A compliance program should make auditing easier. But small businesses can be placed in a tough spot. They must implement an, configure and maintain the platform for compliance before they can organise their SOC 2 control. That raises a useful question. When did the device which is intended to lower compliance, turn into a separate task?
CertAssist was conceived out of this frustration. Its creators were involved in compliance implementations, audits, and ISO 27001 frameworks. They frequently encountered platforms brimming with features and integrations while businesses still rely on spreadsheets for crucial elements of auditing process. For smaller companies, a simpler SOC 2 compliance software can often be the better option.
Start with the Tasks That Need to Be Done
If you eliminate the terms used in software it is much easier to comprehend. The company must work through the relevant Trust Services Criteria, establish adequate controls, write down policies, gather evidence, track progress, and make that material available for audits conducted by an independent entity. A platform is able to manage those tasks without having to connect to each cloud service or identity system that the company operates.
Integrations that are automated have many advantages. An organization that collects data across a constantly changing environment could save significant time by automating. It doesn’t necessarily mean the same architecture will be needed to be used for SOC 2 by startups. A startup with a relatively small technology environment might prefer to do the evidence themselves and not maintain a multitude of integrations.
The cost of the audit and software are two distinct costs.
When companies consider all compliance costs as one number, budgeting can be difficult. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal staff are busy creating policies, addressing control gaps, organizing evidence and working with the auditor. Independent audits are also charged their own 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. However, “certification cost” is typically used by businesses looking for price information. Software does not replace the independent auditor regardless of the terminology employed in the budget.
The Middle Ground Doesn’t have to be A Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets can be inexpensive and comfortable, but they are cumbersome when they are spread over multiple files.
It is not required to use an enterprise-level platform as a substitute. CertAssist centralizes the SOC2 control and provides editable policies as well as templates for proving. It also gives progress management and auditors with access only to read. Multi-factor authentication is required for security purposes to ensure the system is secure. The price of the platform’s initial launch is $225 monthly. The regular price is $375 per month or $3999 per year.
The absence of integration also means less exposure
CertAssist does not purposely connect with a company’s operating systems. Evidence is presented, but without granting the compliance platform access to cloud environments or identities environments.
The approach is a compromise. It is the duty of the business to provide proof that could have been collected automatically. The extra manual work is reasonable for a smaller group in exchange for easier setup, less expense and less connections to third party.
If Complexity Solves a Problem, Purchase It
A company that is growing may come to a point that the manual method of gathering evidence becomes inefficient. Monitoring and monitoring continuously and integration can be justifiable by the increase in effectiveness.
The objective of a compliance stack is not to be the best one in the market. The goal is to streamline the compliance process, collect evidence and allow independent audits to be managed. Good software should remove the friction from the process. The implementation of the compliance platform could appear more like a job as opposed to preparing the SOC 2 itself. It might be that the company doesn’t require more tools.
