Compliance software is intended to make an audit easier. Smaller businesses often find themselves stuck in an awkward situation. Before they can put in their SOC 2 controls they must first install, configure and master an extensive compliance platform. It’s a great question. At what point does the device designed to cut down on compliance become a separate project that is its own?

CertAssist was a result of this discontent. Its creators had worked on compliance implementations and audits across SOC 2, ISO 27001 as well as other frameworks. They repeatedly encountered platforms packed with features and integrations while organizations still rely on spreadsheets for crucial elements of audit preparation. Simpler SOC 2 compliance software is sometimes the best solution for smaller organizations.

Start by identifying the task that has to be accomplished

If you can eliminate the terminology used by software It becomes much simpler to comprehend. The company needs to work through Trust Services Criteria and establish appropriate controls. They must also write down the policy, collect evidence, monitor their progress, as well as provide this information to independent auditors. Platforms are a great way to manage these functions without having to connect them to every cloud service or identity system the company has in place.

Automated integrations are certainly beneficial. Automating the process of gathering evidence for large corporations in a world that changes constantly can save time. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the same structure will be needed for SOC 2 by startups. A startup that has a small technology environment might prefer to do the evidence themselves and avoid maintaining numerous integrations.

Both the Software and Audit are two different costs.

It can be confusing to budget when businesses make every compliance expense one number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal staff members must devote time on preparing policies, addressing any gaps in management, arranging the evidence as well as working with auditors. Independent audits also charge their own fees.

Businesses researching SOC 2 Certification Cost must be aware of the differences: SOC 2 is not an official certificate as per the definition of ISO 27001. Instead, it provides an independent attestation, not an ordinary certification. Nevertheless, “certification cost” is commonly used when businesses search for price information. Software is not a substitute for the independent auditor regardless of the terminology used within the budget.

The Middle Ground Doesn’t Need to Be a Spreadsheet

Spreadsheets are cheap and easy to use However, they can be a bit awkward when guidelines, controls evidence, ownership and auditing communication start spreading across many files.

The alternative doesn’t have to be an enterprise platform. CertAssist displays the SOC 2 controls in the central board. It allows you to edit templates for policies and evidence, as well as progress tracking, and auditors have the ability to only read. The mandatory multi-factor authentication safeguards access to the system. The advertised launch price of $225 will be to be followed by regular pricing at $375 per month, or $3,999 per year.

The same system that minimizes exposure can also be achieved through removing the need for it

CertAssist intentionally does not connect to any company’s operational systems. It provides evidence without giving the platform with standing access to cloud or identity environments.

This strategy is not without its trade-offs. The company has to provide evidence that could have been collected from the automated system. The additional manual work is reasonable for a tiny group in exchange for more simple setup, lower cost and fewer relationships with third parties.

If Complexity is the answer to a problem, purchase It

In a business that is expanding that is growing, the manual collection of evidence could be inefficient. Continuous monitoring and large-scale integrations will pay off when you reach that point.

For now, the aim isn’t buying the most sophisticated compliance stack available. The objective is to manage compliance, keep credible evidence and make independent audits manageable. Good software should remove the friction from this process. If the implementation of the compliance platform feels like it takes longer than preparing for SOC 2 in itself, it could be too much.