Standing up a strong compliance program is critical for any organization expected to show adherence to SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI, ISO27001 and other frameworks – and it can be very challenging. For starters, you have to juggle evidence collection, task management, policy mappings, and monitor controls across multiple frameworks. And it’s not a one-time project; you must maintain constant vigilance to protect your company and customers, because the point of compliance isn’t just to pass an audit – it’s to ensure a secure operating environment that your customers can trust.
Additionally, many of the standard compliance processes are cumbersome, relying on ad-hoc spreadsheet maintenance, hunting for evidence, and other time-consuming, non-scalable activities.
This is where compliance automation software comes in. In this article, we’ll explore how it can help you save time with evidence collection, task management, policy mapping, control testing, and continuous monitoring – across multiple frameworks. We’ll also discuss how automation alone is not enough – it must be part of a robust, transparent GRC program that builds a foundation of trust with customers and auditors.
Compliance Automation Software Makes Evidence Collection Easy
First off, what is compliance automation?
Compliance automation refers to the use of software and technology to streamline compliance processes within an organization.
How would compliance automation software help with evidence collection?
The best solutions on the market integrate directly with your systems so evidence is collected programmatically. Not only does that result in drastic time savings, but it also ensures that the evidence is always accurate and up-to-date.
Effective evidence collection relies on a combination of systems integrations, an intuitive UI so you know the status of current programs, and a reliable, always-on platform so no additional setup is required for annual audits and ongoing monitoring.
Compliance Automation Software Empowers Teamwork with Task Management
Can compliance automation software make collaboration easier?
Yes! Compliance is a team sport, and it’s about time we made it easier to collaborate.
These tools allow organizations to prioritize tasks, assign them to the right people and notify them when a task is due. Critically, compliance automation software should integrate with your project management software (e.g. JIRA) so tasks can be created automatically – one less thing for your Head of GRC to do.
Compliance Automation Software Maps Policies & Tests Controls Across Multiple Frameworks
What’s the benefit of programmatically mapping policies and testing controls across multiple frameworks?
The time-saving benefits of compliance automation software described for evidence collection also apply to policy mapping and control testing. The efficiency and effectiveness is compounded when applied across multiple frameworks, like SOC 2 and HIPAA. This is done through two ways: a common controls framework that reduces redundant work across all frameworks, and a gap analysis feature, which identifies overlaps and gaps in policies and controls between different frameworks, so it’s easier for organizations to understand how much work is required to meet multiple requirements.
Moreover, premier solutions provide connections with audit partners that are accredited and equipped to perform multiple audits, rather than just one for one standard. Think SOC 2, which requires a CPA firm, vs. ISO 27001, which requires an ISO-accredited auditor. Why not consolidate efforts where it makes sense? This makes the process easier not just for you, but for them as well.
Compliance Automation is Just the Beginning – How TrustOps Goes Beyond
TrustOps is a TrustCloud application that elevates compliance automation into programmatic trust assurance. Some compliance automation tools focus on faster check-the-box compliance, meeting bare minimum requirements at a single point in time, which creates an insecure program.
How does TrustOps turn compliance automation into trust assurance?
- Verification that programmatically collected evidence meets your control objectives
- Always-on testing of controls for real-time insight into program status and continuous compliance verification
- Easy-to-use interface with workflow integrations (e.g. JIRA) encourages adoption and adherence
- Reliable integrations that scale, for a platform you can trust over time
- Adaptive governance to generate, adapt, and validate a company’s infosec and privacy policies as regulatory, contractual or compliance obligations grow and become more complex
TrustCloud makes your entire GRC program more efficient and effective, including: It’s only a matter of time before you make the transition from manual compliance processes to programmatic trust assurance, so what are you waiting for? Let’s talk! Schedule a demo with us today.
