The purpose of compliance software is to make an audit easier. However, small businesses may be placed in a tough spot. They have to implement the configuration, set up and manage a compliance platform before they can implement their SOC 2 control. This leads to a crucial question. What happens when a tool designed to make compliance easier turn into the creation of a new project?
CertAssist is the product of this frustration. Its creators had worked on compliance implementations and audits across SOC 2, ISO 27001 and various frameworks. They came across platforms that offered a variety of functions and integrations, yet organizations used spreadsheets for the primary components of preparation for audits. For smaller organizations, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can occasionally be the best answer.
Start With the Job That Has to be Done
Eliminate the jargon of software and it is easier to understand. The business must follow the Trust Services Criteria and establish suitable control measures. They must also write down policies, collect evidence, keep track of their performance, and make this material available to independent auditors. Platforms can handle these processes without having to be connected with all cloud services or identity systems that a company utilizes.
Automated integrations are certainly beneficial. A large organization collecting evidence from a continuously changing environment may save significant time with automation. But this doesn’t mean that exactly the same architecture is required to be used for SOC 2 in startups. If a startup has limited technology resources, it may be preferable to provide the evidence manually and not have a lot of integrations.
Software and Audits Are Different Expenses
When companies consider all compliance expenses as a single number, budgeting becomes confusing. SOC 2 includes more than simply software. Internal staff spend time making policies, addressing the issues with control, arranging evidence and working together with the auditor. The independent audit also comes with its own fees.
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, the term “certification cost” is frequently utilized by businesses searching for pricing details, is still commonly used. Software does not replace the independent auditor regardless of the terms used in the budget.
The Middle Ground isn’t required to be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are often inexpensive and familiar, but they can become a hassle when they are spread over many files.
It is not necessary to utilize an enterprise platform as a substitute. CertAssist displays the SOC 2 controls on a central board, includes editable templates to govern policy and evidence, and progress tracking, and auditors will only read. The platform’s access is protected by a multi-factor authentication requirement. The platform’s launch price is $225 a month. Regular pricing is $375 per month or $3999 per year.
In addition, no integration could mean A Less Exposed
CertAssist deliberately doesn’t connect to the operational systems of a company. Evidence is presented but does not grant the compliance platform access to cloud environments as well as the identity environment.
That approach involves a tradeoff. It is the obligation for the company to supply evidence which could have been automatically collected. For a small team, however, the additional manual effort may be worth it in exchange for a simpler installation, less software cost, and fewer third-party connections.
Complexity Purchase when it Solves a Problem
Growing companies may reach a point at which manual evidence gathering becomes inefficient. Continuous monitoring and extensive integrations may pay their fees.
The purpose of a compliance stack isn’t to be the most sophisticated one that is available. It’s important to maintain the credibility of the evidence, organize the compliance work and handle the independent audit. Software that’s well designed will make this process simpler. If the implementation of the compliance platform begins to seem like a bigger project than preparing for SOC 2 itself, it may simply be more tool than what the business currently needs.