ISO software for your management system: do you need it?
Software for your management system (also known as audit software or GRC tooling) promises an overview, less paperwork and a smoother audit. But for many companies, Excel or a shared folder works fine. On this page we explain honestly when software adds value, which types exist and what to look for when choosing.
Not a single ISO standard requires specific software. That includes ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and ISO 14001. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) requires documented information, not a particular system. The standard even says explicitly that the format and the medium are free.
When is Excel enough?
For small organisations with one or two standards, Excel is sufficient in most cases. You need an audit schedule, an overview of your documents, a register of corrective actions and a few procedures. That fits in a shared folder.
Excel has drawbacks. Version control goes wrong when several people work in the same file, and it is easy to forget or overwrite something. You can solve that with clear naming, clear owners and a yearly check.
Ask yourself: does managing our files and records now take more than one day a month? If so, you are starting to reach the point where software pays off.
Types of tooling
Broadly speaking, there are three types of software for management systems.
| Type | What it does | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Document management | Version control, approval flows, distribution of documents | Any organisation with several procedures |
| Audit and action management | Audit planning, recording findings, following up corrective actions | Organisations with an active internal audit programme |
| Integrated GRC | Risk management, compliance monitoring, reporting, multiple standards | Mid-sized companies and larger with multiple standards or regulations |
Some tools combine all three. Prices range from free (SharePoint, Notion) to hundreds of euros per month for specialised GRC platforms.
Free and low-cost options that work
Many organisations manage their management system successfully without paid software:
- SharePoint or Google Drive for document management with version history
- Excel or Google Sheets for registers (documents, risks, audits, actions)
- Planner, Asana or Trello for following up corrective actions
- Word or Google Docs for procedures and policies
This works well if your team is small and one person manages the system. It breaks down when several people work in the same system at once, or when you need to produce reports for the board.
When is paid software worthwhile?
Consider paid software if you recognise several of these points:
- You manage two or more standards (for example ISO 9001 and ISO 14001)
- Several colleagues need to approve or update documents
- You struggle to demonstrate that actions have been taken
- You spend more than one day a month gathering audit evidence
- Your certification body asked about your document management process at the last audit
Do not implement software just before your certification audit. If you want to work with it, do so at least three months in advance. You will then have built up enough records to show.
Selection criteria
If you are considering software, use these criteria as a checklist.
| Criterion | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Standard coverage | Does it cover the standards you have, or want to have? |
| Ease of use | Will your colleagues actually use it? |
| Integrations | Does it work with your current systems (for example Office or Azure AD)? |
| Data location | Is the data stored in the EU? Relevant for ISO 27001 and the AVG (Dutch GDPR). |
| Export options | Can you export audit reports? |
| Price per user | If you scale up, this weighs heavily. |
| Onboarding and support | Is there help when you get stuck? |
Always request a trial. Let the person who will manage the system daily test it, not only the manager who makes the final decision.
Link with internal audits and the management review
Software helps most with two processes: monitoring your internal audit programme and preparing the management review. Those are the two places where many organisations struggle to show evidence.
A good audit management system gives you an immediate overview of open actions, completed audits and trends in findings. That makes your management review much easier to prepare.