Are Spreadsheets Enough to Stay Privacy Compliant?

Years ago, spreadsheets were the only tool needed to manage a privacy policy. But with the overwhelming amount of data available and the growing number of privacy legislation, those spreadsheets are becoming unmanageable.??

If you’ve been in privacy for a while, you know the struggle when a new piece of legislation is passed.

The spreadsheet gets passed around with everybody doing their part. And just when you think it’s about done, you realize the information was added incorrectly and you can't find what you need.?

As non-compliance continues to be a growing risk for organizations, spreadsheets are no longer viable for privacy management.??

Privacy Spreadsheets aren’t Working?

With the growing number of data privacy legislation, most organizations will fall under at least one. Even if a company doesn’t fall within the geographical region, it could still target consumers or work with vendors within the regulated area.??

On top of that, more people and departments have access to personal information. Data is used across several business areas, including HR, marketing, product development, sales, and customer service. To ensure there are no leaks in the privacy funnel, organizations must prioritize privacy.??

But with spreadsheets, this priority is almost impossible. And with the future of privacy, spreadsheets won’t cut it anymore. So, the question is: What are privacy spreadsheets lacking??

Automation?

Checking a box isn’t sufficient for privacy management anymore. And keeping privacy spreadsheets up to date is a task in itself.

There are no improvements to be made outside of human intervention. Because of this, improvements in efficiency, certification, and presentations are missed.??

Usually, new privacy regulations have something in common with their predecessors. An organization might have already taken steps towards compliance.

However, if you’re still using spreadsheets, it could be unclear what steps you’ve taken and what action still needs to be taken.?

Your team could waste countless hours doing the same tasks over and over. And as new legislation continues to pass, privacy spreadsheets will become more ineffective over time.?

Organization?

In the past twenty years, advances in technology have drastically increased businesses’ reliance on data. Advances like IoT devices (Alexa, Siri, etc.) have allowed companies to gather unprecedented amounts of personal data.???

While this data can provide businesses with new insights, it also presents new opportunities to misuse data.

Privacy spreadsheets can’t accurately track shared, collected, and stored data with vendors, third parties, and internally. Most require additional tools to fill in the blanks.?

Collaboration?

Attempting to collaborate with several departments, even several people can be a challenge with spreadsheets. And while you can share spreadsheets with anyone, collaboration isn’t as easy.?

Keeping an up-to-date privacy policy requires input from multiple people in several departments.

Reports need to be generated across several departments. If you’re still using spreadsheets, it’s difficult to track changes and update others when changes have been made.??

Speed?

It’s no secret the speed of change in the privacy world. When consumers make data requests, you only have a small window of time to respond.

And if you have limited resources, it can place a lot of extra strain on your organization.???

As legislation requires more reporting and DSARs increase, privacy spreadsheets can’t keep up with the rapid pace your organization needs to stay compliant.??

The Advantages of Managing Privacy with Software??

Businesses that understand the importance of privacy use dedicated software for privacy management.

Non-compliance and the risk of brand loss are just not worth the risk. A simple breach alone could result in a fine and a loss of consumer trust, costing exponentially more.???

Furthermore, consumers are now more privacy-focused than ever before. They intentionally seek out companies that make privacy a priority.

And B2B is no different. Businesses can be caught in the danger zone if the vendors and organizations they partner with don’t make the same commitment to privacy.??

Making privacy management a priority is essential in today’s business world. Software designed for privacy management allows your employees to focus on their day-to-day without the looming fear of non-compliance.??

Privacy software also makes it easier to enable faster responses for privacy impact assessment with built-in logic and automation. You’ll get your time back, have on-demand reports, and simplify organizational collaboration.??