Advanced Cloud Security Documentation
Index

Compliance Configuration Overview

Phase 2 of Advanced Cloud Security focuses on configuring the Compliance module. This phase defines how field changes are tracked and approved within your organization.

What is Compliance Configuration?

Compliance configuration establishes:

  • Which fields require approval before changes are saved
  • Who can approve changes to specific tables
  • What approval workflows apply
  • Email notification settings

Prerequisites

Before configuring compliance:

  1. License: You need the Security + Compliance license tier
  2. Build Phase: Compliance tables must be selected and extension generated
  3. Base Setup: ACS must be installed and configured

Scope of Compliance Configuration

Unlike the Build phase (global), compliance configuration is per company:

Aspect Scope
Compliance Tables Global (defined in Build phase)
Compliance Rules Per company
Approvers Per company
Approval Groups Per company
Approval History Per company

This allows different compliance requirements for different companies in a multi-company environment.

Phase 2 Components

The Configure Compliance phase includes:

Component Purpose
Compliance Setup Configure which fields need approval
Approval Rules Define approval workflows
Compliance Approvers Designate who can approve changes
Approver Groups Group approvers together

Compliance Workflow Overview

Here's how compliance works once configured:

User Makes Change to Tracked Field
              ↓
System Captures Old and New Values
              ↓
Approval Required? ─────No───→ Change Saved
              │
             Yes
              ↓
Change Held Pending
              ↓
Approver Notified (Email)
              ↓
Approver Reviews and Approves/Rejects
              ↓
   Approved: Change Saved
   Rejected: Change Discarded

Key Concepts

Compliance-Tracked Fields

Fields that are monitored for changes:

  • Capture modification attempts
  • May require approval based on rules
  • Log all change history

Approval Rules

Rules that determine:

  • Which field changes need approval
  • Which approvers can approve
  • Escalation paths if needed

Approvers

Users designated to approve changes:

  • Receive notifications of pending changes
  • Can approve or reject requests
  • May have limited scope (by table)

Approval Groups

Collections of approvers:

  • Any member can approve
  • Useful for teams or departments
  • Ensures coverage during absences

Configuration Workflow

Step 1: Configure Compliance Setup

  1. Open Compliance Setup from the ACS main page
  2. Select which fields require approval
  3. Configure field-specific rules

Step 2: Define Approval Rules

  1. Open Compliance Approval Rules
  2. Create rules linking tables to approvers
  3. Set up any conditional rules

Step 3: Set Up Approvers

  1. Open Compliance Approvers
  2. Add users who can approve changes
  3. Configure their approval scope

Step 4: Create Approver Groups (Optional)

  1. Open Compliance Approver Groups
  2. Create groups for teams/departments
  3. Add members to each group

Step 5: Configure Notifications

  1. Go to ACS Setup
  2. Configure email settings
  3. Customize notification templates

When Changes Take Effect

Unlike security features, compliance configuration changes take effect immediately:

Configuration Change Takes Effect
Add compliance field Immediately
Add approver Immediately
Modify approval rule Immediately
Change notifications Immediately

No extension regeneration needed for compliance rule changes.

Best Practices

Start Simple

  • Begin with a few critical tables
  • Add more tables as you gain experience
  • Refine rules based on feedback

Document Your Rules

  • Keep records of why rules exist
  • Document who should approve what
  • Maintain an approval matrix

Test Thoroughly

  • Test in a sandbox first
  • Verify notifications are received
  • Confirm approval workflow works

Plan for Absences

  • Use approval groups
  • Have backup approvers
  • Consider escalation procedures

Multi-Company Considerations

When configuring compliance for multiple companies:

  1. Switch to each company
  2. Configure compliance rules for that company
  3. Set up company-specific approvers
  4. Test in each company

You may want:

  • Same approvers across companies
  • Different rules per company
  • Centralized vs. decentralized approval