A compliance software will make auditing easier. However, smaller companies could be put in a tricky position: before they can set up their SOC 2 controls, they first must implement an SOC 2 system, then configure and master an extensive compliance platform. This raises an interesting question. When does the tool that was designed to ease compliance tasks become a new project that is its own?

CertAssist is the product of this frustration. The team behind it have worked on compliance implementations and audits, and ISO 27001 frameworks. They discovered platforms that had many features and integrations, but companies used spreadsheets to handle the most crucial parts of audit preparation. Simpler SOC 2 compliance software is often the best option for smaller organizations.

Start with the Work That Has to be Done

Remove the software jargon and it becomes more understandable. The company must work through the relevant Trust Services Criteria, establish the appropriate controls, establish policies, record evidence, track progress, and then make the information available for independent audit. Platforms can manage these actions without needing to connect to each cloud service or identity system that the company operates.

Integrations that are automated offer significant value. Automating the collection of evidence for large organizations in an environment that is constantly changing could reduce time. This doesn’t mean that the same technology is required for SOC 2 in startups. Startups with a compact technology environment may prefer to provide evidence manually and not maintain a multitude of integrations.

The Audit and the Software Are Different Expenses

The process of budgeting can become confusing when companies consider every compliance expense as one number. The SOC 2 cost includes more than software. Internal employees are involved in creating policies, addressing weaknesses in control, organizing evidence, and collaborating with the auditor. Independent audits also charge fees of their own.

In researching SOC 2 cost, businesses should be aware of a fundamental distinction in terminology. SOC 2 produces a report that is independent and is not a certification as specified by ISO 27001. Nevertheless, “certification cost” is frequently used by companies searching for pricing data. No matter what terminology is employed in the budget, the software is not a substitute for an independent audit.

The Middle Ground isn’t required to be an Excel Spreadsheet

Spreadsheets might be familiar and cost-effective, but they can be uncomfortable when multiple files are utilized for communication of policies, control evidence, ownership, and audit communication.

The alternative doesn’t need to be an enterprise platform. CertAssist consolidates the SOC2 controls and lets you edit policies and templates for proving. It also gives auditors and progress management with read-only access. Multi-factor authentication is essential to protect the platform. The initial price for the platform is $225 per month. Regular pricing is $375 per month, or $3999 per year.

The absence of integration also means less exposure

CertAssist is not designed to connect to the operational systems of a company. Evidence is presented but does not grant the platform with access to cloud environments and identity environments.

The method is a compromise. The company has to provide evidence that could have been collected through an automated system. But for smaller teams, the extra work could be justified by a more simple setup with lower software expenses, and less external connections.

Purchase Complexity when it solves the issue

Growing companies may arrive at a point when manual evidence collection is no longer efficient. Continuous monitoring and extensive integrations may pay their price.

The goal until then isn’t buying the most advanced compliance platform available. It’s to get the compliance task well-organized, provide the credibility of evidence and ensure that the independent audit is manageable. Good software should remove friction from this process. If the implementation of the compliance platform is beginning to appear like a more complex project than the process of preparing for SOC 2 itself, it could be a tool than the company currently requires.