Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to SIQmate™ ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our invoicing and quotation management web application (the "Service").

By accessing or using SIQmate™, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Service.

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of SIQmate™, including visitors, registered users, and anyone who accesses or uses our Service. We comply with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa, and other relevant privacy legislation.

2. Information We Collect

2.1. Account Information

When you register for a SIQmate™ account, we collect the following information:

• Full name
• Email address
• Password (stored in encrypted form)
• Phone number (if provided)
• Account creation date and time
• Account preferences and settings

2.2. Business Information

To provide our invoicing and quotation services, we collect and store your business details:

• Business name
• Business registration number
• Tax identification number (VAT number, if applicable)
• Business address
• Contact details (phone, email)
• Business logo (if uploaded)
• Invoice numbering preferences
• Template settings and customizations

2.3. Client Information

When you add clients to your account, we store the following information:

• Client name or company name
• Contact information (email, phone, address)
• Tax identification numbers
• Payment terms and preferences
• Transaction history and related documents

2.4. Document Data

We store all documents you create through our Service:

• Invoices and quotations
• Document content (items, descriptions, quantities, prices, taxes)
• Document metadata (creation date, modification date, status)
• Document numbering and references
• Payment status and history
• Proof of payment documents (POPs) that you upload
• PDF exports and generated documents

2.5. Financial Information

We may collect financial information related to your use of the Service:

• Payment method information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Subscription or billing information
• Transaction records
• VAT calculations and tax-related data

2.6. Usage Data and Analytics

We automatically collect certain information when you use our Service:

• IP address and location data
• Browser type and version
• Device information (type, operating system, unique device identifiers)
• Pages visited and features used
• Time and date of access
• Session duration and activity
• Error logs and performance data
• Referral sources

2.7. Communication Data

When you contact us or interact with our support services, we collect:

• Support tickets and correspondence
• Feedback and survey responses
• Feature requests and bug reports

3. How We Collect Information

We collect information through the following methods:

• Directly from you: When you register, create documents, add clients, update your profile, or communicate with us
• Automatically: Through cookies, log files, and other tracking technologies when you use our Service
• From third parties: From payment processors, authentication services, and other integrated services (with your consent)

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Contractual necessity: To fulfill our contract with you and provide the Service you have requested
• Legitimate interests: To improve our Service, ensure security, prevent fraud, and analyze usage patterns
• Consent: When you have given explicit consent for specific processing activities
• Legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Vital interests: To protect the safety and security of our users and Service

5. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

5.1. Service Provision

• To create, manage, and store your invoices and quotations
• To process and manage client information
• To generate PDF documents and exports
• To maintain your account and preferences
• To provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• To send service-related notifications and updates

5.2. Business Operations

• To process payments and manage subscriptions
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues
• To monitor and analyze Service usage and performance
• To improve and optimize our Service
• To develop new features and functionality
• To ensure security and prevent fraud or abuse

5.3. Communication

• To send important updates about our Service
• To respond to your requests and provide support
• To send marketing communications (with your consent, which you can opt-out of at any time)
• To notify you about changes to our terms or policies

5.4. Legal Compliance

• To comply with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• To respond to legal requests and court orders
• To protect our rights, property, and safety, as well as that of our users
• To enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

6.1. Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Service, including:

• Cloud hosting and storage providers
• Payment processors
• Email service providers
• Analytics and monitoring services
• Customer support platforms

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

6.2. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Valid legal requests, subpoenas, or court orders
• Government or regulatory investigations
• Legal proceedings or disputes
• To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users

6.3. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

6.4. With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have explicitly consented to such sharing.

6.5. Public Documents

If you choose to make a document publicly accessible through our Service, that document and its contents may be accessible to anyone with the public link. You are responsible for managing the privacy settings of your documents.

7. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your information receives an adequate level of protection, including:

• Using standard contractual clauses approved by relevant data protection authorities
• Ensuring that service providers comply with applicable data protection laws
• Implementing appropriate technical and organizational security measures

8. Data Security

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:

• Encryption: Data in transit is encrypted using TLS/SSL technology, and sensitive data at rest is encrypted
• Access Controls: Strict access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit who can access your information
• Secure Infrastructure: Our Service is hosted on secure, industry-standard cloud infrastructure with regular security updates
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee Training: Our staff are trained on data protection and security best practices
• Incident Response: We have procedures in place to detect, respond to, and mitigate security incidents

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Our retention practices include:

• Active Accounts: We retain your information while your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter
• Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, regulatory, or legitimate business purposes
• Legal Requirements: We may retain certain information to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements
• Backup Data: Information may remain in our backup systems for a limited period, but will not be actively processed

You may request deletion of your information at any time, subject to applicable legal requirements.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

10.1. Access and Portability

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Receive a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Export your documents and data

10.2. Correction and Update

• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Update your account information through your account settings

10.3. Deletion

• Request deletion of your personal information ("right to be forgotten")
• Delete your account and all associated data
• Note: Some information may be retained if required by law or for legitimate business purposes

10.4. Restriction and Objection

• Request restriction of processing of your information
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Opt-out of marketing communications

10.5. Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

10.6. Lodge a Complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have violated your privacy rights.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@siqmate.co.za. We will respond to your request within 30 days or as required by applicable law.

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience, analyze usage, and improve our Service. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website.

11.1. Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Service to function properly (e.g., authentication, security)
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to enhance your experience
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our Service to improve functionality
• Performance Cookies: Monitor Service performance and identify issues

11.2. Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Service. You can also manage cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner when you first visit our website.

12. Third-Party Services

Our Service may contain links to or integrate with third-party websites, services, or applications. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information to them.

Third-party services we may use include payment processors, authentication providers, analytics services, and cloud storage providers. These services have their own privacy policies governing the collection and use of your information.

13. Children's Privacy

SIQmate™ is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18 (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

14. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information through email and/or a prominent notice on our Service.

15. Regional Privacy Rights

15.1. European Economic Area (EEA) and United Kingdom

If you are located in the EEA or UK, you have additional rights under the GDPR, including the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. Our legal basis for processing is outlined in Section 4 of this Privacy Policy.

15.2. South Africa

If you are located in South Africa, we comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). You have the right to access, correct, and delete your personal information, and to object to processing. You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

15.3. California, United States

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information).

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated Privacy Policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy
• Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)
• Displaying a prominent notice on our Service

Your continued use of our Service after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

17. Data Controller and Contact Information

SIQmate™ is the data controller responsible for your personal information. If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

18. Consent and Agreement

By using SIQmate™, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein. If you do not agree with any part of this Privacy Policy, please do not use our Service.