ThirdProof vs. Spreadsheets
for Vendor Risk Management

Yes. ThirdProof replaces the manual research and data entry portion of spreadsheet-based TPRM. Instead of spending hours Googling each vendor, copying data into cells, and hoping you checked everything, ThirdProof autonomously queries 24 intelligence sources and produces a structured risk report. You still make the approve/reject decision — ThirdProof gives you the evidence to make it confidently.

Most spreadsheet-based assessments check 2-3 things: the vendor's website and maybe a Google search. ThirdProof checks sanctions databases (OFAC, EU, UN), business registries (GLEIF), adverse media (multiple news APIs), domain security (TLS, DNS, security headers), network exposure (Shodan), threat intelligence (VirusTotal, AbuseIPDB), certification claims (trust page scanner + FedRAMP registry), subprocessor supply chain risk, SEC EDGAR filings, and FDIC bank failure records. Each source that would take 20-30 minutes manually runs in parallel in seconds.

The hidden cost of spreadsheet TPRM is analyst time. At $50-100/hour, a thorough manual assessment takes 4-6 hours per vendor — that's $200-600 per assessment. For 50 vendors per year, that's $10,000-30,000 in analyst labor alone, not counting the cost of missed risks. ThirdProof's Starter plan covers 25 investigations/month for $399 ($15.96 per investigation), with more depth than manual research provides.

ThirdProof and GRC platforms serve different needs. GRC platforms (OneTrust, ServiceNow GRC) manage the workflow: tracking which vendors need review, routing approvals, storing documentation. ThirdProof provides the investigation: the actual risk data, findings, and evidence that feeds into your GRC workflow. Many teams use ThirdProof to generate the risk assessment, then upload the PDF report to their GRC platform as evidence.