Software designed to facilitate audits is called compliance software. Smaller companies often find themselves stuck in an awkward situation. Before they can begin implementing their SOC 2 controls they must first install, configure and learn a complex compliance platform. This raises an interesting question. What happens when a tool designed to lower compliance work become a new project?
CertAssist developed out of this frustration. Its founders had worked on compliance implementations and audits across SOC 2, ISO 27001 as well as other frameworks. The developers of this software were repeatedly confronted with platforms that had many functions and integrations. However, the companies they worked for utilized spreadsheets to create important audit pieces. The simpler SOC 2 compliance software is sometimes the best solution for smaller organizations.
Start by identifying the task that must be completed
Remove the terms used in software and the essential requirement is easier to comprehend. It is essential that businesses comprehend the Trust Services Criteria. This includes setting appropriate controls, collecting evidence, monitoring progress and documenting the policies. Platforms are a great way to manage these processes without needing to connect them to every cloud service or identity system the company has in place.
Automated integrations are extremely beneficial. A large company that gathers evidence from a continuously changing environment may save significant time with automation. This doesn’t mean that the same structure necessary to be used for SOC 2 for startups. A startup with a relatively limited technology environment might choose to make evidence by hand and avoid the hassle of maintaining multiple integrations.
The cost of an audit and the software are two different expenses
Budgeting becomes a mess when companies make every compliance expense one number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than just software. Internal staff spend time making policies, addressing the issues with control, arranging evidence, and collaborating with the auditor. Independent audits have their own cost as well.
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. Nevertheless, “certification cost” is often used by businesses searching for pricing data. Software cannot substitute for an independent auditor, irrespective of the terminology used in the budget.
Middle Ground Doesn’t Need to be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are often inexpensive and familiar but become unwieldy when they are spread across many files.
The alternative doesn’t need be a platform for enterprise. CertAssist integrates the SOC 2 controls on a centralized board that can be edited templates for policy and evidence along with progress management, as well as read-only auditor access. The platform’s access is protected by an authentication process that requires multi-factor. The stated price for the launch is $225 per month, with a price that is regular at $375 monthly or $3,999 annually.
The same integration that reduces exposure is also possible through removing the need for it
CertAssist does not intentionally connect with the company’s operating systems. The evidence is presented without granting the compliance platform standing access to cloud and identity environments.
This option is not without its trade-offs. Evidence that could have easily been captured automatically should be supplied by the company. The manual effort is acceptable for a small team in exchange of a simpler setup, lower costs and less ties with third parties.
Buy Complexity When Complexity Solves the problem
A company that is growing may come to a point that manual evidence collection becomes inefficient. The cost of continuous monitoring and integration could be justified by the higher efficiency.
It is not required to purchase the most complicated compliance stack at this point. The goal is to streamline compliance, keep credible evidence and manage independent audits. Good software should remove friction from this process. If the implementation of the compliance platform begins to feel like a larger task than the preparation for SOC 2 itself, it could be a tool than the company currently needs.