).
2. Users should
be able to
register or be
added to the
system with
specific roles.
3. Users should
be able to reset
their own
passwords
securely.
4.
Administrators
should be able
to add, edit, or
remove user
accounts.
5. The system
should enforce
strong password
policies (e.g.,
minimum
length,
complexity).
6. Two-Factor
Authentication
(2FA) for user
login is a critical
security feature.
6
be able to
edit/update
existing product
details and
stock levels.
9. Users must
be able to
search and
filter inventory
by SKU, name,
category,
supplier, or
location.
10. The system
must ensure
data accuracy
and prevent
duplicate
product entries.
11. The system
should allow
bulk uploading
of products via
spreadsheets or
barcode
scanning.
12. The system
should manage
relationships
between
products,
suppliers, and
warehouses.
7
moving items,
stock
valuation).
14. The
system should
provide real-
time
dashboards
showing
current
inventory
levels, stock
movement,
and order
status.
15. Users
should be able
to export
reports to
common
formats (e.g.,
Excel, PDF).
16. The
system should
allow for
efficient
searching
across all
inventory
data.
8
reordering
stock when
below
minimum
threshold).
18. The
system
should send
automated
notifications
for low stock
alerts,
purchase
order
approvals, or
stock expiry
dates.
19.
Notifications
should be
delivered via
the preferred
method (e.g.,
in-app, email,
SMS).
9
21. The
system must
be accessible
and fully
functional on
multiple
devices (e.g.,
desktop,
tablet,
mobile
phone).
22. The
system must
be
compatible
with common
web browsers
(e.g.,
Chrome,
Firefox,
Edge).
10
5. Notifications & Alerts:
o "Are there critical stock events or thresholds where the system
must send alerts? Who should be alerted and how? (e.g., 'Alert
when product X drops below 20 units')."
6. Search & Filter Criteria:
o "When searching for products, what criteria do you use most
often? (e.g., by SKU, category, supplier, expiry date, stock
location)."
7. Error Scenarios & Handling:
o "What common mistakes in inventory data entry should the
system prevent? How should it respond to these errors? (e.g.,
duplicate SKU prevention)."
8. Integration Specifics:
o "If integration with existing systems is important, what specific
data should be shared? (e.g., push sales data to accounting,
sync stock levels with e-commerce)."
9. Data Archiving/Retention:
o "Are there specific requirements for how long historical
inventory data should be kept or archived?"
10. Future Scalability/Growth:
o "Do you expect significant growth, such as adding more
warehouses, suppliers, or sales channels, in the next 1-3 years
that the system should support?"
LOG IN MODULE
1. Login with Username/Email & Password:
Statement Not Slightly Moderatel Very Essenti N/
importan Importa y Importa al A
t at all nt Important nt
1. Users must
be able to log
in using a
unique
username.
2. Users must
be able to log
in using their
email address.
3. The system
should indicate
a successful
11
login clearly.
4. The system
should provide
clear feedback
for incorrect
credentials
(without
revealing if it's
the username
or password).
2. Password Management:
Statement Not Slightly Moderatel Very Essenti N/A
importan Importa y Importa al
t at all nt Important nt
5. A "Forgot
Password" or
"Reset
Password"
feature for
users is
essential.
6. Users must
be able to
change their
password once
logged in.
7. The system
must enforce
strong
password
policies (e.g.,
minimum
length, mix of
characters).
12
9. An email
verification
step should be
required after
self-registration
to activate the
account.
10.
Administrators
should be able
to manually
create user
accounts.
4. Session Management:
Statement Not Slightly Moderate Very Essenti N/A
importan Importa ly Importa al
t at all nt Importan nt
t
11. A
"Remember
Me" / "Keep me
logged in"
option is
important for
user
convenience.
12. The system
should
automatically
log users out
after a period
of inactivity.
13
14. Two-Factor
Authentication
(2FA) / Multi-
Factor
Authentication
(MFA) is a
critical
security
feature.
15. The
system should
securely store
user
passwords
(e.g., using
encryption/
hashing).
5. Security Measures:
1. User Identification:
"For login, should users primarily use a unique username, their email
address, or either? Please explain your
preference." ____________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________
2. Password Policy Details:
"Regarding strong password policies, what specific rules would you
like to enforce? (e.g., minimum 8 characters, at least one uppercase,
one number, one special character. Should it prevent common
passwords?)" _________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________
3. "Forgot Password" Process:
"When a user clicks 'Forgot Password,' what is the desired sequence
of events? (e.g., Enter email -> receive email with reset link -> click
link -> set new password). Are there any specific requirements for the
reset link's validity period?"
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
14
______________________________________________________________________
________________________
4. Account Registration Process (if applicable):
"If users are self-registering, what specific information should they be
required to provide during signup? (e.g., Full Name, Email, Contact
Number, Role, etc.)."
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________
"After a user registers, what is the desired next step? (e.g., Account
activated immediately, email verification required, administrator
approval needed)."
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________
5. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA) Details (if important):
"If 2FA is implemented, what method(s) do you prefer? (e.g., SMS
code, authenticator app like Google Authenticator, email code). How
critical is it for all users versus specific user
roles?" _______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________________
6. Session Expiration and "Remember Me":
"What should be the maximum session duration for an inactive user
before automatic logout? (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour, 8
hours)"_______________________________________________________________
________
"If a user selects 'Remember Me,' how long should their session
ideally persist? (e.g., 7 days, 30 days, until browser is
closed)." ____________________________________________
7. Failed Login Attempts Handling:
"What is the desired behavior if a user enters incorrect login
credentials multiple times? (e.g., lock account for X minutes after Y
attempts, require CAPTCHA after Z attempts, notify
admin)." _____________________________________________________________
______
______________________________________________________________________
________
"How should a locked account be unlocked? (e.g., automatically after
time, admin unlock, user reset
password)." _____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______
8. Login Page Design & Messaging:
15
"Are there any specific branding elements, logos, or colors that should
be incorporated into the login
page?" ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________
"Are there any specific messages or instructions you want displayed
on the login page (e.g., a welcome message, security
tips)?" __________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________
9. User Roles & Default Access:
"Upon successful login, what is the default landing page or section for
a user? Does this differ based on their user
role?" ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________
10. Admin User Management:
"What specific functionalities should an administrator have regarding
user accounts? (e.g., view all users, edit user roles/details, reset user
passwords, activate/deactivate accounts, delete accounts)."
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
________________
HOMEPAGE
Part 1: Purpose and Key Information (Likert Scale for
Importance)
For the following statements, please indicate how important
each element or function would be on the Home Page
16
2. Showing a
personalized
welcome
message (e.g.,
'Welcome
back, [User
Name]!').
2. Dashboard / Overview:
Statement Not Slightly Moderate Very Essenti N/
importa Importa ly Importa al A
nt at all nt Importan nt
t
3. Displaying a
summary of
key inventory
metrics or
statistics (e.g.,
“Total Stock
Value,” “Low-
Stock Items”).
4. Showing
quick glances
at recent
activity (e.g.,
'Recently
Updated
Records,'
'Latest
Notifications').
5. Providing a
snapshot of
the user's
workload or
pending items
(e.g., 'My
Tasks,' 'Items
Requiring
Attention').
17
3. Navigation & Accessibility:
Statement Not Slightly Moderate Very Essenti N/
importa Importa ly Importa al A
nt at all nt Importan nt
t
6. Clearly
providing links
to the most
frequently
used
modules/sectio
ns of the
system.
7. Offering a
search bar to
quickly find
information
within the
system.
8. Providing a
prominent
logout button.
5. Quick Actions:
Statement Not Slightly Moderate Very Essenti N/A
importa Importa ly Importa al
nt at all nt Importan nt
t
18
11. Allowing
users to
perform quick
inventory
actions directly
from the home
page (e.g.,
“Add New
Inventory
Item,” “Record
Stock
Adjustment,”
“Generate
Inventory
Report”).
12. Providing
shortcuts to
frequently
accessed
reports or tools
(e.g., “Monthly
Stock Report,”
“Supplier
Performance
Dashboard”).
19
1. What is the most crucial purpose of the home page for your users?
What do you want them to immediately understand or be able to do when
they land there? (e.g., 'See their daily schedule,' 'Monitor key inventory
levels,' 'Access their assigned tasks.')
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
20
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
8. Are there any specific design preferences, branding guidelines, or visual
styles you'd like to see reflected on the home page? (e.g., 'Clean and
minimalist,' 'Matches our company website').
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
9. How quickly do you expect the home page to load with all its content
and functionalities? (e.g., 'Instantly,' 'Within 2-3 seconds').
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
10. How important is it that the home page adapts perfectly and looks
good on different devices (e.g., desktops, laptops, tablets, mobile
phones)?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
Part 1: Dashboard Content & Presentation (Likert Scale for
Importance)
For the following statements, please indicate how important each
type of information or presentation style is for the Dashboard,
21
indicators
towards
specific goals
or targets.
3.
Highlighting
alerts or
warnings
when metrics
fall outside
acceptable
ranges.
4. Presenting
comparisons
of inventory
and sales
data (e.g.,
“Current vs.
Previous
Month Stock
Levels,”
“Actual Stock
vs. Reorder
Point”).
B. Data Visualization:
22
6. Providing
summary
tables for
detailed stock
and
transaction
data (e.g.,
“Stock
Movement
Logs,”
“Supplier
Delivery
Records”).
7. Including
status
indicators
(e.g.,
red/yellow/gre
en lights,
icons) for
quick
understandin
g.
C. Information Categories:
23
8. A summary
of operational
inventory data
(e.g., items
received,
stock issued,
stock
transfers).
9. Insights
into supplier
and
procurement
performance
(e.g., on-time
deliveries,
pending
purchase
orders,
supplier fill
rate).
10. A
summary of
inventory/
resource data
(e.g., stock
levels,
resource
availability).
11. A clear
display of
pending
actions or
tasks
assigned to
the
user/team.
24
D. Interactivity & Customization:
25
1. Dashboard's Primary Goal: What is the single most important
purpose of the dashboard for you and your team? What key question
should it answer immediately? (e.g., 'Are we on track to meet our daily
sales target?', 'What urgent tasks need my attention now?', 'What's our
current stock level for critical items?')
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
2. Crucial KPIs/Metrics: List the top 3-5 absolute most critical pieces of
data or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that must be displayed
prominently on the dashboard for [specific user role, e.g., 'managers' or
'inventory staff']. Please describe each metric briefly.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
3. Visualization Preferences: For each of the critical metrics you listed
above, what is the best way to visualize it? (e.g., 'A simple number with a
percentage change,' 'A line graph showing weekly trend,' 'A bar chart
comparing categories').
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
4. Actionable Insights: How should the dashboard guide users to take
action? For example, if a metric shows a problem (e.g., 'stock below
threshold'), what immediate action should the user be able to take or
what link should they follow?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
5. Data Filtering & Drill-Down: What specific filters would be most
useful for analyzing the dashboard data? (e.g., 'by date range (daily,
weekly, monthly)', 'by product category', 'by team member'). When a user
'drills down' into a metric or chart, what kind of detailed information
should they expect to see?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
6. Different Dashboards for Different Roles: Will different user roles
(e.g., Administrator, Sales Manager, Warehouse Staff) require entirely
different dashboards, or just different data displayed on the same layout?
If different, describe the primary focus for each role's dashboard.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
26
7. Data Refresh Rate: How frequently does the data on the dashboard
need to be updated? (e.g., 'Real-time (within seconds)', 'Every 5 minutes',
'Hourly', 'Daily'). Are there any specific metrics that need to be updated
more frequently than others?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
8. Alerts & Notifications (Dashboard Specific): Beyond general
notifications, what critical alerts or warnings (e.g., 'Low Inventory Alert,'
'Overdue Task Notification,' 'High Customer Complaint Volume') should be
prominently displayed on the dashboard? How should these alerts be
visually presented (e.g., blinking icon, red text, pop-up)?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
9. Integration with Other Modules: Are there any specific modules or
sections of the system that the dashboard should directly link to for more
detail or action?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
10. Customization & Layout: Do users need to be able to drag-and-
drop widgets, resize them, or choose which ones appear on their
dashboard? Are there any specific layout preferences (e.g., a multi-column
layout, a single primary focus area)?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______
27
features and
data.
2. The
system
should
prevent
users from
accessing
information
or functions
not relevant
to their role.
3. We need
the
flexibility to
easily
change a
user's role
and
associated
permissions.
4. Auditing
(tracking)
user actions
based on
their roles is
important
for security
and
accountabili
ty.
5. We
anticipate
needing a
large
number of
distinct user
roles in the
system.
28
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
2. Existing Hierarchy/Structure:
o Is there an existing organizational hierarchy or reporting structure that
should be reflected in the system's access levels? If so, please describe it.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
Part 3: Defining Permissions per Role (Open-Ended Questions for
Detail)
This is the most critical part, where you map roles to specific actions and
data. You'll likely need to go through this for each major module or data
type in your system.
For EACH user role you identified (e.g., Administrator, Manager, Standard
Employee, etc.), please answer the following questions:
29
(Example: "For the 'Inventory' module, a 'Warehouse Staff' role should be
able to view all inventory, create new stock entries, and edit existing stock
quantities, but not delete items or view sales reports.")
REPORTS
30
(e.g.,
overdue
tasks, low
stock) are
critical.
6. The ability
to export
reports to
common
formats
(e.g., PDF,
Excel) is
necessary.
7. The
system
should allow
for
scheduling
reports to be
generated
automaticall
y at set
intervals.
8. Different
user roles
should have
access to
different
reports or
different
levels of
detail within
reports.
31
weekly,' 'Inventory levels for products A, B, C,' 'Average time to resolve
customer tickets').
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. Specific Reports Required:
Can you describe any specific reports you currently generate manually, or
any new reports you would ideally want the system to produce? For each,
describe:
▪ Report Name: (e.g., ‘Stock report’)
▪ Purpose: Why do you need this report? What decision does it
help you make?
▪ Key Data Fields/Columns: What specific information should
appear in this report?
▪ Filtering Criteria: How would you want to filter the data in this
report? (e.g., by date range, by department, by customer type, by
product category, by status).
▪ Sorting Preference: How should the data be sorted?
▪ Example Scenario: Can you describe a situation where this
report would be used?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
4. Frequency & Delivery:
How often do you need to view or generate these reports (e.g., daily,
weekly, monthly, quarterly, on-demand)?
Should any reports be automatically generated and sent to specific
people? If so, who, and how (e.g., via email, in-app notification)?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
5. Visualizations:
For the key information you listed, how would you prefer to visualize it?
(e.g., 'A line chart to show trends,' 'A bar chart to compare categories,' 'A
pie chart for proportions,' 'A simple table of numbers'). Are there any
specific chart types you find most useful?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
6. Drill-Down Capabilities:
If a report shows a summary (e.g., 'Total Sales for July'), would you need to
click on that number to see the individual transactions that make up that
total? Describe any 'drill-down' needs.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
32
7. Export & Printing:
What specific file formats are necessary for exporting reports (e.g., PDF
for official records, Excel/CSV for further analysis)?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Are there any specific printing layout requirements for reports?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
8. User Access to Reports (RBAC Linkage):
Considering different user roles (e.g., Manager, Standard Employee,
Administrator), which specific reports should each role be able to access?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Should certain roles only see data relevant to them (e.g., a salesperson
only sees their own sales data)?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
9. Historical Data:
How far back should the system retain data for reporting purposes? (e.g.,
'Last 1 year,' 'All historical data').
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
10. Ad-Hoc Reporting:
Beyond pre-defined reports, how important is it for users to build their
own custom reports by selecting fields and filters?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
SYSTEM SETTINGS
Part 1: Importance & General Scope of Settings (Likert Scale)
For the following statements, please indicate your level of
agreement or importance
33
Statement Not Slightly Moderat Very Absolut N/A
Importa Importa ely Importa ely
nt at All nt Importa nt Essentia
nt l
1. It is
essential for
administrat
ors to
configure
core IMS
behaviors
(e.g., stock
tracking
methods,
reorder
point
calculations
).
2. The
system
should allow
customizing
branding
elements
(e.g.,
company
logo,
warehouse
color codes
in
interface).
3. We need
to set
default
values for
various IMS
fields (e.g.,
default
supplier,
default
warehouse,
default
stock
status).
34
4. The
system
should
provide
options for
managing
inventory-
related
notifications
(e.g., low
stock alerts,
purchase
order status
updates).
5.
Configuring
integrations
with
external
services
(e.g.,
barcode
scanners,
supplier API,
accounting
system) is a
key
requirement
.
6. The
system
should allow
for
managing
user roles
and
permissions
for IMS
functions
directly
from
settings.
35
7. The
ability to
back up and
restore IMS
data or
settings
(e.g., stock
database,
supplier
lists) is
critical.
36
For specific modules/data types (e.g., inventory items, purchase
orders, stock transfers, returns), what default values should the system
automatically apply unless otherwise specified?
(Examples: “Default status for new purchase orders is ‘Pending
Approval,’” “Default reorder point for new inventory items is 10 units,”
“Default warehouse assignment is ‘Main
Warehouse.’”)____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Are there any specific rules or validations that need to be configurable
(e.g., “Minimum order quantity for suppliers,” “Maximum storage capacity
per warehouse,” “Expiry date required for perishable items,” “Stock
cannot go below zero unless negative stock is
allowed”).? _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
4. Notification Management:
What types of automated notifications should administrators be able to
enable/disable or configure? (e.g.," "Low stock warnings," "Overdue task
reminders"). ______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Should administrators be able to customize the content of these
automated notifications (e.g., "Email subject lines," "Body text
templates")? _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. Integration Settings:
What external services or APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) will
this system need to connect with? (e.g., “Barcode scanning
devices/software,” “Point of Sale (POS) system,” “Accounting software
(e.g., QuickBooks, Xero”).
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________
What specific credentials or configurations (e.g., API keys, URLs, account
IDs, warehouse/location codes, accounting system credentials) will need
to be entered and managed within the system settings for these
integrations? _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. User Management & Security Settings (beyond basic RBAC):
Beyond assigning roles, what other user-related settings should be
configurable? (e.g., "Password complexity rules," "Account lockout
37
duration after failed attempts," "Session timeout
duration"). _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Should administrators be able to view an audit log of system changes or
user
actions? __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
7. Data Management & Maintenance:
Are there any settings related to data retention (how long data is kept),
archiving, or periodic data
cleanup? _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What kind of backup and restore functionalities are expected from the
system
settings? _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. Reporting Configuration (if applicable):
Can administrators configure default report parameters or schedules from
the settings? (e.g., "Default reporting period," "Enable/disable certain
report
types"). __________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Who Controls What? (RBAC Linkage):
Which specific user roles should have access to the "System Settings"
module? _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Within the "System Settings" module itself, should certain roles only have
access to some settings but not others? Please provide
examples. ________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
38
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
DATA ARCHIVING
39
5. Different
types of data
should have
different
archiving
rules or
retention
periods.
6. We need
to track who
accessed or
modified
archived data
for auditing.
7. The
system
should
provide a
clear way to
distinguish
between
active and
archived
data.
40
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Should archiving be a manual process (initiated by an admin) or an
automated process (scheduled by the system)? If automated, how
frequently should it
run? ______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Data Retention Periods:
for each type of data identified for archiving, how long must it be retained
in the archive before it can be permanently deleted? (e.g., "7 years for
financial records," "5 years for customer data," "Indefinitely for key
historical
project data"). ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Are there any legal, regulatory, or organizational policies that dictate
these retention periods? Please
specify. ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. Archived Data Storage & Accessibility:
Where should archive data be stored? (e.g., "Within the same database
but marked as archived," "A separate database," "Cloud storage," "Offline
storage"). ________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
How quickly do you expect to be able to retrieve archived data when
needed? (e.g., "Immediately via the system," "Within 24 hours," "Requires
IT intervention").
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Should archived data still be searchable within the system, even if it's
not active? If so, what search criteria would be
used? ____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Retrieval & Restoration:
Under what circumstances would you need to retrieve or restore archived
data back into the active
system? __________________________________________________________________
41
___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
42
Are there any reports needed related to archived data (e.g., "List of all
archived items," "Audit trail of archived data access")?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
AUDIT TRAIL
43
5. The audit
trail must
show what
specific
action was
performed
(e.g.,
"Customer
record
updated").
6. The ability
to search
and filter the
audit trail is
very
important for
investigation.
7. The audit
trail should
be secure
and tamper-
proof.
8. Different
user roles
should have
different
levels of
access to the
audit trail.
9. We have
compliance
requirements
(e.g., industry
regulations,
government
standards)
that
necessitate
an audit trail.
44
o Examples: "Deletion of an inventory item,” “Modification of user
permissions," "Approval of a request," "Export of data,” “Failed login
attempts."
45
5. Audit Trail Security & Integrity:
How important is it that the audit trail itself cannot be tampered with or
altered by any user, including administrators?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Are there any specific requirements for how audit data should be stored to
ensure its integrity and non-
repudiation? ______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6. Audit Trail Retention & Archiving:
How long must audit trail data be retained within the system or in an
archive? (e.g., "1 year live, 7 years archived,"
"Indefinitely"). ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
What are the policies for archiving or purging old audit trail data?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7. Reporting from Audit Trail:
Are there any specific reports that need to be generated from the audit
trail? (e.g., "Report of all failed login attempts for a period," "Report of all
changes made by a specific user," "Summary of critical data
deletions"). _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
8. Compliance Requirements:
Are there any specific industry regulations (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare,
GDPR for data privacy, PCI DSS for payments) or internal organizational
policies that dictate audit trail requirements? Please name them and
specify relevant aspects.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
46