Stop doing audit management the old way

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Audit management is mission-critical for regulated and technology-driven organizations—but most teams are still doing it the old way: with checklists, spreadsheets, scattered emails, and last-minute scrambles. It’s inefficient, stressful, and no longer fit for purpose in an always-on compliance landscape.

The good news: Audit management has evolved. Modern compliance teams are embracing automation, continuous monitoring, and platform-based workflows to deliver faster, more accurate, and more scalable audits. If you're still stuck managing audits manually, it’s time to rethink your approach.

How audit management used to work

Traditionally, audit management relied heavily on manual processes. Teams prepared for audits by assembling documents, chasing down evidence, and emailing spreadsheets weeks—or even months—before the scheduled engagement.

Planning and evidence gathering were standalone processes. Before an audit began, compliance teams scoped systems, mapped controls, and collected artifacts manually. When auditors requested clarifications or additional evidence, the back-and-forth extended timelines and introduced delays.

Audits were point-in-time snapshots. Whether pursuing a SOC 2 report or ISO 27001 certification, organizations typically treated audits as isolated events. That meant starting over every cycle, with little carryover from past efforts or centralized audit history.

Communication was fragmented. Teams used email, file shares, and chat tools to coordinate across stakeholders—internal control owners, external auditors, and consultants. With siloed tools and disconnected systems, version control was a constant challenge.

This manual, reactive approach may have worked for smaller teams and annual audits. But in today’s regulatory landscape—with increasing framework overlap, evolving threats, and higher customer expectations—it no longer delivers.

Common challenges in outdated audit processes

Modern compliance isn’t getting simpler. As frameworks converge and expectations rise, the old way of audit management creates unnecessary risk, friction, and costs.

Scoping mistakes create rework. Including the wrong systems or missing key subprocessors leads to audit exceptions—or worse, limited-use reports that break trust with customers. Determining the proper scope early, especially for frameworks like SOC 2 or PCI DSS, is essential but error-prone without structure.

Poor evidence quality slows auditor review. Standards like ISO 19011 and NIST 800-53A emphasize verifiable, relevant, and sampled evidence. But many teams submit screenshots with no metadata, inconsistent exports, or outdated policy docs—forcing back-and-forth that prolongs the audit timeline.

Unqualified assessors risk wasted time. Some organizations unknowingly engage firms that lack the authority to perform their desired audit—such as non-CPA consultancies issuing SOC 2 reports. Using a provider without proper accreditation leads to results that may be rejected by customers, partners, or regulators.

Every framework feels like starting over. Without a centralized system to manage controls, evidence, and mappings across standards, each audit engagement becomes a one-off effort. That’s especially painful for fast-scaling companies pursuing multiple frameworks like ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HITRUST.

Manual tracking and updates cause drift. Compliance environments change constantly. Teams spending weeks gathering evidence for an audit may miss updates in systems or security posture—causing misalignment between controls, documentation, and what’s actually happening in production.

Left unaddressed, these challenges slow down audits, inflate costs, and can impact trust with customers or regulators.

What audit management looks like in 2026

Audit management is shifting toward an always-on, integrated model—where audit readiness is not an event but a state. In 2026, best-in-class compliance programs are built on five key pillars:

Continuous monitoring replaces manual checks. Real-time visibility into your controls ensures your posture is always current—so you’re never scrambling to prove compliance. Tools pull data directly from systems of record (e.g., cloud platforms, ticketing systems, HR tools) and alert you when something drifts out of scope.

Automation handles evidence collection and validation. Evidence is automatically collected through pre-vetted integrations and organized by control. Smart validation—such as Thoropass’s First Pass AI—flags missing elements or outdated artifacts before they reach the auditor, reducing delays by catching issues early.

Frameworks are unified, not siloed. Instead of duplicating effort for each standard, controls and evidence are mapped centrally. For example, access review procedures may satisfy requirements in SOC 2, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS simultaneously—removing duplication and easing the burden on internal teams.

Audit workspaces replace emails and spreadsheets. Platforms provide a shared space where auditors can review and comment on evidence, ask follow-up questions, and track progress. This accelerates engagement, reduces version confusion, and brings transparency to the whole process.

Accredited assessors are integrated into the platform. In 2026, organizations expect their audit providers to be part of the same system they use to manage compliance. That means working with firms that are licensed CPA providers (for SOC 2), PCI QSA Companies, HITRUST Authorized Assessors, and ISO-accredited partners—so you never have to switch systems or resubmit evidence to meet framework requirements.

This new model makes audit readiness a continuous process, reduces compliance fatigue for internal teams, and improves outcomes across cost, speed, and quality.

Thoropass modernizes audit management

At Thoropass, we believe compliance shouldn’t slow you down. That’s why we’ve reimagined audit management as an integrated, always-on function—engineered for speed, accuracy, and scale.

End-to-end visibility with a unified platform. Thoropass connects your tech stack with pre-built integrations across cloud platforms, identity providers, vulnerability scanners, ticketing systems, and more. Automated data collection keeps your evidence current and eliminates manual upload cycles.

Faster audits through smart automation. Features like First Pass AI proactively check evidence for completeness, formatting, and alignment with control requirements before it ever reaches your auditor. That means fewer back-and-forth emails and faster closure on exceptions.

Supports all major frameworks from one system. Whether you’re pursuing SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HITRUST, or FedRAMP, you can use the same set of documented controls and shared evidence—mapped across frameworks for efficiency and consistency.

Audits by qualified professionals inside the platform. Thoropass is a licensed CPA firm for SOC attestation, a PCI QSA Company, a HITRUST Authorized Assessor, and works with accredited partners for ISO and FedRAMP. Our auditors never grade their own work—which means your results are credible, verified, and aligned with professional standards.

Scalable compliance for fast-growing companies. As your business expands into new markets or industries, you can easily layer on new frameworks, track ongoing monitoring, and maintain readiness from quarter to quarter—not just when an audit is due.

Compliance at the pace of your business

Compliance shouldn’t be reactive. The shift from manual audit prep to automated, integrated audit management enables your team to protect data, satisfy partners, and meet regulatory obligations without sacrificing speed or focus.

Why it matters: A modern approach to audit management doesn’t just reduce prep time—it improves evidence quality, ensures auditor alignment, and protects your reputation with every engagement.

Stop doing audits the old way. With Thoropass, you're always ready. Schedule a discovery session today to get started.