Compliance

Compliance is the practice of meeting regulatory standards, industry frameworks, and legal obligations that govern how organizations handle data, protect privacy, and secure operations. For software buyers, compliance drives both selection and configuration: the product must support the controls their industry requires, from audit logging and access reviews to data residency and retention policies. Common frameworks include GDPR and HIPAA, while general risk programs lean on SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Compliance is not a one-time certification: it is a continuous program of monitoring, evidence collection, and remediation. Buyers should verify that vendor claims are backed by current attestations and that the software exposes the controls needed to demonstrate their own compliance. Failing to account for compliance during evaluation typically surfaces later as rework, added cost, or exposure to fines.