Software designed to facilitate audits is referred to as compliance software. However, smaller companies could be caught in a tense position: before they can organize their SOC 2 controls, they must first implement, configure, and learn the intricate compliance system. It’s a great question. When will the tool which is intended to lower compliance turn into a separate project?
CertAssist is the product of this frustration. Its developers had worked on compliance and audits that were based on SOC 2, ISO 27001 and various frameworks. They came across platforms that offered a variety of features and integrations, but companies were still using spreadsheets for the most important components of preparation for audits. SOC 2 software that is simpler can be more suitable for smaller firms.
Begin with the Task that Needs to Be Done
If you remove the software terminology it will be much easier to comprehend. It is crucial that companies know the Trust Services Criteria. This includes establishing adequate controls, gathering evidence, tracking progress and documenting policies. A platform is able to manage those activities without necessarily connecting itself to every cloud-based service or identity system the firm uses.
Automated integrations are certainly beneficial. Automation can save a large company a lot of time when it comes to collecting evidence in a constantly changing environment. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture necessary for SOC 2 for startups. A startup with a relatively small technology environment might prefer to do the evidence themselves and avoid the need to maintain numerous integrations.
Software and the Audit Are Two Different Costs
It can be confusing to budget when businesses treat every compliance expense as one number. SOC 2 includes more than only software. Internal employees are involved in preparing policies, addressing the issues with control, arranging evidence and working together with the auditor. The independent audit comes with its own cost as well.
Businesses researching SOC 2 Certification Cost must also be aware of the terminology distinction: SOC 2 is not an official certificate as per the definition of ISO 27001. Instead, it is an independent attestation instead of an ordinary certification. When companies seek pricing, they frequently employ the term “certification cost”. Whatever language is used in the budget, software doesn’t take the place of an independent auditor.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t Need to Be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are simple and easy to use, but they become awkward when controls, policies, ownership evidence, and auditing communication start spreading across several documents.
The alternative does not have to be an enterprise platform. CertAssist integrates the SOC 2 controls on a centralized board, and offers editable templates for policies and evidence as well as progress management and auditing access that is read-only. Mandatory multi-factor authentication helps protect access to the system. The cost of the platform’s launch is $225 per month. The regular price is $375 per month or $3999 annually.
The same kind of integration that decreases exposure can be accomplished through removing the need for it.
CertAssist deliberately doesn’t connect to any company’s operational systems. The evidence provided is not given without giving the compliance platform a permanent access to cloud or identity environments.
This method involves a tradeoff. It is the obligation of the company to provide evidence which could have been collected automatically. If you have a small staff However, the added manual work could be justified to facilitate setup, lower software expense, and fewer third-party connections.
If Complexity is the answer to a problem, purchase It
Growing companies may get to a point at which the manual method of gathering evidence becomes inefficient. Continuous monitoring and large-scale integrations will pay off when you reach that point.
The goal of the compliance stack isn’t to be the most sophisticated one available. It’s about getting the compliance work organised, keep solid evidence, and ensure that the independent audit is manageable. Good software should remove the friction from that process. If the installation of the compliance platform seems like it takes longer than the preparation for SOC 2 in itself, it could be too expensive.