Data Inventory Software Tools for GDPR & California Privacy
Choose the Clarip software to automate your data inventory process through our tools for GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Call 1-888-252-5653 to learn more about the Clarip data inventory software tools and to get a free demo of our enterprise privacy management platform.
A data inventory and/or data mapping is considered one of the first steps in preparing for compliance with either GDPR or CCPA, although you will not find the words in either the European Union or California privacy laws. Nevertheless, Clarip can help you prepare the inventory of your data through our automated software program.
What is a Data Inventory?
A data inventory is an internal assessment performed by a company about the data that it has collected, the location where the data is stored, how long it is being retained, and with whom it has been shared (internally and externally with third-parties). A data inventory is generally considered to be a description of the data at rest, similar to how one might create a record of the data as if it was an asset to be tracked and valued.
The term is largely another name for a data map, although it has become popular to refer to the process as conducting a data inventory and mapping. Another method to refer to a data inventory that is popular outside of the United States is a data register.
Data Inventory Process
We have written extensively about how to create a data map here among our data privacy resources. If you are looking for information about creating a data inventory, we encourage you to take a look at those resources.
Data Inventory Questionnaire
Manual data maps have typically been compiled from the answers to questionnaires distributed among the different divisions of a company as well as interviews of key employees. The answers are usually added to an excel spreadsheet that is then used by the privacy team going forward as their inventory. The process must be repeated on a regular basis and the spreadsheet update to ensure that it stays up to date.
After the Data Inventory is Complete
How will your organization use the data map once it has been constructed? Data maps can be a time consuming and costly process if they are performed manually. Organizations should have a clear understanding of why they are conducting a data inventory and how it will be used. Organizations may choose to do one for many reasons, including:
1. Improve the transparency of the privacy policy.
An organization that has a complete understanding of its privacy practices has the information it needs to enhance its disclosures. There is almost always a gap between an organization’s practices in reality and the text of the privacy statement. In order to disclose an organization’s privacy practices though the privacy statement, an updated data inventory is a solid first step. The various stakeholders can then use that information to compare to the current policy and, when needed, update the disclosure based on the information that has been discovered.
2. Implement Individual Rights for Privacy (also known as data subject access rights).
If an organization is going to provide individuals with the right to access and the right to delete, the organization needs to know what information it holds about people and where that information is located so that it can be deleted if they put in a request for it. These are core functions of the data inventory.
3. Improve Data Usage within an Organization
Understanding the data that a company has on its customers and potential customers can be an important step in both increasing its utilization across different divisions of a business as well as to enable increased personalization for customers.
4. Meet regulatory compliance requirements
Many organizations are using their data inventory for GDPR compliance or to start the preparation process for the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). If your goal in completing a data map was to get ready to move the needle in your compliance efforts, then the next challenge after you have been armed with this data is to start your compliance process.
In order to continue to hold value, the data inventory will also need to be updated regularly in order to avoid obsolescence. For example, the CCPA requires an annual review of the privacy policy to ensure that appropriate and current information is being disclosed.
GDPR Data Inventory Tools
The Clarip Data Inventory Software offers data mapping automation for companies that choose to avoid the expense of manual information gathering for California and GDPR compliance.
Clarip can scan your public facing assets like your website to identify the data collected by your organization, as well as which third-parties have access to it. Clarip can also conduct internal data mapping to help give you clarity on the information held by internal assets such as your databases. In order to scan internal assets and for some portions of external sites (such as login pages), your organization must provide access to Clarip.
Through the Data Risk Intelligence module, Clarip can help provide significant insights into your data collection, usage and sharing as well as identify gaps in your privacy policy. The information can also be used to provide enhanced automation of DSAR requests through the Clarip DSAR Portal.
For a demo of the Clarip privacy management platform including our data inventory module, please call 1-888-252-5653.
Contact Clarip for CCPA and GDPR Software
The Clarip privacy management software is ready to help improve your organization’s privacy practices. Click here to contact us (return messages within 24 hours) or call 1-888-252-5653 to schedule a demo with a member of the Clarip team.
If your immediate need is California Consumer Privacy Act compliance, take a look at our CCPA software. From consent management to powerful DSAR Software, Clarip offers enterprise privacy management at an affordable price.
Still working on GDPR compliance? We understand! Our GDPR software tools offers a range of options from data mapping software, DPIA automation, and cookie management for ePrivacy.
Click here to contact us (return messages within 24 hours) or call 1-888-252-5653 to schedule a demo and speak to a member of the Clarip team.
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