Manage system compliance overview
Applies to: Dynamics 365
This article describes the importance of managing system compliance when implementing and operating Dynamics 365 products.
System compliance is vital for ensuring the stability, security, and ethical conduct of organizations, ultimately contributing to your organization's long-term success and sustainability. Every organization must comply with the legal and regulatory standards of the industry and region they operate in. Adhering to legal, regulatory, contractual, and corporate standards is crucial for maintaining trust with stakeholders, safeguarding sensitive data, actively monitoring and reporting on compliance efforts. By doing so, organizations can effectively mitigate risks and ensure their long-term success and sustainability in an ethical and responsible manner.
Microsoft is committed to the highest levels of trust, transparency, standards conformance, and regulatory compliance. Dynamics 365 is a cloud offering from Microsoft, which means that you can access Dynamics 365 data and apps hosted by Microsoft over the internet. In this model, you own your data, but share some control over the apps with Microsoft. Security, compliance, privacy, and data protection are shared responsibilities between you and Microsoft. Microsoft is committed to safeguarding your data, protecting your right to make decisions about it, and being transparent about what happens to it. We empower you to achieve your vision on a trusted platform. The Microsoft Trusted Cloud is built on the foundational principles of security, privacy, compliance, and transparency. As with security and privacy, compliance with laws and regulations is a shared responsibility of cloud service providers and their customers. The Trust Center offers tools that help you comply with national, regional, and industry-specific requirements. These requirements are for data collection and use, and audit reports that help you verify technical compliance and control requirements. As Microsoft's customer, you must identify which controls apply to your business and understand how to implement and configure them to manage security and compliance with the legal and regulatory requirements of your nation, region, and industry.
Stakeholders
Many people across the organization should contribute to the decision-making process and design of the manage system compliance area. The following list provides examples of such stakeholders:
Executive leadership stakeholders include CEOs, CFOs, and CIOs. Executive leaders provide strategic oversight, ensuring that system compliance aligns with the broader organizational objectives and priorities. Their guidance is instrumental in resource allocation and decision-making, particularly during periods of crisis.
IT management stakeholders include CIOs, IT directors, and IT managers. IT management plays a crucial role in identifying critical systems and data, implementing technical aspects of compliance measures, and ensuring seamless integration of IT resources with the organization's overall resilience strategies.
The program management team includes project managers from various streams Within the program management team, project managers from various streams collaborate under the direction of overall program managers. These stakeholders are accountable for overseeing the successful execution of compliance management processes within their projects. They lead project teams, manage project plans and schedules, and ensure that compliance initiatives adhere to defined scopes, timelines, and budgets.
The legal and compliance officers team includes general counsel, compliance officers, and legal advisors. These professionals are responsible for interpreting and ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory requirements related to system compliance. They provide guidance on legal implications, manage compliance programs, and oversee the development of policies and procedures.
Data protection officers (DPOs) / privacy officers teams include DPOs and privacy managers. With the increasing focus on data privacy and protection, these stakeholders are crucial in ensuring that Dynamics 365 compliance measures align with applicable privacy laws and regulations. They oversee data protection strategies, manage privacy impact assessments, and serve as points of contact for data protection authorities.
Security officers / information security managers team includes chief information security officers (CISOs) and information security managers. Given the importance of security in compliance management, these stakeholders are tasked with safeguarding systems and data against potential threats and breaches. They develop and enforce security policies, conduct risk assessments, and oversee security incident response procedures.
Quality assurance (QA) and testing team includes QA managers and test engineers. QA and testing teams play a vital role in validating compliance measures within Dynamics 365 implementations. They conduct thorough testing of system functionalities, configurations, and integrations to ensure that compliance requirements are met and that any issues are promptly identified and addressed.
Business process owners / functional leads team includes business process owners and functional leads. These stakeholders are responsible for defining and managing business processes within Dynamics 365. They work closely with compliance teams to ensure that system configurations align with regulatory requirements and organizational policies. They also provide insights into business needs and objectives that inform compliance decisions.
Internal auditors / audit committee team includes internal auditors and audit committee members. Internal audit functions provide independent assurance and advisory services on governance, risk management, and compliance matters. Internal auditors assess the effectiveness of compliance controls within Dynamics 365 implementations, identify areas for improvement, and provide recommendations to enhance compliance efforts.
Manage system compliance process flow
The following diagram illustrates the manage system compliance business process area.
Manage system compliance flow
The diagram represents a sequence of steps in a process flow, starting from the top and moving downwards. It begins with a rectangular box labeled "Start," which leads to the first main step:
Administer to operate - This is the initial action step after the start.
Following this, there are seven substeps, all part of manage system compliance:
Identify applicable regulations and compliance requirements - This is the first substep in which you need to identify applicable business regulation and compliance requirements.
Establish compliance policies and procedures - As the second substep, it involves establishing compliance policies and procedures in your organization.
Conduct a compliance risk assessment - The third substep is about conducting a compliance risk assessment.
Implement compliance controls and measures - This fourth substep focuses on implementing compliance controls and measures.
Monitor compliance – This fifth substep is about monitoring the compliance by your organization.
Report on compliance – This sixth substep highlights the importance of reporting regularly on compliance.
Respond to noncompliance – The seventh substep focuses on responding to any noncompliance.
The process concludes with a rectangular box labeled "End," signifying the completion of the process.
Additionally, there are arrows pointing outwards from the central process to various business processes listed on both sides of the diagram. On the left side, these include:
Acquire to dispose
Case to resolution
Concept to market
Design to resolution
Forecast to plan
Hire to retire
Inventory to deliver
And on the right side:
Order to cash
Plan to produce
Procure to pay
Project to profit
Prospect to quote
Record to report
Service to cash
These side processes are related to the central manage system compliance steps but aren't directly part of the sequential flow described. There are two large arrows circular displayed to indicate the process is iterative. All end to end business processes are displayed on the left and right side because managing system compliance can be an integral part of all business processes.
Manage system compliance benefits
There are many key benefits that can be used to monitor and measure the success of implementing technology to support managing system compliance. The following sections outline the key benefits that an organization might monitor and measure for managing system compliance.
Enhanced trust, credibility, and Reputation
By adhering to legal, regulatory, contractual, and corporate standards, organizations demonstrate their commitment to ethical conduct and responsibility. This fosters trust among stakeholders, including customers, partners, and investors, enhancing the organization's reputation and credibility.
Enhanced data security and privacy
Dynamics 365 provides robust security features, including data encryption and access controls, ensuring that sensitive information is protected. This helps organizations comply with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA, safeguarding customer data against breaches and unauthorized access.
Automated compliance tracking and reporting
Automation of compliance tracking and reporting in Dynamics 365 reduces manual processes, ensuring timely and accurate reporting, and minimizing human error.
Streamlined processes and workflow management
Integration of compliance management into everyday workflows in Dynamics 365 improves operational efficiency and ensures adherence to regulatory requirements across all business operations.
Real-time monitoring and alerts
Dynamics 365 provides real-time monitoring and alerts for potential compliance issues, allowing organizations to address them promptly and reduce the likelihood of noncompliance and fines.
Comprehensive documentation and audit trails
Dynamics 365 maintains detailed records and audit trails of compliance-related activities, supporting audit readiness and transparency, and making it easier to demonstrate compliance with regulators and stakeholders.
Next steps
If you would like to implement Dynamics 365 solutions to assist with your manage system compliance business processes, you can use the following resources and steps to learn more. (Links are added, when the articles are ready.)
Manage licensing and entitlements
Administer system features
Monitor systems, environments, and capacity
Manage background jobs
Manage notifications alerts
Uptake software releases
Manage system compliance (the article you're currently reading)
Related resources
You can use the following resources to learn more about the manage system compliance process in Dynamics 365.
Contributors
This article is maintained by Microsoft. It was originally written by the following contributors.
Principal author:
- Harsh Birla | Principal Solutions Architect
Other contributors:
Rachel Profitt | Principal Program Manager
Pedro Ramalhinho | Senior Solutions Architect
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