Check what your vendor promised to deliver, and what happens if it does not
Service levels turn a vendor's promises into measurable targets, such as availability, response times or resolution times, usually in a schedule attached to the MSA. The schedule also sets how performance is measured, what service credits apply when a target is missed, and whether credits are the customer's only remedy. Ask Search+ about each target and read the cited schedule wording before relying on it.
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Last updated October 2026
How to review service levels with Search+
- Upload the MSA and the service level schedule
Add the master agreement, the SLA schedule and the SOW for the service. Measurement rules and exclusions are often in a different part from the targets.
- Ask about targets, measurement and exclusions
Ask what each service level is, how and over what period it is measured, and what is excluded, such as planned maintenance or customer-caused issues.
- Ask about consequences
Ask how service credits are calculated, whether they are capped, how they are claimed, and whether repeated failures allow termination. Open the citations for each.
Questions about service levels
Which service levels does the vendor commit to, and how is each one defined?
Over what period is availability measured, and who produces the report?
Is planned maintenance excluded from the availability calculation, and how much notice is required?
How are service credits calculated, and is there a cap on total credits?
Are service credits the customer's only remedy for missed service levels?
Can the customer terminate if service levels are missed repeatedly?
What to look for in service level terms
"Availability" or "response time" means what the schedule says it means. Read the definition before comparing a number.
Maintenance windows, force majeure and customer-caused issues are commonly excluded. Longer measurement periods smooth out short outages.
Many schedules require the customer to request credits within a set time. Missing that window can forfeit them.
If credits are the sole remedy, other claims for poor service may be limited. Check the wording carefully.
Search+ cites the schedule excerpt behind each answer, with a page or section reference when the schedule provides one.
Service level wording and what to ask
| Wording you may see | What it usually signals | A follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| "Availability shall be at least" | An uptime target | How is availability calculated? |
| "Scheduled Maintenance" | An exclusion from measurement | How much notice is needed for maintenance? |
| "Service Credit equal to" | A remedy for a missed level | Is there a cap on credits? |
| "must request within" | A claim deadline | What happens if the request is late? |
| "sole and exclusive remedy" | Credits replace other remedies | Does that apply to every service level? |
| "Chronic Failure" | Repeated misses allow exit | How many misses count as chronic? |
What are service levels in a master services agreement?
Service levels are measurable performance commitments, usually set out in a service level agreement or schedule attached to an MSA, together with how performance is measured and what remedies apply when targets are missed.
Questions about MSA service levels
Can Search+ find the service levels in an SLA schedule?
Will it explain how service credits are calculated?
Can it tell me if credits are the only remedy?
Can I compare service levels between two vendors?
Is this legal advice about a service failure?
Hold the vendor to the targets it signed
Start a workspace, upload the MSA and its SLA schedule, and ask about each service level.
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