ISO 27001 Software vs SharePoint: Which ISMS Approach Is Right for Your Organization?
If you’re planning ISO 27001 certification, one of the first questions you’ll face is whether to buy dedicated ISMS software or build your ISMS in SharePoint.
The wrong choice can slow certification, increase costs, reduce staff adoption, and create audit risk instead of reducing it.
This guide gives a clear, practical comparison to help you decide.
ISO 27001 does not require specific software. Auditors certify governance, evidence, and control.
Who this comparison is for
- CTOs, CISOs, and IT Managers
- Compliance and Risk Managers
- Organizations pursuing ISO 27001
- Microsoft 365–based businesses (especially those already using SharePoint)
What ISO 27001 actually requires (important context)
Before comparing tools, it’s critical to understand what auditors care about:
- Governance and ownership
- Risk-based decision making
- Document control (approval, versioning, access)
- Evidence and traceability
- Continuous improvement
Not sure what auditors will actually look for?
Book a free ISO 27001 readiness assessment. Practical, audit-focused guidance. No pressure.
Option 1: Dedicated ISO 27001 / ISMS software
What these tools promise
- Built-in workflows and tasking
- Control libraries and mappings
- Risk registers
- Audit dashboards and reports
- Predefined templates
Where ISMS software works well
- Large compliance teams
- Multiple frameworks (ISO + SOC 2 + HIPAA, etc.)
- Heavy reporting needs
- Budget is not a major constraint
Common challenges with ISMS software
- High licensing costs (and costs grow as teams grow)
- Steep learning curve and training overhead
- Low staff adoption outside compliance teams
- Parallel documentation kept outside the tool
- “Compliance lives in the tool, not in daily work”
Auditors sometimes see: “The tool looks good but the organization doesn’t actually use it.”
Option 2: SharePoint-based ISMS (Microsoft 365)
If your organization already uses Microsoft 365, SharePoint offers a powerful alternative. When structured correctly, it can support everything ISO 27001 requires.
What SharePoint provides
- Centralized ISMS documentation
- Version control and approvals
- Role-based access control
- Audit history and traceability
- Integration with Teams and Power Automate
Where SharePoint excels
- You already use Microsoft 365
- You want high staff adoption
- You want compliance embedded in daily work
- You want flexibility without high licensing costs
SharePoint fails when it’s treated as simple file storage. A folder-based ISMS with no ownership, approvals, or traceability is an audit risk.
If your ISMS is “just folders” in SharePoint, fix that first
See how an audit-ready SharePoint ISMS is structured (governance, approvals, risks, controls, evidence).
Side-by-side comparison
| Area | ISMS software | SharePoint-based ISMS |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | High recurring licenses | Uses existing M365 investment |
| Adoption | Often low outside compliance | High (familiar platform) |
| Flexibility | Limited by vendor | Fully customizable |
| Audit acceptance | Yes (if used properly) | Yes (if structured properly) |
| Daily use | Separate system | Embedded in daily work |
| Scalability | Depends on licensing model | Scales with the organization |
What auditors actually care about (this decides everything)
Auditors don’t ask which software you use. They ask whether your ISMS is controlled and provable:
- Who owns this control?
- Where is the approved policy?
- Show evidence of implementation and monitoring
- How do you review and treat risks?
- How do you improve the ISMS over time?
Both approaches can pass audits — but only when implemented correctly.
The most common mistake organizations make
The biggest mistake is choosing a tool before understanding your maturity and operating model.
Overbuying ISMS software
- Buy a complex platform
- Underuse it
- Still fail due to weak governance
Under-structuring SharePoint
- Use folders only
- No approvals or ownership
- Get flagged for lack of control
The right approach depends on how your organization actually works.
How Canadian Cyber helps you decide (without bias)
At Canadian Cyber, we focus on audit success, not software sales. We help organizations:
- Assess ISO 27001 readiness and audit expectations
- Evaluate ISMS approaches objectively
- Design auditor-friendly structures (SharePoint, hybrid, or existing tools)
Free ISO 27001 ISMS assessment (decision-focused)
In 30 minutes, we’ll review your current tools, evaluate SharePoint readiness, identify audit-critical gaps, and recommend the right ISMS approach for your size and maturity.
No obligation. Clear guidance.
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