Software designed to facilitate audits is referred to as compliance software. However, smaller companies could be put in a tricky position: before they can manage their SOC 2 controls, they need to first install, configure, and learn the intricate compliance system. It raises a good question. What happens when a tool designed to make compliance easier turn into the creation of a new project?
CertAssist is the result of this anger. The team behind it had been involved in compliance-related implementations and audits for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and other frameworks. They frequently encountered platforms brimming with features and integrations. Moreover, organizations used spreadsheets for crucial elements of preparation for audits. For smaller companies, a simpler SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better option.
Start by identifying the tasks that Are Required to be Completed
Remove the software jargon and it is easier to understand. The company needs to work through Trust Services Criteria and establish adequate control measures. They must also write down policies, collect evidence, monitor their progress, and provide this information to independent auditors. Platforms can manage these activities without necessarily connecting itself to every cloud-based service or identity system that the business uses.
Automated integrations definitely have value. Automating the process of gathering evidence for large corporations in a world that changes constantly can make it easier to save time. That doesn’t automatically make the same system mandatory to be used for SOC 2 for startups. Startups operating in a smaller technology infrastructure might prefer to record evidence on their own instead of managing a number of integrations.
Both the Software and Audit are different expenses
When companies treat all compliance costs as one number, budgeting can be unclear. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. The internal staff has to dedicate time to making policies and fixing control gaps. They also manage evidence. Independent audits are also charged their own set of fees.
Companies who are researching SOC 2 Certification Cost must also be aware of the distinction: SOC 2 is not an official certificate as per the definition of ISO 27001. Instead, it creates an independent attestation and is not the standard certification. However the phrase “certification cost” is frequently utilized by businesses searching for price data, is frequently used. Software is not a substitute for an independent auditor, regardless of the terminology used within the budget.
Middle Ground isn’t required to be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are cheap and easy to use But they aren’t as easy when controls, policies, evidence, ownership, and audit communications begin to spread across multiple documents.
The alternative doesn’t need to be an enterprise platform. CertAssist provides the SOC 2 controls on a central board, and offers editable templates for policy and evidence along with progress management, as well as read-only auditor access. Multi-factor authentication is necessary for security purposes to ensure the system is secure. The initial price for launch of $225 will be followed by regular pricing at $375 per month or $3,999 annually.
No integration can also mean less exposure
CertAssist deliberately doesn’t connect to the systems that run a business. The evidence provided is not given without giving the compliance platform a permanent access to cloud and identity environments.
The approach is a compromise. It is the obligation for the company to supply proof that could have been automatically collected. In the case of small teams, the extra effort could be justified in exchange by a more simple setup as well as lower software costs and with fewer external connections.
Buy Complexity If Complexity Solves a Problem
Growing companies may get to a point at which manual evidence collection becomes inefficient. Monitoring and monitoring continuously and integration is justified by the higher effectiveness.
The purpose of a compliance stack is not to be the most sophisticated one available. The aim is to arrange compliance, maintain credible evidence and make independent audits manageable. The best software will remove any friction from the process. If the implementation of the compliance platform seems like it’s taking more time than preparing for SOC 2 in itself, then the tool might be overkill.