Automatically generate a system description with a step-by-step template using Vanta's Smart System Description functionality. A SOC 2 system description outlines the parameters of a SOC report. It contains essential information about your process, people, and tech stack supporting your product or service.

Why Smart System Description?

• Save over ten hours manually creating and formatting a system description or thousands of dollars having an auditor prepare it for you.
• Eliminate duplicative work. Smart System Description prefills much of the necessary information for a system description, like system components and SLAs, from elsewhere in Vanta.
• Avoid audit delays

Enable Smart System Descriptions

• Open the Frameworks page from the left-hand navigation panel 
• Choose a framework
• Select Edit system description 

• From here, you can:
  • Upload your own
    • Use pre-written system descriptions for your SOC2
    • Add a link to a pre-written system description for your SOC2

OR

• Generate a System Description using the template

Using the Template

Vanta's System Description generator consists of several sections to complete - Inputs will be autosaved so you can close and re-open them anytime. Some information will be prefilled based on the integrations and policies you have enabled within Vanta; boilerplate language has been used to help with some responses. These can be changed as needed to match your system best.

• Open each section and complete the required information
• Make any necessary edits, or add needed options to fit your needs
• Once the form's sections are finished, press Generate to create the System Description .docx to share with your auditor.
  • Generating may take up to 30 seconds.
  • You can download documents from the System Description (Section III) page by selecting Download on the appropriate version.

Edit Recurrence

• Select More from the top right corner
• Choose the time frame for recurrence and how many days in advance you would like to be notified.
• Select Save