Who each option is best for, and where either supplier is deliberately narrower.
RoPA software comparison
RoPA software comparison: static register or living Article 30 record
RoPA software should do more than store Article 30 fields. It should keep processing activities linked to the assessments, systems, suppliers, transfers and reviews that change them.
RoPAArticle 30Data mappingTransfersEvidence
Which public claims, review signals, caveats and capability rows are evidenced.
How much work it takes to implement, maintain and export the privacy record.
The questions a privacy team should ask before switching or shortlisting.
On this page
01Comparison table
Common RoPA software options
| Option | Best for | What to check | Acompli position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acompli RoPA | Teams that want Article 30 records linked to assessments, systems, suppliers, transfers and review history. | Whether the current RoPA can be imported and then governed as records change. | Living register backed by reviewed evidence and downstream workflows. |
| Spreadsheet template | Early-stage register creation. | How updates, ownership, evidence and approval history are preserved. | A useful import source, but not the long-term operating model. |
| Enterprise privacy suite | Large privacy teams with mature platform administration. | Whether RoPA updates flow from approved work or require separate module maintenance. | Acompli is narrower and focused on record continuity. |
| Data mapping tool | Teams whose immediate gap is system, vendor and transfer visibility. | Whether the map creates Article 30 records or only visualises flows. | Acompli connects maps to approved governance records. |
02Selection criteria
A RoPA is only useful while it stays current
- Check whether DPIA answers, supplier changes, transfer updates and risk decisions can trigger RoPA review.
- Ask who approves changes and whether the prior version remains visible.
- Ask whether exports preserve enough context for a DPC, ICO, auditor or customer review.
Comparison FAQ
RoPA questions answered
What is the best RoPA software?
The best RoPA software keeps Article 30 records linked to the assessments, systems, suppliers and transfers that change them, rather than storing static fields. Acompli fits teams that want that continuity; a spreadsheet is a useful import source for getting started but is not a long-term operating model.
Can I import my existing RoPA spreadsheet?
Yes - a current spreadsheet register is a normal starting point. The question to ask any RoPA tool is how updates, ownership, evidence and approval history are preserved after import, not just whether the import itself works.
What should happen to a RoPA when a DPIA changes?
A DPIA answer that changes the lawful basis, retention period or transfer route should be able to trigger a RoPA review, with the prior version still visible and a named approver for the change. Ask every RoPA supplier to show this specific flow, not just static field editing.
Acompli overlap
Related Acompli workflows
RoPA management
Maintain Article 30 records that stay linked to approved assessments, systems, suppliers and transfers.
Open moduleData mapping
Build a living view of systems, suppliers, locations, data categories and transfers.
Open moduleAssessments
Run DPIAs, LIAs, TIAs, processor reviews and AI Act assessments with templates, AI support and human approval.
Open moduleThird-party risk
Record suppliers and processors once, then reference them across assessments, RoPA, risk and data mapping.
Open moduleBring your current Article 30 register.
Acompli can show how a static register becomes a maintained privacy record.
Acompli architecture
One governed foundation. Five connected modules.
Imported systems, suppliers, policies, DPIAs and RoPA spreadsheets become the shared evidence model for assessments, risk, records, third-party oversight and data mapping.
- OnboardingImport DPIAs, RoPA spreadsheets, suppliers, systems, policies and documents.
- AssessmentsRun DPIAs, LIAs, TIAs, processor reviews and AI Act assessments with human approval.
- RiskExtract candidate risks from approved evidence and assign treatment plans.
- RoPAMaintain Article 30 records linked to assessments, systems, suppliers and transfers.
- Third-PartyRecord suppliers once, then reference them across assessments, RoPA, risk and maps.
- Data MappingBuild a living view of systems, suppliers, locations, categories and transfers.
Point tools create records. Acompli connects them.