Connected Risk SOX Compliance Management

Overview

Connected Risk SOX Compliance Management is a configurable platform for running SOX and ICFR controls, testing, evidence, remediation, and reporting. It is best suited to teams that need an auditable record of those processes and want to connect them with broader risk or compliance work. Its flexibility and deployment choice are compelling; custom pricing and a vendor-supported implementation make fit and cost important to establish up front.

Key features

The platform brings controls, automated testing, evidence tracking, deficiency management, remediation, management certifications, and a SOX control library into connected workflows. Centralizing those tasks can help teams keep control activity and supporting evidence together rather than coordinating them across separate processes. Real-time reporting for auditors and leadership is aimed at keeping both audiences aligned.

Connected Risk is modular and configurable: teams can change forms, workflows, and reports without developers. That is useful when processes need to reflect an organization’s control structure, though configurability is not a substitute for confirming that the product’s workflows match the program’s requirements. Role-based access, version control, and audit trails support controlled access and traceability of changes.

The wider platform includes Internal Audit, Internal Controls, Enterprise Risk, Third-Party Risk, Model Risk, and Policy & Compliance modules designed to work together. Integrations span Microsoft Office, Active Directory/SSO, regulatory content providers, BI and reporting tools, data science tools, and document management systems. Documented RESTful API endpoints support inserting and retrieving Connected Risk data, making the platform relevant to teams that need to connect it to their stack.

Pricing

Connected Risk is paid software with custom pricing. There are no published plan tiers or seat, usage, trial, or renewal terms to compare, so teams should request a quote that reflects their deployment and implementation needs. Empowered says implementation includes support and proven processes; that may help with setup, but buyers should clarify the scope and cost of services alongside the subscription.

Platforms

Connected Risk is offered through a web platform and API, with a choice of secure vendor-hosted cloud or deployment in a customer’s own on-premises environment. That choice can suit organizations with different infrastructure requirements, but deployment fit should be assessed alongside integration needs. Empowered describes the platform as SOC 2, FedRAMP, and GDPR compliant.

Who it's for

Connected Risk is a strong fit for companies managing formal SOX and ICFR programs that need repeatable testing, evidence collection, deficiency and remediation tracking, certifications, and auditor-facing reporting. It is particularly relevant when those controls belong in a broader risk platform or must connect to existing business and reporting tools.

Teams seeking a no-cost entry point, a published price, or a narrowly scoped product with clearly defined self-service limits may be better served elsewhere. Empowered’s story began in 1995 as Paisely Consulting, but company history alone does not answer whether its implementation approach or deployment model fits a particular organization.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Control testing, evidence, deficiencies, remediation, certifications, and reporting sit within one SOX/ICFR workflow, supporting a more coherent audit trail.
• Pros: Configurable forms, workflows, and reports can be adjusted without developers, giving teams room to align processes with their program.
• Pros: REST API access, broad integration categories, and cloud or on-premises deployment provide several paths to fit the existing stack.
• Cons: Custom pricing makes cost comparison difficult before a vendor quote.
• Cons: Implementation is part of the vendor’s described approach, so buyers looking for a clearly self-service rollout should confirm expectations and services before committing.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, browse SOX Compliance Software or Internal Controls Software.

• Soxify is the clearest choice for a small team wanting a free starting point: its forever-free plan covers up to five controls and 25 evidence requests per month, with evidence links, export, and an audit trail.
• Diligent Audit is a paid alternative available on Android and iOS as well as web and API.
• Resolver Internal Audit uses custom pricing based on selected solutions, customization, user access, deployment scope, integrations, and services.
• AssurAI offers a free trial and spans API, browser extension, self-hosted, and web platforms; its listed tiers include a Starter plan with three projects, 50 controls, and three users, and a Professional plan with 10 users.
• AuditBoard (now Optro) offers flexible plans tailored to business needs, unlimited stakeholder licenses, and Optro Success and Services.
• ProcessUnity SOX Compliance is a paid option in the ProcessUnity Risk Suite, with pricing requiring a quote request.
• Workiva Audit Management offers customized plans whose packaging depends on organizational needs and includes unlimited seats or users.
• RiskWatch SOX Compliance is a paid alternative with a free trial and custom quotes shaped by team size, frameworks, deployment, integrations, and contract length.

Verdict

Choose Connected Risk if your organization needs a configurable, auditable home for SOX and ICFR work and values API connectivity, broader risk modules, and cloud or on-premises deployment. Its main advantage is the combination of control workflows and wider platform flexibility; its main drawback is that buyers must obtain a custom quote and establish implementation fit before they can judge the full commitment.