Conducting a compliance software questions and answers session can be a helpful step in deciding on the best compliance platform for your organization. Therefore, this article lists 21 questions and explains the logic behind asking them. Read them out and consider putting them forward to ensure that you subscribe to the best compliance software, and never regret your decision in the future.

Compliance Software Questions to Ask Before Buying a Compliance DMS

Before you purchase a compliance software subscription, you must consider asking some questions to understand the software better and set clear expectations around it. Here are the questions that’ll make the conversation with your vendor easier and more meaningful.

1. How Secure Is the Compliance Software?

Not every software is secure and prioritizes the security of its users and their information. Thus, it’s important to ask this question to be certain about the amount of security the respective software offers.

See how secure ComplyNexus is.

2. Which Authentication Mechanisms Does the System Use?

To gain clarity regarding the system’s security, you should ask about the authentication mechanisms the tool uses. You can break down this question into multiple queries based on the authentication techniques you prefer, and ask them one after the other.

3. How Quick Notifications Will You Receive?

Have you ever used an application that sent you a notification hours after the event occurred? Hence, it would be best to put forward this question before purchasing the software.

Note that ComplyNexus will send you an instant notification whenever a new document is uploaded.

4. Does the Tool Automatically Generate Reports?

Asking this question will allow you to know if the software developers expect the users to put in the time and extra effort to generate reports or if they leverage automation for it.

Related Read: How ComplyNexus uses AI for automatic report generation.

5. Does the Software Offer Global Accessibility?

If you are planning to scale your organization to different parts of the world, or your compliance teams already work remotely, it would be best to ask the given question.

A Good Read: Manage compliance tasks in multiple sites using ComplyNexus.

6. How Many Languages Does the Tool Support?

Today, it’s quite normal to have your compliance documents written in different languages. However, not all tools support multiple languages, posing a problem in managing the documents. Therefore, consider asking this question to clarify the subject.

Learn about the multilingual support provided by ComplyNexus.

7. Does the Software Have a User-friendly User Interface?

An easy-to-use user interface helps the compliance teams leverage the rich features and functionalities of the compliance document management system. However, a complex UI complicates your compliance process. So, consider the UI of the software before making a decision.

You’d be glad to note that ComplyNexus offers an extremely simple UI complimented by the Kanban board view.

8. Can the Tool Help With Handling Multiple Compliance Frameworks?

If you want to align with different compliance frameworks, putting forward this query will give you clarity on whether the software you are considering supports all of the required standards. This is because there are many standard-specific software available in the market that will otherwise cause issues for your organization.

9. Can Only Certain Device Types Access the System?

Considering remote working, you might need software that can run flawlessly on different types of devices. Therefore, it would be best to confirm if you can access the respective tool using different devices, including a variety of mobile phones.

10. Does the Software Track Compliance Analytics Beyond Basics?

This question deals with understanding how advanced the software is. Here, beyond basics refers to the compliance analytics that gives you more details than just informing you if you have successfully met the compliance requirements or not.

11. Can You Deploy the Software Locally, on the Cloud, or Both?

Based on your data storage requirements, you might like to have locally hosted software, a cloud-based tool, or one that allows both options. Hence, presenting this question will help you make a better decision.

12. How Does the Tool Ensure Security While Document Sharing?

You must ask the given question to know about the safe sharing of the compliance documents by using the tool. It will also help you understand the necessary security settings and features.

13. Does the Software Keep Copies of Its Access and Audit Records?

Now, the above question will allow you to explore the behind-the-scenes of the software. You’ll know whether the tool copies and creates a data backup or not.

14. How Frequently Do You Bring New Features? How Will You Deploy Them?

Getting an answer to these queries will ensure that you have clear expectations regarding the software updates. Plus, you’ll be already aware of the deployment procedure, freeing up the update implementation process from stress and confusion.

15. Will It Be Possible to Access the Documents During a Disaster?

Encountering disasters isn’t a rare thing. Therefore, you must ask the software owner whether the software will let you access the documents even in the event of a disaster. If not, what’s the second plan they have for you?

16. How Good Is the Tool Based on Its Speed and Performance?

Performance and speed are the two important aspects of software. While you consider other features and functionalities, don’t forget to discuss the given aspects.

17. Will the Software Remind You About Meeting Certain Requirements?

An organization has to deal with plenty of tasks. That’s why it’s possible to get some compliance tasks slipped off your mind. Software that offers reminders can provide extra help in meeting the requirements timely. So, consider asking the given question as well.

You’d be surprised to know that ComplyNexus does offer such reminders.

18. Is the Software Customizable?

Being able to customize the software based on your needs gives you more control over compliance document management, ensuring that you get to leverage the system – all while tailoring it as per your desire. Therefore, it’s one of the most important compliance software questions to ask.

19. How Fastly Will the Tool Be Updated to Match the Standards Changes?

Standards changes keep coming now and then. Therefore, ask and confirm if the tool you are about to buy can quickly adapt to the changes in standards, requirements, and policies. Of course, you can’t wait for months and years for the changes to be updated in your system.

20. What Will Be the Deployment Time and Total Cost?

You must ask the software owner about the deployment period and total cost of the software. This way you’ll know if the particular software is expensive or affordable according to your budget and if it fulfills your deployment period expectations.

21. How Much Support Do You Offer?

Go forward, and ask the software team about the support they are willing to offer you. It’s crucial to know before making any payments whether you’ll be having support 24/7, only on any particular day, or the team doesn’t have a support center available yet.

Conclusion

Now, you have a long list of compliance software questions, guiding you in your software-purchasing process by highlighting the important aspects. Feel free to tweak them or add more questions to the list based on your need for information. Hope your compliance process never becomes a burden for you.

Also, in case you need any help regarding streamlining your compliance document management tasks, reach out to us at ComplyNexus any hour of the day.