Stop doing evidence review the old way

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Complying with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, or PCI DSS requires rigorous audit preparation. At the heart of every successful audit is evidence review—the process of collecting and evaluating documentation to prove that controls are in place and operating effectively. But for too long, organizations have relied on outdated, manual methods that slow them down and leave them exposed to risk.

It’s time to stop doing evidence review the old way.

How evidence review has traditionally worked

Evidence review serves a critical purpose: it enables auditors to determine whether your organization meets the criteria required for a compliance framework. That decision hinges on “sufficient appropriate” evidence—enough of the right kind of documentation to form a reliable opinion about your controls.

For SOC 2, this means validating controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and/or privacy. For ISO/IEC 27001, it's about verifying your implementation of a certified information security management system (ISMS). And for PCI DSS, assessors test that cardholder data is being properly protected.

Historically, this review process was deeply manual. Organizations collected screenshots, pulled log files, copied policy documents, and answered countless emails from auditors. This involved working across tools and teams—documenting in Google Drive or SharePoint, exporting settings from cloud platforms, and hoping no critical artifacts went missing.

Then the auditor combs through this material to determine whether it meets the expectations of the framework. If something doesn’t check out—or is missing—you go back to the drawing board.

Common challenges with legacy evidence review

Manual evidence review wastes time, increases costs, and introduces unnecessary risk. These are the hurdles we see most often:

Disorganized evidence collection. Without a centralized system, evidence lives in too many places—shared folders, screenshots, email attachments. Version control becomes a nightmare, and teams spend hours hunting down the right file.

Low-quality or insufficient evidence. A blurry screenshot isn’t audit-ready. Neither is a config file pulled from the wrong environment. Standards like AS 1105 emphasize reliability: evidence should come from independent systems, be timely, and clearly link to the control you’re validating.

Repetitive work each year. Even if nothing major changes, audit season often starts from scratch. Recollecting evidence for recurring audits—SOC 2 Type 2, ISO annual surveillance, PCI DSS revalidation—means more overhead than necessary.

Misunderstanding scope or expectations. Not all evidence is equal. For example, PCI DSS doesn’t accept self-created “certificates”—only official Report on Compliance (ROC) and Attestation of Compliance (AOC) documents. SOC 2 Type 2 reports must cover a defined operating period. Missteps like these delay progress and can impact trust with customers and regulators.

Fragmented auditor experience. When advisory implementers double as your auditors, you risk compromising independence—something the AICPA Code and PEEC interpretations strictly guard against. Even when independent, disconnected auditor tools generate inconsistent review quality.

Why it matters now more than ever

Regulatory and security expectations are only increasing. The PCAOB’s updated audit standards expand guidance on evaluating electronic evidence and technology-assisted analysis. NIST’s evolving assessment methodology includes explicit expectations for how evidence is examined, tested, and monitored. FedRAMP, for instance, calls for monthly updates on key metrics and inventories.

Meanwhile, businesses are pursuing multiple frameworks—SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA—all at once. That multiplies the documentation burden. Manual processes simply don’t scale.

If your startup is growing fast, or your enterprise is expanding globally, inefficient audit prep will become a blocker. You can’t afford to lose a deal because your artifacts weren’t ready on time or were deemed “not sufficient.”

What evidence review looks like in 2026

The future of evidence review is automated, continuous, and intelligent.

Automation pulls audit-ready data directly from source systems. Integration with cloud platforms, ticketing tools, and identity providers means evidence can be collected securely and accurately—without screenshots or copying files. Real-time syncs catch changes so nothing goes out of date.

AI enhances, but doesn’t replace, expert judgment. Technology can pre-screen evidence to make audits more efficient. But human oversight ensures that material is relevant and reliable—critical for meeting standards like AS 1105 or ISO 17021.

Centralized platforms streamline every phase. Instead of managing audits across spreadsheets, folders, and email threads, modern compliance teams use platforms purpose-built for audits. These tools track what’s required, what’s missing, and what’s approved, with full visibility into control health.

Multiple frameworks, one control set. Leading platforms map core controls across SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and more—so you don’t duplicate work each time. With overlapping criteria clearly defined, the same evidence can serve multiple report needs efficiently.

Independent audits stay independent. Best-in-class assessors maintain strict guardrails so those advising your program aren't the ones attesting to its performance. Expect transparent boundaries and credentialed auditors who follow professional standards—especially for SOC (through a peer-reviewed CPA firm) or PCI (via a PCI Security Standards Council–qualified QSA).

How Thoropass transforms evidence review

Thoropass replaces outdated evidence collection with a modern, integrated approach that meets the demands of today’s compliance landscape.

100+ authenticated integrations. Our platform connects directly to your systems—from cloud providers to HR tools to ticketing platforms. That means secure, automated evidence collection mapped to your applicable frameworks. No more screenshot folders or repetitive exports.

AI-powered “First Pass” review. We apply machine learning to identify evidence gaps before a human ever looks at your artifacts. This saves time, reduces back-and-forth, and ensures reviewers see only what meets foundational audit criteria.

In-platform audit team. As an AICPA peer-reviewed firm, PCI QSA Company (QSAC), and HITRUST Authorized External Assessor, Thoropass gives you access to credible, independent auditors who never grade their own work. We’ve built firewalls between advisory and attestation—so your audit holds up to scrutiny.

Multi-framework alignment. Using a universal control set, Thoropass lets you satisfy SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and more—without reinventing your compliance program each time. You can view control health and assign owners across your entire posture from a single dashboard.

Always-on audit readiness. We support continuous monitoring for frameworks like FedRAMP and ISO. That includes automated evidence refresh, monthly metric capture, and reminders when documentation approaches expiration.

The bottom line

Evidence review has come a long way—but too many teams are still doing it the hard way: manually, reactively, and in silos. That means more time spent searching for files, re-collecting the same data year after year, and scrambling to meet audit demands at the last minute.

Thoropass changes that. We’ve combined deep audit expertise with powerful automation to deliver audit-ready evidence as part of your everyday operations. That means better visibility, faster audits, fewer surprises—and a compliance program that scales with your business.

Ready to stop doing evidence review the old way?

Schedule a discovery session today.