A compliance software will simplify auditing. Smaller companies often find themselves in a precarious position. Before they can implement their SOC 2 controls they must first install, set up and understand an extensive compliance system. It raises a good question. What is the point at which a tool that can lower compliance work become the creation of a new project?
CertAssist grew out of that frustration. Its founders had worked on compliance implementations and audits across SOC 2, ISO 27001 and other frameworks. The developers of this software had to contend with platforms that offered a wide range of features and integrations, while the companies they worked for still used spreadsheets to prepare critical auditing pieces. For smaller businesses, a less complicated SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better option.
Begin with the Tasks that Are Required to be Completed
Take out the jargon in software and it becomes simpler to comprehend. It is essential that a company comprehend the Trust Services Criteria. This includes setting adequate controls, gathering evidence, keeping track of the progress of the process and establishing policies. Platforms can be used to manage these activities without having to connect them with every cloud service or identity system that the company uses.
Automated integrations can be beneficial. A large-scale organization that is collecting evidence across a constantly changing environment could save significant time via automation. This doesn’t mean that the same technology will be required for SOC 2 by startups. A startup with a relatively small technology environment might prefer to do the evidence themselves and avoid the hassle of maintaining multiple integrations.
Both the Software and Audit are separate expenses
Budgeting becomes difficult when companies consider each compliance expense a separate number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal staff members must devote time on preparing policies, fixing gaps in control, arranging proof and cooperating with auditors. Independent audits have their own fee as well.
In researching SOC 2 cost, businesses must be aware of one key terminology distinction. SOC 2 produces a report that is not a certification and is not a certification as specified by ISO 27001. If businesses are seeking pricing, they often employ the term “certification cost”. Whatever the terminology employed in the budget, the software does not replace the independent audit.
Middle Ground Doesn’t Have to be a Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are simple and easy to use But they aren’t as easy when the policies, controls, ownership evidence, and auditing communications start to be spread across multiple files.
It is not necessary to utilize an enterprise platform as a substitute. CertAssist shows the SOC 2 controls in the central board. It offers editable templates for policies and evidence, progress tracking, and auditors can only see. Access to the platform is protected by the requirement of multi-factor authentication. The price of its launch is $225 monthly, with a regular cost of $375 per month or $3,999 annually.
The same kind of integration that decreases exposure could also be achieved through removing the need for it
CertAssist is not apposed to connecting to an organization’s operating system. The evidence is presented without giving the platform with access to cloud environments as well as identities environments.
This method has its tradeoffs. The company must prove that could have been gathered through an automated system. However, for small teams, the added work could be justified by a more simple setup with lower software expenses, and with fewer external connections.
Purchase Complexity when it solves the issue
A growing company could eventually reach the point where manual evidence gathering is no longer efficient. This is when continuous monitoring and extensive integrations can earn their fees.
It’s not necessary to buy the most complex compliance platform up to the point of. The goal is to streamline compliance, preserve evidence that is credible and allow independent audits to be managed. A good software program should help in reducing the friction. If the implementation of the compliance platform is beginning to appear like a more complex project than preparing for SOC 2 itself, it could be a tools than the company needs.