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The monthly, quarterly and annual checks that keep an ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS operating between certification audits - the rhythm a managed ISMS service runs.
The actual structure of the file, straight from the template we use on live engagements.
Sheet: Start here
Checklist. Read this tab first. This is a working tool for your own team - it does not replace the standard or scheme text you are certified against, and it is not a certificate or an audit.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| What this is | The monthly, quarterly and annual checks that keep an ISO/IEC 27001 ISMS operating between certification audits - the same rhythm a managed ISMS service runs. |
| How to use it | Run the monthly block every month, the quarterly block each quarter. Record the date and who checked; a dated 'nothing to report' is evidence too. |
| How to score | Yes = in place and you can show the evidence today. Partly = it exists but is incomplete, informal or unevidenced. No = not in place. Only a clear Yes counts when it is audited. |
| Independence | The person running these checks must not be the ISMS's internal auditor. Internal audits are scheduled here but carried out by someone independent. |
Sheet: Review checklist
Score each item for this period. Carry anything not a clear Yes into the action list with an owner.
| Cadence | Check | What good looks like | Most common failure (the red flag) | Status (Yes / Partly / No) | Checked by / date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Joiners, movers and leavers processed in time | All leavers' access removed within the agreed time, with tickets | Leaver accounts still active weeks later | - | - |
| Monthly | Incident log reviewed | Every incident classified and closed or tracked; 'no incidents' recorded if none | An empty log nobody looks at | - | - |
| Monthly | Vulnerability and patch status against agreed timelines | Overdue critical patches named, with a tracked fix | Patch status unknown | - | - |
| Monthly | Corrective actions progressing | Each open action has an owner and date; overdue ones escalated | Actions open for months with no update | - | - |
Preview only. The download is a fully editable .xlsx file.
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See how this template fits the wider readiness work, and where we pick it up on a live engagement.
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