Heads Up!
This feature is currently available only for specific evidence tasks for the following frameworks: ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA. To know more, contact your CSM.
Effort estimate quantifies the amount of work required to complete an evidence task. This helps to:
Prioritize and allocate resources more effectively
Assign appropriate tasks based on the effort required and team capacities
Balance workload across team members
Set realistic timelines for task completion
Report progress to stakeholders more accurately
By default, Scrut provides an effort estimate for each evidence task, helping you prioritize tasks and allocate resources effectively. It's important to keep in mind that these estimates are benchmark figures based on the average implementation effort required for each task. If you find that the default estimates do not align with your specific needs or circumstances, you can modify them, as required.
Effort Estimate Levels
Scrut categorizes effort into three levels:
Low: Easy to implement, minimal configuration or steps required
Medium: Moderate complexity, requires multiple steps or configuration across several resources
High: Complex implementation, extensive configuration, or affects multiple systems
How To View Effort Estimates for Evidence Tasks
Click on the Effort Estimate column on the Evidence Task table in the All Evidences page. This allows you to sort tasks by effort level.
Navigate to a specific evidence task and look for the Effort Estimate field on the task details page.
How to Set Evidence Task Effort Estimates
For a Single Evidence Task
Sign in to Scrut, and click Compliance → Evidence Tasks on the left navigation panel.
Go to the All Evidences tab and select the task you want to set the effort estimate for.
Use the Effort Estimate dropdown and set the desired level.
For Multiple Evidence Tasks
You can also set effort estimates for multiple tasks simultaneously:
Go to the All Evidences tab and select the tasks for which you want to set the effort estimate.
Click the Edit button at the top of the Evidence Tasks table.
Use the dropdown next to the Effort Estimate field to select the desired level: Low, Medium, or High.
Click Save to complete the bulk assignments.
Note:
If you wish to retain the existing values for other fields, simply leave them unchanged. Scrut will only update the fields you've modified in this window, ensuring that the other values remain intact.
FAQs
1: Is it mandatory to add the effort estimate for all evidence tasks?
No, it's optional. However, setting effort estimates helps with better planning and prioritization.
2: Can I edit the effort estimate at any time?
Yes, you can edit the effort estimate at any time by opening the task and updating the field.
3: What if I'm unsure which level to choose?
Start with your best estimate. You can always adjust it later. If you're between two levels, consider starting with the higher effort level to avoid underestimating the work required. Use these guidelines to select the appropriate effort estimate:
Choose Low When:
Implementation takes less than 30 minutes
Requires 1-3 simple steps
Affects a single system or setting
Can be completed by one person without coordination
Choose Medium When:
Implementation takes several hours to a day
Requires 4-10 steps or configuration changes
Affects multiple resources but within a single system
May require coordination with one other team
Choose High When:
Implementation takes more than multiple days
Requires complex multi-step processes
Affects multiple systems or requires migration
Requires coordination across multiple teams or vendors
May cause downtime or require careful planning
4: Do effort estimates affect compliance status?
No, effort estimates are purely for planning and do not impact whether an evidence task is compliant or non-compliant.
5: Can I filter or sort evidence tasks by effort level?
Yes. Use the filter and sort icons in the All Evidences table to narrow to tasks with a specific effort level.