Software that helps audits is referred to as compliance software. However, small companies can be put in a precarious position. They must set up or configure a compliance system before they can implement their SOC 2 control. This raises an interesting question. When does the instrument designed to decrease compliance work become another project of its own?
CertAssist is the result of this frustration. Its creators have worked on compliance implementations and audits, and ISO 27001 frameworks. The people who developed this software faced numerous challenges with platforms that came with many features and connections, while their employers employed spreadsheets for the preparation of important audit components. For smaller enterprises, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can at times be the most practical solution.
Begin with the Task that Has to be Done
Take away the software terms and the essential requirement is more understandable. The company must work through Trust Services Criteria and establish adequate control measures. They must also write down policies, collect evidence, and track their development, and offer this documentation to independent auditors. Platforms can be used to manage these processes without needing to link them with each cloud service or identity software that the company utilizes.
Integrations that are automated offer significant value. Automating the process of gathering evidence for large companies in a world that changes constantly can make it easier to save time. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture required to be used for SOC 2 for startups. If a startup operates in limited technology resources it could be best to make the necessary evidence available manually and avoid having many integrations.
The cost of an audit and software are two distinct costs.
The process of budgeting can become confusing when companies make every compliance expense one number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal staff are required to dedicate time to things like preparing policies and addressing gaps in control. They also collect evidence. The independent audit comes with its own fees as well.
Companies looking into SOC 2 Certification Cost should be aware of the terminology difference: SOC 2 is not an official certificate as per the definition of ISO 27001. Instead, it creates an independent attestation and is not the standard certification. When businesses are looking for pricing, they usually employ the term “certification costs”. No matter what terminology is employed in the budget, the software doesn’t replace the independent audit.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t Have to be an Excel Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be cheap and familiar but become unwieldy when they are spread across many files.
It isn’t necessary to use an enterprise platform as a substitute. CertAssist consolidates the SOC2 controls and provides editable policies as well as templates for evidence. It also provides auditors with progress management as well as access to read-only. The platform’s access is secured with an authentication process that requires multi-factor. The initial price for launch of $225 is then followed by regular pricing of $375 per month or $3,999 annually.
The same system that minimizes exposure is also possible by eliminating the need for it
CertAssist does not intentionally connect with a company’s operating systems. Evidence is provided without giving the compliance platform access to cloud and identity environments.
This method involves a tradeoff. Evidence that could have easily been obtained automatically has to be provided by the business. In the case of small teams, the extra work could be justified with a simple set-up and lower costs for software and with fewer external connections.
Purchase Complexity When Complexity Resolves a Problem
A growing organization may eventually arrive at a point where the manual process of gathering evidence is no longer efficient. This is when continuous monitoring and extensive integrations could pay their costs.
In the meantime, the objective isn’t buying the most advanced compliance stack available. It’s important to keep the evidence credible and organize the compliance process, and manage the independent audit. A good software program should eliminate friction from that process. Implementing the compliance platform might seem more like a task than preparing the SOC 2 itself. It could be that the company is not using numerous tools.
