A compliance program should make auditing easier. But small businesses can be placed in a tough spot. They need to set up, configure and master a compliance platform before they can organize their SOC 2 control. It raises a good question. What happens when a tool designed to decrease compliance work transform into an entirely new project?
CertAssist was conceived out of the frustration. The CertAssist founders were familiar with compliance audits and implementations of ISO 27001 and SOC 2 frameworks. They frequently encountered platforms brimming with features and integrations while firms still relied on spreadsheets for essential elements of preparation for audits. For smaller organizations, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can sometimes be the more practical answer.
Begin with the Tasks that Have to be completed
Take away the software terms and the fundamental requirement will become simpler to comprehend. It is crucial that companies know the Trust Services Criteria. This involves establishing proper controls, obtaining evidence, tracking progress, and recording the policies. Platforms are able to manage these activities without needing to be connected with all cloud services or identity systems that companies use.
Automated integrations definitely have value. Automation can save a large company a lot of time in collecting data in a dynamic environment. This doesn’t mean that the same structure will be needed for SOC 2 by startups. Startups with a compact technology infrastructure might prefer to take evidence in a manual manner instead of managing a number of integrations.
The cost of auditing and that of the software are two different expenses
Budgeting becomes a mess when companies make every compliance expense one number. SOC 2 includes more than only software. The internal staff is required to spend time on making policies and addressing control gaps. They also collect evidence. Independent audits have their own fees as well.
Companies who are researching SOC 2 Certification Cost must also be aware of the differentiating the two: SOC 2 is not a certification in the sense of ISO 27001. Instead, it provides an independent attestation rather than an official certification. However the phrase “certification cost”, which is often used by businesses when searching for pricing details, is still widely used. Whatever language is used in the budget, software doesn’t replace the independent auditor.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are often familiar and cost-effective, but they can be uncomfortable when multiple files are used for communication of policies, control ownership, evidence, ownership and audit information.
Alternatives to enterprise platforms don’t necessarily need to be costly. CertAssist shows the SOC 2 controls on one central display, and offers editable templates for policies and evidence, along with progress tracking, and auditors have the ability to only see. The platform’s access is secured with the requirement of multi-factor authentication. The advertised launch price of $225 is to be followed by regular pricing at $375 per month, or $3,999 annually.
A lack of integration can also mean More Exposure
CertAssist deliberately doesn’t connect to a company’s operational systems. Evidence is presented but does not grant the compliance platform access to cloud environments and identity environments.
The method is a compromise. It is the responsibility of the company to provide proof that could have been automatically collected. However, for small teams, the added work could be justified for a less complicated setup as well as lower software costs and with fewer external connections.
If Complexity Solves a Problem, Buy It
A growing company may eventually reach a point where the manual process of collecting evidence can become unproductive. Continuous monitoring and extensive integrations may pay their cost.
The goal of a compliance stack isn’t to be the most advanced one that is available. The goal is to organize compliance, preserve evidence that is credible and ensure that independent audits are managed. A good software program should eliminate friction from this process. If implementing the compliance platform starts to seem like a bigger task than the preparation for SOC 2 itself, it could be a tool than the company currently requires.