A software for compliance should help auditing become easier. But small-sized companies may find themselves in a strange position: before they can manage their SOC 2 controls, they need to first install, configure, and learn the intricate compliance platform. This leads to a crucial question. What are the conditions that make a tool to decrease compliance work transform into an entirely new project?
CertAssist grew out of that frustration. The team behind it had been involved in compliance and audits that were based on SOC 2, ISO 27001 and other frameworks. They found platforms with many features and integrations, but organizations were still using spreadsheets to handle the most crucial aspects of audit preparation. The simpler SOC 2 compliance software is often the best option for smaller organizations.
Begin by identifying the task that Has to be Done
Remove the terms used in software and the primary requirement becomes easier to understand. The company must work through the pertinent Trust Services Criteria, establish adequate controls, write down policies, gather evidence, monitor progress, and make that material available to audit by an independent third party. Platforms are able to manage these tasks without having to be connected to the various identity or cloud-based services a company utilizes.
Automated integrations have a lot of value. Automated integrations can save an organization a lot of time in collecting evidence in an ever-changing environment. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture necessary for SOC 2 for startups. Startups operating in a smaller technology environment might prefer to record evidence on their own, rather than maintain numerous integrations.
The Audit and Software are Two Different Costs
The process of budgeting is a challenge when businesses treat each compliance expense as separate numbers. SOC 2 costs include more than just software. The internal staff has to devote time to creating policies and addressing control gaps. They also collect evidence. Independent audits also have their own fees.
When analyzing SOC 2 costs, businesses must be aware of a important distinction in terminology. SOC 2 produces a report that is not a certification and is not a certification as specified by ISO 27001. However, the phrase “certification cost” is frequently utilized by businesses searching for pricing data, is widely used. Whatever the terminology employed in a budget, software doesn’t replace the independent audit.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be a Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are often inexpensive and easy to use, but they become cumbersome when they are spread over multiple files.
It is not necessary to utilize an enterprise-level platform as a alternative. CertAssist shows the SOC 2 controls on a central board, provides editable templates for policies and evidence, as well as progress tracking, and auditors will only read. The platform’s access is secured by an authentication process that requires multi-factor. The initial price for the platform is $225 a month. Regular pricing is $375 per month or $3999 annually.
The same integration that reduces exposure can also be achieved by removing the need for it.
CertAssist intentionally doesn’t connect to a company’s operational systems. Evidence is presented without granting the compliance platform access to cloud environments and the identity environment.
The approach is a compromise. It is the duty of the business to provide proof that could have been collected automatically. If you have a small staff however, the manual work could be justified in exchange for a simpler setting up, lower costs for software as well as fewer connections with third parties.
If Complexity is the answer to a problem, purchase It
If a company is growing the manual process of collecting evidence may become inefficient. This is when continuous monitoring and extensive integrations could pay their price.
It’s not required to purchase the most complicated compliance system up to the point of. The objective is to manage the compliance process, collect evidence and ensure that independent audits are managed. Software that is designed well can make this process much easier. If the application of the compliance platform seems like it’s taking more time than preparing for SOC 2 in itself, then the tool may be too expensive.