Service Cancellation Standard Operating Procedure

Systematic approach to safely cancelling vendor services and subscriptions

1 Overview

This SOP ensures safe, systematic cancellation of vendor services while protecting business continuity and data integrity. Applies to all subscription services, hosting platforms, SaaS tools, and third-party vendors.

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2 ⚠️ CRITICAL RULE: BACKUP BEFORE CANCELLATION

Never cancel any service without completing data backup and migration verification first.

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3 Phase 1: Pre-Cancellation Assessment (7-14 days before)

3.1 1.1 Service Dependency Analysis

• Map all dependencies: What systems/processes rely on this service?
• Identify data types: What data is stored/processed by this service?
• Review integrations: What other services connect to this platform?
• Assess business impact: What happens if service stops immediately?

3.2 1.2 Migration Status Verification

• Confirm replacement service: New platform operational and tested
• Validate data migration: All critical data successfully transferred
• Test functionality: Core business functions working on new platform
• Performance verification: New service meets or exceeds previous performance

3.3 1.3 Documentation Review

• Update vendor documentation: Mark service as “cancelled” in docs
• Remove operational dependencies: Update SOPs, runbooks, monitoring
• Notify stakeholders: Inform team of upcoming cancellation
• Timeline confirmation: Verify cancellation timing and billing cycle

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4 Phase 2: Data Backup & Export (3-7 days before)

4.1 2.1 Complete Data Export

Service Type-Specific Requirements:

4.1.1 Hosting Platforms (Kinsta, Heroku, etc.)

• Full site backup: Complete application/website export
• Database export: All databases with structure and data
• Media files: Images, documents, uploads, static assets
• Configuration files: Environment variables, settings, custom configs
• DNS records: Domain configurations, subdomains, redirects

4.1.2 SaaS Applications (CRM, Analytics, etc.)

• Data export: All records, contacts, transactions, history
• Configuration backup: Settings, workflows, customizations
• Integration settings: API keys, webhooks, connected services
• User data: Accounts, permissions, activity logs
• Reports/analytics: Historical data, custom reports, dashboards

4.1.3 Development Tools (GitHub, CI/CD, etc.)

• Code repositories: All source code, branches, commit history
• Build configurations: CI/CD pipelines, deployment scripts
• Secrets/credentials: Environment variables, API keys (transfer securely)
• Documentation: README files, wikis, project documentation
• Issue tracking: Bug reports, feature requests, project history

4.2 2.2 Backup Verification

• Completeness check: Verify all critical data exported
• File integrity: Test downloaded files are uncorrupted
• Restoration test: Attempt to restore backup on alternative platform
• Access verification: Confirm backup files accessible and readable
• Multiple storage: Store backups in 2+ separate locations

4.3 2.3 Legal/Compliance Considerations

• Data retention: Check legal requirements for data preservation
• Export restrictions: Verify no contractual limits on data export
• Compliance obligations: Ensure backup meets regulatory requirements
• Audit trail: Document backup process for compliance records

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5 Phase 3: Service Cancellation (Day of cancellation)

5.1 3.1 Final Pre-Cancellation Checks

• Backup verification: Confirm all backups complete and accessible
• Service replacement: Verify new service fully operational
• Team notification: Inform all stakeholders of imminent cancellation
• Emergency contacts: Ensure support team knows cancellation timing

5.2 3.2 Cancellation Process

• Login as authorized user: Use account with cancellation permissions
• Navigate to cancellation: Follow vendor-specific cancellation process
• Review cancellation terms: Understand data deletion timeline and policies
• Document cancellation: Screenshot confirmation, save cancellation emails
• Note effective date: When service actually terminates vs. billing ends

5.3 3.3 Immediate Post-Cancellation

• Confirm cancellation: Receive email confirmation from vendor
• Update payment methods: Remove/update billing information if needed
• Monitor service access: Verify service continues until termination date
• Final backup: If possible, perform final data export before termination

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6 Phase 4: Post-Cancellation Cleanup (1-7 days after)

6.1 4.1 Documentation Updates

• Vendor documentation: Update status to “cancelled” with effective date
• Remove references: Update all SOPs, runbooks, monitoring configs
• Archive information: Move vendor docs to archive/historical section
• Update contact lists: Remove from vendor contact databases

6.2 4.2 Financial Cleanup

• Billing verification: Confirm final charges and billing termination
• Refund tracking: Monitor for any prorated refunds if applicable
• Budget updates: Adjust budget allocations to reflect cost savings
• Payment method cleanup: Remove saved payment methods if appropriate

6.3 4.3 System Integration Cleanup

• Remove monitoring: Delete alerts, dashboards, health checks for old service
• API cleanup: Remove API integrations, webhooks, automated processes
• DNS cleanup: Remove any DNS records pointing to cancelled service
• Documentation: Update architecture diagrams, system maps, dependencies

6.4 4.4 Security Cleanup

• Revoke API keys: Disable any API keys or access tokens
• Remove credentials: Delete stored passwords, certificates, auth tokens
• Update password managers: Remove service from team password managers
• Access review: Ensure no team members have lingering access

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7 Service-Specific Procedures

7.1 Hosting Platforms

Pre-req: Complete site migration and DNS cutover - Backup: Full site, database, media, configs, DNS records - Verification: Test restored site on local/staging environment - Cancellation: Account owner login, acknowledge data deletion warnings - Timeline: Note difference between cancellation request and actual termination

7.2 SaaS Applications

Pre-req: Data export and alternative service setup - Backup: All user data, configurations, integrations, historical data - Verification: Import test into new service, verify data integrity - Cancellation: Admin account, export completion before cancellation - Cleanup: Remove integrations, webhooks, API connections

7.3 Development Services

Pre-req: Code migration and CI/CD reconfiguration - Backup: All repositories, branches, releases, documentation, issues - Verification: Clone repositories locally, verify commit history intact - Cancellation: Organization owner, confirm team member access removal - Migration: Update git remotes, CI/CD integrations, deployment pipelines

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8 Emergency Procedures

8.1 If Cancellation Cannot Be Reversed

1. Immediate data export: Use any available export tools
2. Contact vendor support: Request emergency data access extension
3. Manual data capture: Screenshots, manual copying if needed
4. Document loss: Catalog any data that cannot be recovered
5. Business continuity: Activate backup procedures for affected processes

8.2 If Data Export Fails

1. Vendor support: Contact immediately for export assistance
2. Alternative methods: Try different export formats, tools, APIs
3. Manual extraction: Use web scraping, API calls, manual copying
4. Legal review: Check if cancellation can be delayed for data recovery
5. Document: Record what data cannot be exported and business impact

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9 Compliance & Legal Considerations

9.1 Data Retention Requirements

• Regulatory: Check legal requirements for data preservation periods
• Contractual: Review vendor agreements for data handling obligations
• Business: Consider business needs for historical data access
• Audit: Maintain records of data export and cancellation process

9.2 Vendor Agreements

• Termination clauses: Review contract terms for cancellation procedures
• Data export rights: Confirm contractual right to export all data
• Notice periods: Check if advance notice required for cancellation
• Penalties: Verify no early termination fees or penalties apply

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10 Quality Assurance Checklist

10.1 Before Starting Cancellation Process

• Migration to new service 100% complete and tested
• All team members trained on new service
• Business continuity plan activated
• Backup strategy documented and tested

10.2 During Cancellation Process

• All data successfully exported and verified
• Backup restoration tested on alternative platform
• Team notified of cancellation timeline
• Documentation updated to reflect service change

10.3 After Cancellation Complete

• Service access confirmed terminated
• Final billing confirmed stopped
• All references removed from documentation
• New service performance validated
• Team confidence in new service confirmed

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11 Success Metrics

• Zero data loss: 100% of critical data preserved and accessible
• Zero downtime: Business operations continue without interruption
• Cost optimization: Cancellation results in planned cost savings
• Team satisfaction: No negative impact on team productivity
• Compliance maintained: All regulatory and legal obligations met

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This SOP ensures systematic, safe service cancellation while protecting business continuity and data integrity. Always prioritize data backup and migration verification before any cancellation activity.