Software designed to facilitate audits is known as compliance software. However, smaller companies could be put in a tricky situation: before they are able to manage their SOC 2 controls, they first have to implement the system, set up, and then learn an extensive compliance platform. It raises a good question. When does the tool that is designed to reduce compliance turn into a separate project?
CertAssist is the product of this frustration. Its founders had worked on compliance audits and implementations in SOC 2, ISO 27001 as well as other frameworks. They encountered numerous platforms with features and integrations. Moreover, organizations were still using spreadsheets to manage crucial elements of preparation for audits. For smaller businesses, a less complicated SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better solution.
Start with the task you need to complete
Take away the software terms and the essential requirement is simpler to comprehend. An organization must work through the relevant Trust Services Criteria, establish the appropriate controls, establish policies, gather evidence, keep track of progress and then make that information available for audits by an independent auditor. Platforms can be used to organize these tasks without having to connect them with every cloud service and identity system used by the company.
Integrations that are automated offer significant value. A large organization collecting evidence in a constantly evolving environment may save significant time with automation. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture necessary for SOC 2 for startups. A startup with a relatively small technology environment might prefer to provide evidence manually and avoid the hassle of maintaining multiple integrations.
Software and the Audit Are different expenses
When businesses treat all compliance costs as a single number, budgeting can become difficult. SOC 2 includes more than just software. Internal staff spend time making policies, addressing the issues with control, arranging evidence and working with the auditor. Independent audits also have their own fees.
Businesses looking for information about SOC 2 Certification Costs must also be aware of the differentiating the two: SOC 2 is not a certificate in the sense of ISO 27001. Instead, it provides an independent attestation and is not an official certification. But, “certification cost” is commonly used when businesses search for price information. Software is not a substitute for the independent auditor regardless of the terms used within the budget.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t Need to Be a Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets are cheap and easy to use, but they become awkward when policies, controls, evidence, ownership, and auditing communication start spreading across several files.
Alternatives to enterprise platforms don’t necessarily have to be costly. CertAssist consolidates the SOC2 controls and offers editable policies and templates for evidence. It also provides auditors with progress management as well as read-only access. Multi-factor authentication is needed to safeguard the platform. The advertised launch price of $225 is then followed by regular pricing of $375 per month or $3,999 annually.
A lack of integration could also mean less exposure
CertAssist intentionally does not connect to the operational systems of the company. The evidence is presented without giving the compliance platform access to cloud environments as well as the identity environment.
That approach involves a tradeoff. Information that could have been collected automatically must instead be supplied by the company. However, for small teams, the extra work might be justified for a less complicated setup, lower software costs, and fewer external connections.
Purchase Complexity when Complexity Solves the issue
Growing companies may get to a point at which manually capturing evidence will become inefficient. Continuous monitoring and large-scale integrations will pay off at the point you are.
In the meantime, the objective isn’t to buy the most sophisticated compliance platform available. It’s to get the compliance task well-organized, provide solid evidence, and ensure that the independent audit is manageable. Good software should remove the friction from the process. If the installation of the compliance platform is a feeling that it’s taking more time than preparing for SOC 2 in itself, it could not be enough.
