The purpose of compliance software is to facilitate audits. Smaller businesses often find themselves in a difficult spot. Before they can implement their SOC 2 controls they must first install, configure, and learn the complexities of a compliance platform. It raises a good question. When did the device that is designed to reduce compliance turn into a separate project?
CertAssist grew out of that frustration. The founders of the company have worked on compliance implementations and audits, and ISO 27001 frameworks. The creators of this software were repeatedly confronted with platforms with a variety of functions and integrations. However, their employers employed spreadsheets for the preparation of critical auditing pieces. Simpler SOC 2 compliance software is sometimes the best solution for smaller enterprises.
Start by identifying the task that must be completed
Eliminate the terminology used by software and the primary requirement becomes simpler to comprehend. A company needs to work through the relevant Trust Services Criteria, establish adequate controls, write down policies, gather evidence, monitor progress, and then make that information available for independent audit. Platforms are a great way to manage these activities without having to connect them to every cloud service or identity software that the company utilizes.
Automated integrations have many benefits. A large company that gathers evidence from a continuously changing environment can significantly cut down on time with automation. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture necessary for SOC 2 for startups. If a startup is operating in only a tiny technology infrastructure it might be better to make the necessary evidence available manually and avoid integrating too many systems.
Software and Audits Are Two Different Costs
Budgeting becomes difficult when companies make each compliance expense distinct numbers. SOC 2 costs include more than software. Internal employees are involved in developing policies, fixing weaknesses in control, organizing evidence and working with the auditor. The audit independent also has its own fee.
Companies researching SOC 2 certification costs must be aware of a difference in terminology: SOC 2 produces an independent attestation document, but not a certification in the same way as ISO 27001. ISO 27001. When businesses are looking for pricing, they frequently employ the term “certification cost”. Whatever term is used in a budget, software doesn’t replace the independent audit.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be inexpensive and familiar but become unwieldy when they are spread across several files.
The alternative does not have to be an enterprise platform. CertAssist puts the SOC 2 controls on a central board, and offers editable templates for policies and evidence, progress management, and auditor access with read-only. Multi-factor authentication is mandatory to ensure access to the platform. The price of the platform’s initial launch is $225 monthly. Regular pricing is $375 a month or $3999 per year.
The absence of integration also means More Exposure
CertAssist intentionally doesn’t connect to the company’s operational systems. Evidence is provided without giving the platform with standing access to cloud and identity environments.
This option is not without its tradeoffs. It is the duty for the company to supply proof that could have been automatically collected. The manual effort is reasonable for a tiny team, but it will result in a simpler setup, lower costs and less ties with third party.
If Complexity Solves a Problem, Buy It
In an organization that is growing that is growing, the manual collection of evidence could be inefficient. Continuous monitoring and extensive integrations will be beneficial when you get to that point.
Until then, the goal isn’t to purchase the most advanced compliance platform available. It’s crucial to make sure that the evidence is reliable, organize the compliance work as well as manage the independent audit. Software that is designed well should make this process easier. If the implementation of the compliance platform starts to feel like a larger project than preparing for SOC 2 itself, it might be just a different tool than the company currently requires.