FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Section titled “Frequently Asked Questions”Common questions and answers about using the SCF Controls Platform.
General Questions
Section titled “General Questions”What is the SCF Controls Catalog?
Section titled “What is the SCF Controls Catalog?”The SCF (Secure Controls Framework) Controls Catalog contains:
- 150+ security control definitions
- Evidence requirements for each control
- Mappings to 26+ compliance frameworks (ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, NIS2, etc.)
The catalog is included in the platform and provides the foundational control library that the platform uses.
How often is the control catalog updated?
Section titled “How often is the control catalog updated?”The SCF Controls Catalog is maintained by the platform team. Updates are applied automatically as part of the SaaS service — no action required on your part.
You can check the current catalog version in the Database Health & Statistics popup (click the Database button in the header).
What frameworks are supported?
Section titled “What frameworks are supported?”The platform supports 26+ compliance frameworks through control mappings. See Framework Management for the complete list including ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, NIS2, GDPR, and more.
User Access
Section titled “User Access”Why can all users edit everything?
Section titled “Why can all users edit everything?”Role-based access control (RBAC) is currently informational only. All authenticated users have full access to all features regardless of their assigned role.
Permission enforcement is planned for a future release. Roles are being tracked now so that when RBAC is enforced, you won’t need to reconfigure users.
How do I add new users?
Section titled “How do I add new users?”Users can join in two ways:
- Invite by email — Admin clicks “Invite User” and sends an email invitation
- Self-registration — User visits the platform URL and signs in with Google
New users receive the Viewer role by default. Admins can change roles from the User Management page.
Why isn’t a user appearing in the user list?
Section titled “Why isn’t a user appearing in the user list?”Users must sign in at least once to appear in User Management. If they’ve signed in but don’t appear:
- Check browser console for authentication errors
- Have the user sign out and sign in again
- Confirm the user signed in to the correct organisation
Data Management
Section titled “Data Management”Where is my data stored?
Section titled “Where is my data stored?”Your data is stored securely in the cloud as part of the SCF Controls Platform service. The platform handles:
- Automatic backups
- Data encryption at rest and in transit
- High availability and disaster recovery
How do I back up my data?
Section titled “How do I back up my data?”Use the built-in backup feature:
- Click Database in the header
- Click Download Backup
- A JSON file downloads with all your data
- Store this file securely
Will I lose data if there’s an outage?
Section titled “Will I lose data if there’s an outage?”No. The platform maintains automatic backups and uses redundant cloud infrastructure. In the unlikely event of data loss, you can also restore from your own backup files using the Restore from Backup feature.
Sync and Refresh
Section titled “Sync and Refresh”How often does data sync?
Section titled “How often does data sync?”The platform auto-syncs every 30 seconds. You’ll see the sync status in the header:
- “Synced Xm ago” — Normal state showing time since last sync
- “Syncing…” — Active refresh in progress
- “Paused (editing)” — Auto-sync paused while you’re editing
Why does sync pause when I’m editing?
Section titled “Why does sync pause when I’m editing?”To prevent losing your changes. When you start editing a control or evidence item, auto-sync pauses until you finish. This prevents the form from refreshing mid-edit.
Changes I made aren’t appearing. What do I do?
Section titled “Changes I made aren’t appearing. What do I do?”- Click Refresh in the header
- If changes still don’t appear, hard refresh your browser (Ctrl+Shift+R or Cmd+Shift+R)
- Check the browser console for errors
- Contact support if the issue persists
Evidence Collection
Section titled “Evidence Collection”What’s the difference between evidence status options?
Section titled “What’s the difference between evidence status options?”| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not Started | No evidence collected yet |
| In Progress | Collection underway |
| Collected | Evidence gathered but not verified |
| Verified | Evidence reviewed and confirmed valid |
| Expired | Evidence past its validity period |
| Not Applicable | This evidence doesn’t apply to your environment |
How do I link evidence to a system?
Section titled “How do I link evidence to a system?”- Go to Evidence Scoping
- Select an evidence item
- In the detail panel, find Linked System
- Select from registered systems in the dropdown
Systems must be registered in the Systems Registry first.
Can I track evidence from third-party vendors?
Section titled “Can I track evidence from third-party vendors?”Yes. In the Systems Registry, create a system with type Service Provider. Then link evidence items to that system to track vendor-provided evidence.
Technical Issues
Section titled “Technical Issues”The page shows a blank screen
Section titled “The page shows a blank screen”Check browser console (F12 → Console) for errors. Common solutions:
- Hard refresh — Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
- Clear cache — Clear browser cache and cookies for this site
- Try incognito — Test in a private browsing window
- Try another browser — Rule out browser-specific issues
Google Sign-In shows an error
Section titled “Google Sign-In shows an error”Check browser console for specific error:
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
popup_closed_by_user | User closed popup — retry |
idpiframe_initialization_failed | Clear cookies, disable ad blocker |
| Origin not allowed | Contact support |
See Authentication for more details.
Changes aren’t saving
Section titled “Changes aren’t saving”- Check for error messages in the UI
- Verify your internet connection
- Try refreshing the page
- Contact support if the issue persists
Updates and Upgrades
Section titled “Updates and Upgrades”How do I update the platform?
Section titled “How do I update the platform?”The SCF Controls Platform is a fully-managed SaaS application. Updates are applied automatically by the platform team — no action required on your part.
Will updates affect my data?
Section titled “Will updates affect my data?”No. Updates to the platform don’t affect your stored data. The platform team tests all updates thoroughly before deployment.
How do I check what version I’m running?
Section titled “How do I check what version I’m running?”The platform version appears:
- In the footer of each page
- In the Database Health & Statistics popup
Getting Help
Section titled “Getting Help”Where can I report bugs or request features?
Section titled “Where can I report bugs or request features?”Contact support at support@scfcontrolsplatform.com with:
- Steps to reproduce
- Expected vs actual behaviour
- Browser console errors (if any)
- Screenshots (if applicable)
Is there a community forum?
Section titled “Is there a community forum?”Not currently. For now, use the support email for questions and feature requests.
Related Guides
Section titled “Related Guides”- Troubleshooting — Detailed troubleshooting steps
- Configuration — Platform settings
- Getting Started — Introduction to the platform