Hey legends, Pure Awesomeness here aka your friendly neighbourhood Compliance Whisperer aka “the bloke who accidentally volunteered to care about compliance and now can’t escape” and because therapy is expensive, I’m just going to blog about Purview again.
But let’s shift gears and talk about something that strikes fear into the heart of every IT pro…and no, I don’t mean printers (though, let’s be honest, they are demons in disguise). I’m talking compliance. Yep, that magical word that makes your legal team rub their hands together and your sysadmin order another round of energy drinks.
Because here’s the thing, compliance isn’t going away. And unless you want to explain to an auditor why your “Highly Confidential” data is chilling in a public Teams chat called Banter and Memes, you’re going to need a plan. That’s where Microsoft Purview’s Compliance Manager comes in…your new best friend, your reluctant therapist, and possibly the only thing standing between you and a regulatory migraine.
Meet Your New Compliance BFF (Yes, You Heard That Right)
Compliance Manager is that friend who actually likes talking about risk registers and audit reports and won’t ghost you when you ignore your policies for 3 weeks. GDPR, HIPAA, Essential 8…this sidekick has got your back. Whether your data lives in the cloud, under the desk, or in a shoebox labelled “Definitely Not Sensitive,” Compliance Manager sees it all.
It’s like the mate who shows up at your messy apartment and just starts folding your laundry. Annoying? Maybe. Life-saving? Absolutely. Ignore it all you want, but eventually it’s going to hand you a scorecard and silently judge your life choices.
Compliance Assessments: Your Compliance Ikea Flatpack (No Allen Key Needed)
Creating assessments is like assembling Ikea furniture, but instead of ending up with a wobbly bookshelf, you get a shiny blueprint for your compliance empire. Pick a template that fits your regulatory vibe, and Compliance Manager fills in the controls and improvement actions for you.
And unlike real Ikea gear, this one won’t collapse after 2 weeks and leave you questioning your life skills. With assessments, you can actually see where you’re winning, where you’re behind, and which areas are basically duct tape and good vibes.
Scoring: Because Adulting is Hard and Numbers Are Fun
Every action has a score. Complete it, and your compliance points rise. Ignore it, and your score drops like your willpower in a bakery. It’s gamified compliance, like Candy Crush, but instead of a rainbow candy explosion, you unlock the warm glow of “I actually did a thing today.”
And yes, seeing that score go up is weirdly addictive. Suddenly you’re refreshing dashboards for fun. “+5 points for updating my retention policy? I’m basically the LeBron James of risk assessments, minus the pay cheque.
Here’s the kicker though: your score never quite hits 100%. It’s like chasing that elusive platinum trophy on PlayStation—no matter how close you get, there’s always one stubborn control mocking you from the corner. You’ll spend hours justifying why that one thing isn’t critical, while secretly plotting how to squeeze it in before the auditors show up.
The best part? The number is simple enough for execs to understand. No need to explain the intricacies of regulatory frameworks, just point at the score. “We’re at 45%. Higher is good. Lower is bad. Yes, Happy Gilmore, it’s basically golf, but backwards.
Show that chart in a board meeting and boom, you’ve turned compliance into Mario Kart. Everyone’s smiling until Legal drops a blue shell.
Why Organisations Should Care: Spoiler Alert, It’s Not Just About Dodging Auditors
So why should organisations care about compliance assessments? Because “I didn’t know” doesn’t hold up in court, and regulators aren’t exactly handing out participation trophies. Non-compliance means fines, reputational dumpster fires, and those super fun board meetings where everyone stares at you like you’re the reason the company can’t afford Christmas parties anymore.
Assessments, on the other hand, are like your regulatory crystal ball. They help you spot gaps, stay ahead of new rules, and keep customers and stakeholders from wondering if you’re storing their personal data on a USB stick labelled Totally Not Sensitive.
And let’s be real, compliance isn’t just Legal’s problem anymore. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation. Assessments force teams to actually talk to each other (shocking, I know), encourage transparency, and hold everyone accountable. They’re the difference between “We didn’t know” and “We knew, we fixed it, and we’ve got the paperwork to prove it.” And in today’s world, that paperwork is basically gold-plated insurance against public humiliation.
Final Boss Level: Compliance Without the Nightmares
Compliance doesn’t have to feel like a root canal performed by an auditor with shaky hands. With Purview Compliance Manager, you get clarity, guidance, and the rare joy of knowing your audit trail won’t make you sob into your hoodie. Think of it as noise-cancelling headphones for regulatory chaos, you can still hear it humming in the background, but at least it’s not destroying your sanity.
And yeah, there’s a little smug satisfaction too. Suddenly, you’re the person in the meeting who actually knows what the compliance score means. People will nod when you talk, even if they have no clue what you’re saying. It’s nerd power at its finest.
Remember, compliance isn’t a sprint, it’s more like an ultra-marathon where the checkpoints hand out points instead of water bottles, and the finish line keeps moving further away. But with Compliance Manager, you’re not running solo. You’ve got a coach, a cheerleader, and that one sarcastic mate who keeps you laughing so you don’t quit halfway through.
So, compliance warriors, sleep better. Your compliance chaos now comes with dashboards, points, and fewer 3 a.m. panic attacks. And if that’s not worth celebrating, I don’t know what is, other than maybe a compliance score finally breaking 80%.
Until my next blog on all things Purview, Pure Awesomeness signing off!
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – Benjamin Franklin
Disclaimer: No compliance officers were harmed in the making of this blog. Always consult a professional before making drastic changes… unless you like living dangerously.
If you’re keen to see how Microsoft Purview can lift your compliance game and boost that score, get in touch with our team of legends today. We’ll help you navigate the red tape, simplify your assessments, and maybe even make compliance feel… fun. Contact us today and let’s get your compliance score moving in the right direction.
