Software developed to aid in audits is known as compliance software. However, small-sized businesses are put in a precarious position. They have to implement an, configure and maintain the compliance software before they can organize their SOC 2 control. That raises a useful question. What is the point at which a tool that can reduce compliance work turn into a new project?
CertAssist is the result of this anger. The team behind it worked on compliance implementations, audits as well as ISO 27001 frameworks. They came across platforms that offered a variety of integrations and features, but firms were still using spreadsheets for the primary aspects of audit preparation. SOC 2 software that is simple is more appropriate for smaller companies.
Start with the Tasks That Must Be Completed
If you eliminate the terminology used by software, it becomes much easier to comprehend. The company must work through the relevant Trust Services Criteria, establish appropriate controls, document policies, record evidence, keep track of progress and make the material accessible to audit by an independent third party. A platform can help organize these processes without having to be connected to each cloud service or identity system the business uses.
Automated integrations have a lot of value. Automating the gathering of evidence by large companies in an environment which is always changing can make it easier to save time. It doesn’t necessarily mean the same technology will be required for SOC 2 by startups. Startups that have a compact technology environment may prefer to do the evidence themselves and avoid maintaining numerous integrations.
The cost of auditing and the software are two different expenses
Budgeting becomes a mess when companies treat every compliance expense as one number. SOC 2 includes more than only software. Internal staff are busy making policies, addressing control gaps, organizing evidence and working with the auditor. Independent audits are also charged their own set of 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. If businesses are seeking pricing, they frequently utilize the term “certification costs”. Whatever the terminology used in the budget, software doesn’t substitute for the independent auditor.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t Need to Be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be cheap and familiar, but they can become a hassle when they are spread over multiple files.
Alternatives to enterprise platforms do not necessarily need to cost a lot. CertAssist places the SOC 2 controls on a central board, which includes editable template templates for policy and evidence as well as progress management and auditor access with read-only. Access to the platform is secured with a multi-factor authentication requirement. The launch price stated at $225 will be and will be followed by a regular price of $375 per month or $3,999 per year.
The same kind of integration that decreases exposure can also be achieved through removing the need for it
CertAssist does not purposely connect with the company’s operating systems. It provides evidence without giving the compliance platform a permanent access to identity and cloud environments.
That approach involves a tradeoff. It is the duty of the business to provide the evidence that could have been collected automatically. The manual effort is reasonable for a small team in exchange of a more simple setup, lower cost and fewer connections with third parties.
If Complexity solves a problem, buy It
Growing companies may reach a point where manual evidence collection is no longer efficient. Monitoring continuously and extensive integrations can earn their costs.
The goal until then isn’t to purchase the most sophisticated compliance system available. The goal is to organize compliance, keep credible evidence and make independent audits manageable. Good software should remove friction from that process. If implementing the compliance platform begins to feel like a much larger project than preparing for SOC 2 itself, it may be simply a more powerful software than a company requires.