How to Build a Living GRC System in Jira and Confluence

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Welcome to the wondrous world of GRC!

Don’t worry, you’re not alone if GRC sounds like a magic spell from “Harry Potter.” For most of us, Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) is one of those terms that sounds important in meetings, like when someone mentions “synergy.” But the truth is, GRC means different things in different industries.

You can also check out the short video about GRC in our YouTube channel:

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GRC 101: Where Are We Now?

In the medical device industry, GRC might look like ISO 13485 and ISO 14971. In software and SaaS, it could be the arcane ISO 27001.

Unfortunately, many GRC programs feel like black holes. They fail, not because we didn’t know our risks, but because we can’t remember whose bright idea it was to make that decision.

You have risks on one side, documents on the other, and somewhere in between, approvals of documents and risks float around like lost socks.

Today, let’s explore how governance, risks, and compliance can actually connect.

Imagine:

• risks linked in Jira,

• documentation tucked neatly in Confluence, and

• decisions frozen in time.

Kind of like when you find that missing sock and realize you’ve had it all along.

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Decoding the GRC Puzzle

In most organizations, GRC looks like this: risks listed in Excel, policies and procedures living in SharePoint, and controls documented somewhere else entirely. Approval evidence is scattered across tools, emails, and meeting notes like confetti after a birthday party.

So when someone asks, “Why does this policy exist?” the answer usually involves an elaborate story, a project someone vaguely remembers, or a decision made eons ago. But there’s no direct link between a risk and a document. In essence, it’s a long game of “Broken Telephone.”

Good GRC isn’t about having more documents or controls – it’s about clarity.

You should clearly show:

• what risks exist,

• how you’ve decided to handle them,

• what controls are in place, and

• what approvals happened at a specific time.

Best if you could do that without relying on memory alone.

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The Practical Connection in Jira and Confluence

Let’s break it down. Using Jira for risk management and Confluence for documentation can actually support governance.

In Jira, risks have:

• a key,

• a summary,

• a clear description,

• a category,

• an owner,

• a rating, and

• a treatment description – a mitigation action with real people and real due dates.

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Traceability between Risks and Documents 

But remember, a risk without a documented decision is just an opinion.

You can’t just say a risk is reduced – you need to show how that conclusion was reached, which is why risks should be linked to treatment procedures or documents in Confluence explaining how risks are evaluated and controls defined. It’s about revealing why we decided what we did, not just what we decided.

Here’s an example of a Risk Control Procedure describing how risks and controls are defined and documented in our GRC system. Like all controlled documents in Confluence, it has an owner with version and approval history. 

  

Most importantly, documents in Confluence are linked to risks in Jira, and everything loops back.

This interconnection is where governance, risk, and compliance transition from abstract concepts to reinforcing traceability.

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Audits without the Drama

In a well-oiled GRC system:

• governance defines rules,

• risks drive decisions,

• decisions drive documentation,

• documentation drives action, and

• every step is connected.

When audits come knocking, and they always do, you can show them crisp traceability without theatrical storytelling or creative interpretation.

And here’s the kicker: auditors don’t care about today’s truth. They want to know what was true when the decision was made.

Enter SoftComply Static Snapshots: these are like time capsules, capturing:

• the exact state of a document at the time of decision

• without being overwritten or retroactively changed.

Your past decisions become an auditable history, turning your living system into a series of intentional changes.

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The Living GRC Reality Check

A living GRC system means risks, decisions and documentation are connected.

Because, let’s face it, if someone looks at a risk in Jira and only sees a score and a status, that’s not governance – it’s a placeholder.

If someone sees a document in Confluence that doesn’t actually govern anything, it’s just more content.

So here’s the big question:

• Are your risks tied to real decisions, or are they just status updates?

• Are your Confluence documents governing something real, or just existing for fun?

Remember, when risks, decisions, and evidence all tell the same story, GRC stops being an overhead burden and becomes your trusty sidekick in making better, faster, and more confident decisions.

If your GRC currently resembles a fragmented jigsaw puzzle, don’t hesitate to book a call with us. We would love to help you piece it all together.

Thank you for reading, and may your GRC journey be smoother from here on out!