The purpose of compliance software is aid in audits. But small businesses can be placed in a tough spot. They have to implement an, configure and maintain a compliance platform before they can organise their SOC 2 control. This raises an interesting question. At what point does the instrument designed to decrease compliance become a separate project on its own?
CertAssist is the product of this frustration. Its creators worked on compliance implementations, audits, and ISO 27001 frameworks. They had to deal with platforms that were packed with features and integrations. Moreover, businesses still relied on spreadsheets for crucial elements of preparation for audits. SOC 2 software that is simple can be better for smaller enterprises.
Begin with the Task that Needs to Be Done
Eliminate the jargon of software and it is simpler to comprehend. It is crucial that companies understand the Trust Services Criteria. This involves establishing the right controls, gathering evidence, tracking progress, and recording policies. A platform can help organize these actions without needing to connect to each cloud service or identity system that the company uses.
Automated integrations have many advantages. A large company that gathers evidence from a continuously changing environment may save significant time via automation. However, it doesn’t mean the same structure is required to be used for SOC 2 by startups. Startups that have a limited technology environment might choose to present evidence in person and avoid maintaining numerous integrations.
The Audit and Software are Two Different Costs
It can be confusing to budget when businesses make every compliance expense one number. SOC 2 includes more than simply software. The internal staff has to devote time in preparing policies, addressing gaps in control, arranging evidence and cooperating with auditors. The independent audit also has its own fee.
Companies researching SOC 2 certification cost should also understand a terminology distinction: SOC 2 produces an independent attestation report rather than a certification in the same sense as ISO 27001. However, “certification cost” is often used by businesses searching for price information. Software is not a substitute for an independent auditor, regardless of the terms used within the budget.
The Middle Ground isn’t required to be a Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets might be familiar and cheap, but they can become a source of discomfort when multiple files are used to convey policies, control, evidence, ownership and audit information.
The alternative does not have to be a business platform. CertAssist displays the SOC 2 controls in a central board, allows you to edit templates for policies and evidence, as well as progress tracking, and auditors have the ability to only see. Multi-factor authentication is necessary for security purposes to ensure the system is secure. The initial price for launch of $225 is followed by regular pricing at $375 per month, or $3,999 per year.
A lack of integration could also mean less exposure
CertAssist does not intend to connect to an organization’s operating system. It provides evidence without giving the compliance platform access to cloud or identity environments.
That approach involves a tradeoff. The company has to provide evidence that could have been obtained from an automated system. But for smaller teams, the added work can be justified with a simple set-up, lower software costs, and less external connections.
Buy Complexity When Complexity Solves the issue
An expanding company could eventually reach a point where the manual method of gathering evidence can become unproductive. This is when continuous monitoring and extensive integrations can earn their fees.
The goal of the compliance stack isn’t to be the most advanced one that is available. It’s important to ensure that the evidence is credible and organize the compliance process as well as manage the audit independently. A good software program should eliminate friction from the process. Implementing the compliance platform might feel more like a project as opposed to preparing the SOC 2 itself. It may be because the business does not need the same tools.