Knowledge Base Software Requirements Template (SSO, RBAC, SCIM, Audit Logs, Analytics)

If you’re looking for a Knowledge Base Software Requirements Template, start with the five enterprise controls that actually determine whether a platform is deployable at scale: SSO, RBAC, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, and analytics. These are the requirements that prevent access drift, content leakage, and “we can’t investigate what happened” incidents. This guide gives you a copy/paste checklist, concrete verification steps, and acceptance tests so IT, Security, and Procurement can evaluate knowledge base options with defensible, audit-ready criteria.

Quick Decision Summary

If you’re evaluating knowledge base software for an enterprise or security-conscious organization, your minimum requirements should include:

• SSO via SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect, supporting both SP- and IdP-initiated flows
• RBAC with content-level permissions and admin separation
• SCIM 2.0 for automated user/group provisioning and deprovisioning
• Audit logs covering login, content changes, and admin actions—with 90+ day retention and export
• Analytics for search queries, zero-results, content performance, and deflection
• Compliance signals: SOC 2 Type II, DPA, data residency options
• Integrations: REST API, webhooks, native connectors to ticketing/chat/CRM
• 99.9%+ uptime SLA with documented incident response

This article provides a structured requirements template, a scoring rubric, acceptance tests, and checklists you can use directly in your RFP or vendor evaluation.

About This Evaluation Method

Evaluation Approach This template uses a criteria-first methodology: requirements are defined by security, compliance, and operational needs—not vendor capability. Each requirement includes a verification step (how to test it) and red flags (what to avoid). The evaluation is designed for a multi-stakeholder lens: IT, Security, Support/Ops, and Procurement should each find relevant sections.

The intent is to give your team a defensible, auditable selection process aligned with Google’s guidance on helpful, reliable, people-first content.

Read more: 30 Best Knowledge Base Software (2026): Reviews & Pricing

Core Requirements Table

Identity and Access Requirements

SSO: SAML 2.0 and OpenID Connect

Modern knowledge bases must support SSO via SAML 2.0 and/or OpenID Connect (OIDC). Key considerations:

• SP-initiated SSO: User starts at the knowledge base, is redirected to IdP for authentication. Most common for customer-facing KBs.
• IdP-initiated SSO: User starts at the IdP portal, selects the KB app. Common for internal employee portals.
• MFA compatibility: SSO should not bypass MFA. MFA enforcement must remain at the IdP level.
• Session policies: Configurable session timeout (e.g., 15 min–8 hours), forced re-authentication for sensitive actions.

Per the OpenID Connect Core 1.0 specification, OIDC provides identity verification on top of OAuth 2.0, enabling both authentication and basic user attribute sharing.

Acceptance Test:

1. Configure SAML or OIDC with your IdP (Okta, Azure AD, Google Workspace).
2. Attempt SP-initiated login—confirm redirect, authentication, and successful session.
3. Attempt IdP-initiated login—confirm seamless access.
4. Verify MFA prompt (if enforced at IdP).
5. Confirm session timeout triggers re-authentication.

MFA and Session Management

• MFA must be enforced at the IdP, not bypassed by the KB.
• Session timeout should be configurable (15 min–8 hours).
• “Remember me” options should be disable-able for compliance.
• Re-authentication should be required for admin or destructive actions.

Read more: Knowledge Base RFP Template (Word/Google Doc) + Scoring Sheet

RBAC Model and Content Permissions

Role Granularity and Least Privilege

A robust RBAC model should include:

• Standard roles: Viewer, Editor, Publisher, Admin
• Content-scoped permissions: Restrict access by folder, category, or article
• Admin separation: Separate content admin from system admin
• Custom roles: Ability to create roles tailored to your org

Least privilege principle: Users should have the minimum access required for their role. Avoid “superuser” accounts with blanket access.

Group-Based vs User-Based Access

• Group-based: Assign permissions to groups (synced via SCIM or directory). Scales better, easier to audit.
• User-based: Assign permissions per user. Useful for exceptions, but harder to manage at scale.

Recommendation: Prefer group-based permissions, with user-based overrides for edge cases.

SCIM Provisioning Requirements

User and Group Lifecycle

SCIM 2.0 (RFC 7644) automates user and group provisioning between your IdP and the knowledge base.

Requirements:

• User provisioning: Create user in KB when added to IdP group.
• User deprovisioning: Disable/remove KB access when user is removed from IdP or terminated.
• Group sync: Reflect IdP group membership in KB for RBAC.
• Attribute mapping: Map IdP attributes (email, department, role) to KB user profile.
• Error handling: Log and alert on provisioning failures.

As defined in RFC 7644 (SCIM 2.0 Protocol), SCIM provides a standardized API for identity provisioning, reducing custom integration effort and enabling cross-platform automation.

SCIM Acceptance Tests

1. Add a user to the IdP group mapped to the KB. Confirm user appears in KB within SLA (e.g., <5 min).
2. Remove user from IdP group. Confirm KB access is revoked.
3. Update user attribute in IdP (e.g., department). Confirm KB user profile reflects change.
4. Add a new group in IdP. Confirm group appears in KB and permissions propagate.
5. Simulate provisioning failure (e.g., invalid attribute). Confirm error is logged and alerted.

Audit Logging Requirements

What Events to Log

Audit logs should capture:

• Authentication events: Login, logout, failed login, SSO token exchange
• Content changes: Create, update, delete, publish, unpublish, restore
• Permission changes: Role assignment, group membership, content-level access changes
• Admin actions: User management, settings changes, integration configuration
• Search and access: (Optional) Article views, search queries (for analytics, not security)

Retention, Export, and Tamper Resistance

• Retention: Minimum 90 days; 180–365 days preferred for compliance.
• Export formats: JSON, CSV; API access for automation.
• SIEM streaming: Native integration or webhook to Splunk, Datadog, Sentinel, etc.
• Tamper resistance: Logs should be immutable or append-only; no admin ability to delete or edit log entries.

Red Flags:

• Logs retained <90 days
• No export or API access
• Admin can delete logs
• No SIEM integration

Analytics and Insights Requirements

Search Analytics and Zero-Results Tracking

• Top queries: What users search for most.
• Zero-results queries: Searches with no results—opportunities for new content.
• Click-through rate: Which results users select.
• Segmentation: By user group, time period, content area.

Threshold guidance:

• Zero-results rate >10% = content gap
• Top 20 queries should have high-confidence results

Content Performance and Deflection Metrics

• Article views: Which articles are most/least viewed.
• Feedback: Thumbs up/down, comments, ratings.
• Deflection rate: Cases avoided because users found answers in the KB.
• API access: Export analytics for dashboards, reporting.

Compliance and Governance Posture

• SOC 2 Type II: Request the most recent report. Look for clean opinions, no critical exceptions.
• ISO 27001: Request certificate, scope, and recertification status.
• DPA (Data Processing Agreement): Required for GDPR, often for SOC 2.
• Data residency: Can data be stored in your required region (US, EU, etc.)?
• Incident response: Is there a documented IR policy? Are you notified within SLA (e.g., 24–72 hours)?

Do not accept “in progress” attestations as sufficient. Require evidence of current certification.

Read more: How to Choose Knowledge Base Software (2026): Checklist, Rubric, and Trial Plan

Integrations and API Requirements

Ticketing, Chat, CRM, and SSO Providers

API/Webhook Requirements:

• REST API with OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
• Webhooks for content and user events
• Rate limits clearly documented
• Sandbox/test environment available

Content Lifecycle and Authoring UX

Versioning, Approvals, and Localization

• Versioning: Full version history, ability to restore previous versions.
• Approval workflows: Draft → Review → Publish, with role-based approval.
• Localization: Support for multiple languages, translation workflows.
• Scheduling: Schedule publish/unpublish for time-sensitive content.

End-User and Admin UX Requirements

• Search quality: Typo tolerance, synonyms, faceted search, instant results.
• Mobile: Responsive design, offline access (if needed).
• Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.
• Information architecture: Categories, tags, breadcrumbs, related articles.
• Admin UX: Bulk actions, content audit, reporting dashboards.

Performance, Reliability, and SLA

• Uptime SLA: 99.9% or higher.
• Latency: Page load <2 seconds; search results <500ms.
• Incident response: Documented SLA for notification and resolution.
• Failover: Geographic redundancy, automatic failover.
• Status page: Public, real-time status and incident history.

Knowledge Base Software Requirements Template (Copy/Paste)

Use MoSCoW tags: Must | Should | Could | Won’t

Identity & Access

RBAC & Permissions

Audit Logging

Analytics

Compliance & Governance

Integrations & API

Content & UX

Performance & Reliability

Scoring Rubric (0–5 Scale)

Weighting Guidance

Acceptance Tests: SSO, RBAC, SCIM, Audit Logs, Analytics

SSO Acceptance Tests

1. Configure SAML or OIDC with test IdP.
2. SP-initiated login: Confirm redirect, authentication, session.
3. IdP-initiated login: Confirm seamless access.
4. MFA prompt: Confirm enforcement at IdP.
5. Session timeout: Confirm re-authentication after timeout.
6. Invalid SAML assertion: Confirm graceful error handling.

RBAC Acceptance Tests

1. Create Viewer, Editor, Publisher, Admin roles.
2. Assign Viewer to a folder—confirm cannot edit.
3. Assign Editor—confirm can edit, cannot publish.
4. Assign Publisher—confirm can publish.
5. Assign Admin—confirm can manage users, settings.
6. Confirm content-level restrictions (user in one folder cannot access another).

SCIM Acceptance Tests

1. Add user to IdP group—confirm user appears in KB <5 min.
2. Remove user—confirm KB access revoked.
3. Update attribute (e.g., department)—confirm KB profile updates.
4. Add new group—confirm group in KB, permissions propagate.
5. Simulate provisioning failure—confirm error logged/alerted.

Audit Log Acceptance Tests

1. Log in—confirm login event recorded.
2. Create article—confirm create event recorded.
3. Edit article—confirm update event recorded.
4. Delete article—confirm delete event recorded.
5. Change user permission—confirm event recorded.
6. Export logs—confirm JSON/CSV, complete data.
7. Attempt to delete log entry (as admin)—confirm denied or logged.

Analytics Acceptance Tests

1. Search for a term—confirm query appears in analytics.
2. Search for non-existent term—confirm zero-results logged.
3. View article—confirm view count increments.
4. Submit feedback—confirm feedback recorded.
5. Export analytics via API—confirm data matches UI.

Migration Checklist

Content

• [ ] Export all articles, categories, attachments from legacy KB
• [ ] Map old IA (categories, tags) to new structure
• [ ] Migrate content in batches; validate formatting
• [ ] Set up redirects from old URLs to new (avoid 404s for SEO)
• [ ] Review and update outdated content during migration

Users

• [ ] Export user list from legacy KB
• [ ] Map users to new roles/groups
• [ ] Configure SCIM for ongoing provisioning
• [ ] Communicate migration timeline to users

Permissions

• [ ] Document current permission model
• [ ] Map legacy roles to new RBAC model
• [ ] Test permissions post-migration
• [ ] Audit for over-permissioned users

Security Checklist

• [ ] Audit logging enabled for all required events
• [ ] Log retention set to ≥90 days (180–365 preferred)
• [ ] Log export/SIEM integration configured
• [ ] Logs tamper-resistant (immutable or append-only)
• [ ] Encryption at rest (AES-256)
• [ ] Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+)
• [ ] Data residency configured per policy (US, EU, etc.)
• [ ] Incident response SLA documented
• [ ] DPA signed
• [ ] SOC 2 Type II report reviewed

Real-World Rollout Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Pitfall 1: SSO Misconfiguration Blocks All Users

What happens: A misconfigured SAML assertion or certificate mismatch locks out all users at go-live. How to avoid: Test SSO in a staging environment with a subset of users. Have a local admin bypass account for emergencies.

Pitfall 2: SCIM Deprovisioning Lag Leaves Access Open

What happens: A terminated employee retains KB access for hours or days due to slow SCIM sync. How to avoid: Require SCIM deprovisioning SLA <5 minutes. Test with your IdP before go-live. Have a manual revocation fallback.

Pitfall 3: Audit Logs Lack Retention or Export

What happens: During a compliance audit, you discover logs are only retained 30 days and cannot be exported. How to avoid: Verify retention and export capabilities during evaluation. Require 90+ days in contract.

Knowledge Base vs Wiki vs Help Center vs Doc Portal

When to use which:

• Knowledge base: You need analytics, structured content, and a polished end-user experience.
• Wiki: You need rapid, collaborative editing and less formal governance.
• Help center: You want tight integration with your support ticketing system.
• Doc portal: Your audience is developers and you need code-centric features.

Alternatives: Build vs Buy, Open-Source vs SaaS

Build vs Buy

Recommendation: Buy for most teams. Build only if you have unique requirements and dedicated engineering.

Open-Source vs SaaS

Recommendation: SaaS for compliance-driven orgs. Open-source for cost-sensitive or highly custom needs—if you have the ops capability.

FAQ

1. What security features should a knowledge base have? SSO (SAML 2.0/OIDC), RBAC with content-level permissions, SCIM provisioning, audit logging with export, encryption at rest and in transit, and compliance attestations (SOC 2, DPA).

2. What is SCIM provisioning for knowledge bases? SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) automates user and group provisioning between your identity provider and the knowledge base, ensuring timely onboarding and offboarding.

3. How long should knowledge base audit logs be retained? Minimum 90 days; 180–365 days preferred for SOC 2, ISO 27001, or regulatory compliance.

4. What analytics should a knowledge base track? Top search queries, zero-results queries, article views, feedback/ratings, and deflection metrics.

5. How do I verify a vendor’s SSO implementation? Configure SAML or OIDC with your IdP in a test environment. Test SP- and IdP-initiated login, MFA enforcement, and session timeout.

6. What is the difference between a knowledge base and a wiki? Knowledge bases are structured, search-optimized, and designed for polished end-user experiences. Wikis are collaborative, less structured, and suited for internal living documents.

7. Is SOC 2 required for knowledge base software? Not legally required, but SOC 2 Type II is the de facto standard for enterprise SaaS procurement. It demonstrates a mature security program.

8. What integrations does a knowledge base need? Core: SSO (Okta, Azure AD), ticketing (Zendesk, Freshdesk), API/webhooks. Optional: chat, CRM, SIEM.

9. How do I migrate to a new knowledge base platform? Export content and users from the legacy KB, map categories/permissions to the new platform, migrate in batches, validate, and set up redirects.

10. What is RBAC in a knowledge base context? Role-Based Access Control defines what users can see and do (view, edit, publish, admin) based on their assigned role, often scoped to specific content or folders.

11. What uptime SLA should I require? 99.9% or higher, with documented incident notification and resolution SLAs.

12. Can I export knowledge base analytics via API? Most enterprise platforms support API access to analytics. Verify this during evaluation if you need to integrate with external dashboards or BI tools.

This template is designed for IT managers, security administrators, support operations leads, and procurement officers evaluating knowledge base platforms. Use it as a starting point—adapt requirements to your organization’s specific needs and compliance environment.

About the Author

Macedona

I’m Macedona, an independent reviewer covering SaaS platforms, CRM systems, and AI tools. My work focuses on hands-on testing, structured feature analysis, pricing evaluation, and real-world business use cases.

All reviews are created using transparent comparison criteria and are updated regularly to reflect changes in features, pricing, and performance.