How to Achieve 100% SOC 2 Automation with Vanta and Screenshot Tools

You can achieve 100% SOC 2 automation by combining Vanta with screenshot automation tools. Vanta automates 80% of SOC 2 evidence through infrastructure APIs (AWS, Okta, GitHub) but cannot capture application screenshots or manual workflow evidence—leaving 40–60 hours of manual work per audit. Screenshot automation closes this 20% gap by automatically capturing application UI evidence, generating audit-ready PDFs, and syncing to Vanta, reducing total manual work to under 5 hours per SOC 2 audit.

Why Does Vanta Leave a 20% Manual Gap in SOC 2?

Most organizations using Vanta or Drata believe they are fully automated. However, these platforms primarily focus on infrastructure, code repositories, and identity providers via API integrations. This covers roughly 80% of a standard SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit.

The remaining 20% consists of application-level controls—actions that happen inside your software's user interface (UI) that APIs cannot "see." Historically, these required compliance teams to manually take screenshots, write narratives, and upload PDFs.

Why Vanta Alone Isn't 100% Automated

Vanta is excellent at verifying that your AWS S3 buckets are encrypted or that your employees have completed security training. It cannot, however, automatically prove that:

A "Viewer" role in your specific SaaS app cannot access the "Billing" page.
A specific "Delete" action triggers a multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompt.
Your internal approval workflow for a custom financial transaction was followed.

Screenata is a complete compliance solution that handles both infrastructure monitoring and application-level evidence, plus writes your policies, reads your codebase, and acts as your AI compliance officer. For teams already on Vanta, Screenata can fill the application evidence gap. For teams starting fresh, Screenata replaces both Vanta and the consultant you would need alongside it.

How Do You Achieve 100% SOC 2 Automation with Vanta?

The integration creates a continuous loop of evidence collection that spans from the cloud layer down to the button-click layer.

1. The Infrastructure Layer (Vanta)

Vanta connects to your stack (AWS, GCP, GitHub, Okta, Jira) and monitors configurations. It identifies which controls are "passing" based on API data and which require "manual evidence."

2. The Application Layer (Screenata)

For the controls Vanta flags as manual (such as CC6.1 or CC7.2), you use the Screenata browser extension. You perform the test once—for example, attempting to access an admin panel as a restricted user.

3. Automated Evidence Packaging

Screenata captures the workflow, generates timestamped screenshots, redacts PII using AI, and compiles an audit-ready PDF evidence pack.

4. Direct Sync to Vanta

Instead of downloading files and manually uploading them to the Vanta dashboard, Screenata syncs the evidence pack directly to the corresponding Vanta control. This moves the control status from "Missing Evidence" to "Automated/Passing."

Step-by-Step Guide to 100% SOC 2 Automation

Step 1: Identify Manual Gaps in Vanta

Log into your Vanta dashboard and filter your SOC 2 or ISO 27001 controls by "Manual Evidence Required." You will typically see gaps in Logical Access (CC6 series) and Change Management (CC7 series).

Step 2: Record the Workflow in Screenata

Launch the Screenata extension. Select the specific control ID (e.g., CC6.1 - Logical Access). Perform the UI test:

Log in as a non-admin user.
Navigate to a restricted URL.
Capture the "403 Forbidden" or "Access Denied" message.

Step 3: AI-Generated Narrative and Redaction

Screenata’s AI analyzes the recording to write a step-by-step narrative of what occurred. It automatically blurs sensitive data like email addresses or API keys found in the screenshots to ensure GDPR and HIPAA compliance.

Step 4: Map and Sync

Confirm the control mapping. Screenata pushes the PDF report, the raw screenshots, and a JSON metadata manifest into Vanta’s evidence library.

Step	Action	Tool	Outcome
1	Monitor Cloud Config	Vanta	80% Coverage
2	Record UI Test	Screenata	Captures "Manual" 20%
3	Generate Report	Screenata	Audit-ready PDF
4	Sync Evidence	Both	100% "Passing" Status

Which Controls Does Screenata Automate for Vanta Users?

By combining these two platforms, you can automate specific Trust Service Criteria (TSC) that are traditionally high-friction.

CC6.1: Logical Access Security

The Vanta Check: Checks if SSO is enabled in Okta.
The Screenata Proof: Records a test proving that specific roles (e.g., "Marketing") cannot access production database settings within the app UI.

CC7.2: Change Management

The Vanta Check: Checks if GitHub Pull Requests require two approvals.
The Screenata Proof: Records the end-to-end deployment process, including the manual QA sign-off screen and the final production deployment confirmation.

CC8.1: Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Management

The Vanta Check: Connects to Snyk or AWS Inspector to see if scans are running.
The Screenata Proof: Captures the executive dashboard showing that high-level risks have been reviewed and signed off by the CTO.

Why Auditors Trust Screenata + Vanta Evidence

Auditors are increasingly skeptical of "loose" screenshots (PNGs in a folder). They require a chain of custody for evidence.

1. Verifiable Metadata

Every Screenata report includes a manifest.json containing:

NTP-synced timestamps: Proving the test happened during the audit window.
DOM Snapshots: Proving the HTML elements existed as shown.
User Identity: Proving which team member performed the test.

2. Consistency

When an auditor logs into Vanta, they see uniform, professional PDF reports for every manual control. This consistency reduces the "sampling" an auditor needs to do, often shortening the audit window from weeks to days.

3. OCR and Searchability

Screenata uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to make the text within screenshots searchable. Auditors can quickly search for keywords like "Access Denied" or "Approved" across hundreds of pages of evidence.

Comparison: Manual Collection vs. Screenata + Vanta

Metric	Manual Collection	Vanta Only	Screenata + Vanta
Total Coverage	0% Automated	80% Automated	100% Automated
Time per Control	60-90 Minutes	N/A (Automated)	5 Minutes
Evidence Format	Random Screenshots	API Logs	Structured PDF Packs
Risk of Human Error	High (Missing info)	Low	Zero (AI-Captured)
Audit Preparation	200+ Hours	40-80 Hours	< 10 Hours

Example Use Case: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) Verification

Objective: Prove that a "Support Tier 1" user cannot export customer data.

Vanta flags that this control requires quarterly manual evidence.
The Compliance Manager logs into the production app using a "Support Tier 1" test account.
They start a Screenata session.
They click the "Export CSV" button.
A modal appears saying: "Error: You do not have permission to perform this action."
Screenata captures the modal, the user's profile settings, and the URL.
Screenata generates a report titled SOC2_CC6.1_RBAC_Test_Q4.pdf.
The report is automatically attached to the Vanta control.
Total time elapsed: 3 minutes and 12 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Screenata replace Vanta?

For most startups, yes. Screenata is an AI compliance officer + platform. It handles everything Vanta does (evidence collection, monitoring, audit prep) plus everything Vanta does not do: writing your policies from your actual codebase, reading your repo to map your tech stack, mapping controls to Trust Services Criteria based on your real systems, and telling you what to fix. With Vanta, you still need a vCISO or consultant ($2-5K/month) to do the compliance work. Screenata replaces both the platform and the consultant. If you already have Vanta, Screenata can also work alongside it to fill the application evidence gap. See Do You Actually Need a vCISO for SOC 2?

Is the integration secure?

Yes. Screenata is SOC 2 Type II compliant. All recordings are encrypted at rest and in transit. Furthermore, Screenata’s AI can automatically redact PII (Personally Identifiable Information) before the evidence is sent to Vanta.

Can I use Screenata with other tools like Drata or Secureframe?

Yes. While this article focuses on Vanta, Screenata integrates with all major GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platforms to provide the same 100% automated coverage.

How much time does this actually save?

For a typical mid-market SaaS company with 40-50 manual controls, Screenata + Vanta saves approximately 80 to 120 hours of manual labor per audit cycle by eliminating screenshot cropping, document formatting, and manual uploading.

Key Takeaways

✅ Complete coverage: Screenata handles both infrastructure and application evidence, plus writes your policies and maps controls to your real systems.
✅ Eliminate Manual Screenshots: Stop wasting time cropping images in Word docs. Use AI-driven workflow recording instead.
✅ Auditor-Ready Reports: Generate structured PDF evidence packs with verifiable metadata that auditors trust.
✅ No consultant needed: Screenata acts as your AI compliance officer--it tells you what to fix and answers compliance questions.
✅ 60-90% less than alternatives: Total SOC 2 cost of $15.5K-$24K vs $51K-$110K+ with a traditional platform + consultant.

Learn More About SOC 2 Automation

The Bootstrapped Founder's Guide to SOC 2 -- full cost breakdown and what to expect
Do You Actually Need a vCISO for SOC 2? -- why most startups do not need a consultant anymore
Why ChatGPT SOC 2 Policies Fail Audits -- what auditors actually want in your policies
How to Automate SOC 2 Evidence Collection -- comprehensive SOC 2 automation guide