Software that helps audits is referred to as compliance software. Yet small companies can be caught in a tense situation. Before they can organize their SOC 2 controls, they must first implement or configure an extensive compliance platform. This poses a question. When did the device which is intended to lower compliance, become a separate program?
CertAssist grew out of that frustration. The CertAssist founders were familiar with compliance audits as well as implementations within the ISO 27001 and SOC 2 frameworks. The program’s creators had to contend with platforms with a variety of options and integrations, while the organizations they worked for used spreadsheets to write crucial audit documents. For smaller enterprises, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better option.
Begin by listing the Tasks That Must Be Completed
Eliminate the terminology used by software and the core requirement becomes simpler to comprehend. It is important that businesses know the Trust Services Criteria. This involves establishing appropriate controls, collecting evidence, keeping track of the progress of the process and establishing the policies. Platforms can handle these processes without having to be connected to all cloud services or identity systems that companies utilize.
Integrations that are automated can be very valuable. Automating can save a large business a lot of time while collecting data in a dynamic environment. This doesn’t mean that the same infrastructure required for SOC 2 for startups. If a startup has only a tiny technology infrastructure it could be best to create evidence by hand and avoid having many integrations.
The Software and the Audit are two different costs.
The process of budgeting is a challenge when businesses take each compliance expense as a separate number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. The internal staff must spend time in preparing policies, addressing any gaps in control, organizing evidence as well as working with auditors. The audit independent also has its own cost.
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. Nevertheless, “certification cost” is frequently used by companies searching for pricing information. Software is not a substitute for an independent auditor, regardless of the terms employed in the budget.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t Have to Be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be affordable and familiar, but they can become a hassle when they are spread across multiple files.
Alternatives to enterprise platforms don’t necessarily have to be expensive. CertAssist places the SOC 2 controls on a central board and provides editable templates for policy and evidence including progress management and read-only auditor access. Access to the platform is secured by the requirement of multi-factor authentication. The launch price stated at $225 will be to be followed by regular pricing at $375 per month, or $3,999 per year.
The absence of integration also means A Less Exposed
CertAssist intentionally doesn’t connect to any company’s operational systems. The platform for compliance isn’t given access to the cloud or the identity system.
The trade-off is that this approach requires the use of compromise. It is the duty of the business to provide proof that could have been automatically collected. The manual effort is reasonable for a tiny team in exchange of a easier setup, less expense and less connections to third party.
Purchase Complexity when Complexity Solves a Problem
An expanding company could eventually get to a point at which manual evidence collection is no longer efficient. The cost of continuous monitoring and integration is justified by the higher effectiveness.
The purpose of the compliance stack isn’t to be the most sophisticated one available. The objective is to manage the compliance process, collect evidence and ensure that independent audits are managed. A well-designed software system should simplify the process. If the implementation of the compliance platform begins to feel like a much larger project than preparing for SOC 2 itself, it could be a tool than what the business currently requires.