A compliance software should make auditing easier. Yet small companies can find themselves in a strange situation: before they are able to arrange their SOC 2 controls, they must first implement, configure, and learn the intricacy of a compliance system. This poses a question. What happens when a tool designed to lower compliance work become the creation of a new project?
CertAssist is the product of this frustration. The creators of CertAssist had previous experience in compliance audits and implementations in ISO 27001 and SOC 2 frameworks. They found platforms with a wide range of features and integrations, but firms used spreadsheets for the primary components of preparation for audits. For smaller organizations, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can sometimes be the more practical answer.
Start by identifying the task that must be completed
If you eliminate the language used by software It becomes much simpler to comprehend. It is important for a company to understand the Trust Services Criteria. This involves establishing adequate controls, gathering evidence, evaluating progress and documenting policies. Platforms can manage these activities without needing to be linked with all cloud services or identity systems the company uses.
Automated integrations certainly have value. Automation can save a huge business a lot of time when it comes to collecting evidence in a changing environment. It doesn’t necessarily mean the same structure necessary 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.
The cost for the audit and that of the software are two separate expenses
The process of budgeting can become confusing when companies consider every compliance expense as one number. SOC 2 costs include more than just software. Internal employees are involved in developing policies, fixing weaknesses in control, organizing evidence, and collaborating with the auditor. The independent audit has its own fees as well.
In researching SOC 2 cost, businesses must be aware of one important distinction in terminology. SOC 2 produces a report that is not a certification and not a formal certification as defined by ISO 27001. However, “certification cost” is typically used by businesses looking for price information. No matter what terminology is used in a budget, the software does not replace the independent audit.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are often familiar and cost-effective, but they can become uncomfortable when multiple spreadsheets are used for communication of policies, control, evidence, ownership and audit information.
The alternative does not have to be a business platform. CertAssist provides the SOC 2 controls on a centralized board and provides editable template templates for policy and evidence along with progress management, as well as read-only auditor access. Multi-factor authentication is required to protect the platform. The stated launch price of $225 is to be followed by regular pricing at $375 per month, or $3,999 per year.
The same process that can reduce exposure can also be achieved by eliminating the need for it
CertAssist is not designed to connect to the systems that run an organization. Evidence is presented but does not grant the compliance platform access to cloud environments and identities environments.
That approach involves a tradeoff. It is the duty of the company to provide the evidence that could have been collected automatically. The additional manual work is reasonable for a tiny team in exchange of a simpler setup, lower costs and less connections to third parties.
If Complexity Solves a Problem, Purchase It
If a company is growing the manual process of collecting evidence may end up being inefficient. The expense of monitoring and integration could be justified by the higher effectiveness.
Until then, the goal isn’t buying the most advanced compliance system available. The aim is to arrange compliance, maintain credible evidence and ensure that independent audits are managed. Software that is designed well will help with this. If the application of the compliance platform feels like it is taking longer than preparing for SOC 2 in itself, then the tool may be too much.
