A compliance software will simplify auditing. However, small businesses may be put in a difficult position. They must implement the configuration, set up and manage a compliance platform before they can organise their SOC 2 control. This raises an interesting question. What happens when a tool designed to decrease compliance work transform into an entirely new project?
CertAssist is the product of this frustration. Its founders have worked on compliance implementations and audits as well as ISO 27001 frameworks. The program’s creators faced numerous challenges with platforms that came with many features and connections, while the companies they worked for utilized spreadsheets to create critical auditing pieces. For smaller businesses, a less complicated SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better option.
Begin with the Task that Has to be Done
If you take away the terminology used by software It becomes much simpler to understand. The business must follow the Trust Services Criteria and establish suitable controls. They should also record the policies, document evidence, monitor their progress, as well as making this information available for independent auditors. A platform can help organize these tasks without having to connect to each cloud service or identity system that the business uses.
Automated integrations certainly have value. An organization that collects data across a constantly changing environment may save significant time via automation. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture necessary for SOC 2 for startups. Startups with a limited technology infrastructure might prefer to collect evidence manually, rather than maintain numerous integrations.
The Software and the Audit are separate expenses
Budgeting can be difficult if companies take each compliance expense as an individual number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal staff members are required to devote time to things like preparing policies and fixing control gaps. They also manage evidence. The independent audit also has its own fee.
Companies who are researching SOC 2 certification cost must be aware of a difference in terminology: SOC 2 produces an independent attestation report instead of an actual certification in the same way as ISO 27001. Nevertheless, “certification cost” is typically used by businesses looking for pricing data. Software cannot replace an independent auditor, irrespective of the terminology used in the budget.
Middle Ground Doesn’t Have to be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are often familiar and cheap, but they may be uncomfortable if multiple files are used to convey policies, control the ownership of evidence, prove ownership, and audit communications.
Alternatives to enterprise platforms do not necessarily need to be costly. CertAssist displays the SOC 2 controls in the central board. It allows you to edit templates for policy and evidence, and progress monitoring, and auditors are able to only view. Multi-factor authentication is required to safeguard the platform. The cost of the platform’s launch is $225 per month. Regular pricing is $375 per month or $3999 annually.
A lack of integration could also mean less exposure
CertAssist is not apposed to connecting to the operating systems of a company. The evidence is presented without giving the platform with access to cloud environments or the identity environment.
This option is not without its trade-offs. The business must present evidence that could have been gathered using the automated system. In the case of a small group However, the added manual work could be justified in exchange for a simpler setup, lower software expense, and fewer third-party connections.
If Complexity solves a problem, buy It
If a company is growing that is growing, the manual collection of evidence could be inefficient. Continuous monitoring and massive integrations will pay off once you have reached that point.
It is not necessary to buy the most complex compliance platform until later. It’s to get the compliance task organised, keep reliable evidence, and ensure that the independent audit is manageable. A well-designed software can make this process much easier. If the implementation of the compliance platform is a feeling that it’s taking longer than the preparation for SOC 2 in itself, it could not be enough.