A software for compliance should make auditing easier. However, small-sized businesses are put in a difficult position. They need to set up or configure the platform for compliance before they can organise their SOC 2 control. This raises an interesting question. When will the tool that is designed to reduce compliance, become a separate program?
CertAssist was conceived out of this frustration. CertAssist’s founders had worked on compliance audits as well as implementations within the ISO 27001 and SOC 2 frameworks. The creators of this software were constantly confronted by platforms with a variety of features and integrations, while their employers utilized spreadsheets to create important audit components. For smaller organizations, simpler SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better option.
Begin with the job you need to complete
Eliminate the terminology used by software and the core requirement becomes simpler to comprehend. It is important that a company comprehend the Trust Services Criteria. This involves establishing the right controls, gathering evidence, monitoring progress, and recording policies. Platforms can handle these tasks without having to be linked with the various identity or cloud-based services companies utilize.
Integrations that are automated can be extremely valuable. Automating can save a large organization lots of time while collecting evidence in a changing environment. That doesn’t automatically make the same architecture necessary for SOC 2 for startups. Startups that have a small technology infrastructure might prefer to collect evidence manually instead of managing a number of integrations.
Both the Software and Audit are different expenses
It is difficult to budget when companies consider each compliance expense an individual number. SOC 2 includes more than only software. Internal staff members are responsible for creating policies, addressing the issues with control, arranging evidence and working with the auditor. The independent audit has its own fee as well.
Companies who are researching SOC 2 certification cost should be aware of a difference in terminology: SOC 2 produces an independent attestation report instead of an actual certification in the same terms as ISO 27001. However the phrase “certification cost” is frequently used by businesses when searching for pricing information, is nevertheless widely used. Whatever terminology is used in a budget, software cannot replace an independent audit.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets may be familiar and cost-effective, but they can become uncomfortable when multiple spreadsheets are used to share policies, controls evidence, ownership, and audit communications.
The alternative doesn’t need be an enterprise platform. CertAssist displays the SOC 2 controls in one central display, and includes editable templates to govern policy and evidence, and progress tracking, and auditors will only read. Multi-factor authentication is essential to secure the platform. The initial price for the platform is $225 per month. The normal price is $375 per month or $3999 per year.
The same integration that reduces exposure can be accomplished through removing the need for it.
CertAssist deliberately does not connect to the operational systems of the company. The evidence provided is not given without giving the compliance platform a permanent access to cloud and identity environments.
The disadvantage is that this approach requires an arrangement. The business must present evidence that could have been obtained using the automated system. For smaller teams, the additional work could be justified with a simpler set-up as well as lower software costs and fewer external connections.
Buy Complexity When Complexity Solves a Problem
Growing companies may get to a point at which manual evidence collection can become unproductive. Continuous monitoring and extensive integrations can earn their cost.
It is not required to purchase the most complex compliance platform until later. It’s to get the compliance tasks done, preserve credible evidence, and ensure that the independent audit is manageable. Good software should remove friction from the process. If implementing the compliance platform begins to feel like a larger task than the preparation for SOC 2 itself, it may simply be more tools than the company requires.