Quill & Key Systems Terms of Service

Clear, fair terms of service that protect your research while enabling productive collaboration and platform innovation.

Terms of Service Overview

Welcome to Quill & Key Systems. These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Quill & Key Systems, governing your access to and use of our research management software, academic citation tools, knowledge organization platforms, and collaborative research environments. Our aim is to provide a transparent legal framework that balances user rights with platform integrity for sustainable research productivity.

  • Effective Date: February 15, 2024 (Version 3.1)
  • Change Notifications: We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Changes will be posted here, and significant updates will be communicated via email or platform notification. Continued use of our services after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new terms.
  • Scope of Services: These terms apply to all Quill & Key Systems software, web applications, APIs, and associated documentation.
  • User Rights & Responsibilities: We empower your research. These terms clarify your rights regarding data ownership and privacy, equally outlining your responsibilities for appropriate platform usage.
  • Contact: For any questions regarding these terms, please reach out to us at info@quillandkey.com.
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User Rights and Account Responsibilities

Your relationship with Quill & Key Systems is built on mutual respect and clarity. This section details what you can expect from us and what we expect from you to maintain a secure and productive environment.

Account Creation and Authentication

To access our services, you must create an account, providing accurate and complete registration information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. Strong, unique passwords are required. We offer multi-factor authentication for enhanced security.

Acceptable Use Policies

Our platforms are designed for legitimate research, documentation, and collaborative work. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to, unauthorized access, misuse of intellectual property, distribution of malicious software, and any actions that disrupt or harm the integrity of our services or other users.

User Content Ownership and Intellectual Property

You retain all ownership rights to the content you create, upload, or store using Quill & Key Systems. We do not claim any intellectual property rights over your data. You grant us a limited license to use your content only as necessary to provide, maintain, and improve our services (e.g., for data processing, backup, and presentation).

Data Privacy and Security Protections

At Quill & Key Systems, safeguarding your research data is paramount. Our privacy practices are designed to provide maximum protection and transparency.

  • Data Collection & Usage: We collect only necessary data to operate, maintain, and improve our services. This includes usage analytics, technical data, and content you directly input. We do not sell your personal or research data to third parties.
  • Protection Measures: Your data is protected through industry-leading encryption standards (in-transit and at-rest), regular security audits, and strict access controls.
  • Third-Party Integrations: When you integrate third-party services, data sharing is governed by their respective privacy policies. We provide clear controls to manage these connections.
  • Data Retention & Deletion: Upon account closure, your data is securely deleted according to our retention policy, typically within 60 days, unless longer retention is legally required.
  • Regulatory Compliance: We are committed to compliance with global data protection regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant privacy laws.

Software Licensing and Usage Terms

This section outlines your rights and restrictions concerning the use of our software and features.

License Grant & Restrictions

Quill & Key Systems grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use our software solely for your internal research and collaboration purposes, subject to these terms.

  • Permitted Use: Organizing research, managing citations, collaborating on documents, secure storage.
  • Prohibited Use: Reselling, sublicensing, reverse engineering, modifying, or creating derivative works from our software.

Integration & API Usage

Our APIs and integration features are provided to enhance your workflow. Any use of our APIs must comply with our API terms of use, available in our developer documentation.

  • Third-Party Connections: You are responsible for ensuring third-party tools connected via our APIs adhere to our terms.
  • Monitoring & Limits: We may monitor API usage and impose limits to ensure fair access and platform stability.
Illustration of a seamless digital workflow with interconnected devices
Harmonizing your research workflow.

Service Availability and Platform Limitations

We strive for maximum uptime and performance, but certain limitations and procedures are inherent to software services.

  • Availability Commitments: Our standard service level objective is 99.9% uptime, excluding planned maintenance. You can view our live status page for real-time information.
  • Planned Maintenance: We schedule maintenance during low-impact hours and provide advance notice for significant updates to minimize disruption.
  • Performance Expectations: While we optimize for speed and reliability, factors outside our control (e.g., your internet connection) can affect performance.
  • Feature Deprecations: As our platform evolves, some features may be updated or deprecated. We commit to providing at least 90 days' notice for significant feature removals.
  • Technical Support: Our support team is available during business hours (Pacific Time) via email and in-platform messaging, with a guaranteed response time for critical issues as outlined in our support policy.