Compliance software is intended to help audits go more smoothly. But small businesses can be placed in a tough spot. They have to implement or configure the platform for compliance before they can organize their SOC 2 control. This poses a question. When does the tool that is designed to reduce compliance, turn into a separate task?
CertAssist is the result of this frustration. Its founders were involved in compliance implementations, audits as well as ISO 27001 frameworks. They repeatedly encountered platforms packed with features and integrations while businesses still relied on spreadsheets for important pieces of the actual auditing process. For smaller organizations, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can sometimes be the more practical answer.
Begin by identifying the job that needs to be done
If you eliminate the terms used in software it is much easier to understand. It is essential that companies understand the Trust Services Criteria. This involves establishing the right controls, gathering evidence, monitoring the progress of the process and establishing the policies. Platforms can handle these tasks without having to be linked with all cloud services or identity systems that companies utilize.
Automated integrations certainly have value. Automation can save a huge organization lots of time while collecting evidence in a changing environment. It doesn’t mean that the same architecture is required for SOC 2 in startups. If a startup has limited technology resources it might be better to manually provide evidence and avoid having many integrations.
The cost of an audit and the software are two separate expenses
Budgeting can be difficult if companies take each compliance expense as separate numbers. SOC 2 costs include more than software. Internal employees are involved in preparing policies, addressing problems with control, organizing evidence and working with the auditor. Independent audits also have their own costs.
When researching SOC 2 costs, businesses should be aware important distinction in terminology. SOC 2 produces a report that is independent, and not a certificate as defined by ISO 27001. However, “certification cost” is commonly used when businesses search for price information. Software cannot substitute for an independent auditor, regardless of the terms used in the budget.
Middle Ground isn’t required to be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be inexpensive and easy to access They are easy to use, but they can become a little awkward when policies, controls, ownership evidence, and auditing communication start spreading across many documents.
It is not necessary to use an enterprise-level platform as a alternative. CertAssist shows the SOC 2 controls on one central display, and provides editable templates for policies and evidence, along with progress monitoring, and auditors are able to only read. The platform’s access is secured by the requirement for multi-factor authentication. The price of the platform’s initial launch is $225 per month. The normal price is $375 a month or $3999 annually.
A lack of integration could also mean less exposure
CertAssist does not purposely connect with a company’s operating systems. The compliance platform is not allowed access to cloud or to the identity environment.
The method is a compromise. Information that could have been taken automatically should instead be provided by the company. If you have a small staff However, the added manual effort may be worth it to facilitate installation, less software cost and less third-party connections.
Buy Complexity If Complexity Solves a problem
A growing company could eventually reach a point at which the manual process of gathering evidence becomes inefficient. The cost of continuous monitoring and integration could be justified by the improved effectiveness.
For now, the aim isn’t buying the most sophisticated compliance system available. The objective is to manage compliance, preserve evidence that is credible and make independent audits manageable. A quality software application should reduce friction in this process. Implementing the compliance platform might feel more like a project as opposed to preparing the SOC 2 itself. It might be that the company does not require more tools.