Software developed to aid in audits is known as compliance software. Small companies are often in a precarious position. Before they can begin implementing their SOC 2 controls they must first install, set up and understand a complex platform for compliance. This leads to a crucial question. What is the point at which a tool that can decrease compliance work transform into the creation of a new project?
CertAssist is the result of this frustration. The CertAssist founders were familiar with compliance audits as well as implementations within the ISO 27001 and SOC 2 frameworks. They found platforms with a wide range of features and integrations, but firms were still using spreadsheets for the primary aspects of audit preparation. SOC 2 is simpler SOC 2 compliance software is often the most effective solution for smaller enterprises.
Start with the task you need to complete
If you eliminate the terminology used by software it will be much easier to understand. The company must work through the pertinent Trust Services Criteria, establish proper controls, create policies, collect evidence, track progress, and make the material accessible for audits by an independent auditor. Platforms can manage these functions without having to be linked with the various identity or cloud-based services a company utilizes.
Integrations that are automated have many benefits. Automating the collection of evidence by large corporations in an environment which is always changing can make it easier to save time. That doesn’t automatically make the same system essential for SOC 2 for startups. If a startup has only a tiny technology infrastructure it might be better to provide the evidence manually and to avoid the need for many integrations.
The Software and the Audit are two different costs.
Budgeting becomes confusing when companies take every compliance expense as one number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal staff are required to devote time to the following: preparing policies and fixing control gaps. They also organize evidence. The audit independent also has its own fees.
In researching SOC 2 costs, businesses should be aware of a crucial distinction in terms. SOC 2 produces a report that is not a certification and not a certification as defined by ISO 27001. Nevertheless, “certification cost” is typically used by businesses looking for pricing information. Whatever term is used in a budget, the software doesn’t replace the independent audit.
Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets might be familiar and affordable, however they may be uncomfortable if multiple files are used to convey policies, control evidence, ownership, and audit communication.
It isn’t necessary to use an enterprise platform to serve as a substitute. CertAssist displays the SOC 2 controls on a central board, allows you to edit templates for policies and evidence, progress tracking, and auditors can only view. Multi-factor authentication is required to secure the platform. The initial price for the platform is $225 per month. The normal price is $375 a month or $3999 per year.
The absence of integration also means More Exposure
CertAssist intentionally does not connect to the company’s operational systems. It provides evidence without giving the compliance platform access to cloud or identity environments.
The drawback is that this strategy requires an arrangement. The evidence that could have been taken automatically should instead be provided by the company. But for smaller teams, the added work might be justified with a simpler set-up, lower software costs, and with fewer external connections.
Purchase Complexity when Complexity Solves the issue
A growing company may eventually come to a point that manual evidence collection can become unproductive. This is when continuous monitoring and extensive integrations may pay their costs.
For now, the aim isn’t necessarily to buy the most sophisticated compliance stack available. It’s to get the compliance process well-organized, provide reliable evidence, and enable the independent audit to be manageable. Software that’s designed properly will make this process simpler. Implementing a compliance platform can appear more like a job rather than preparing the SOC 2 itself. It might be that the company is not using more tools.
