Simplifying Compliance with VComply & MongoDB

Adam Hughes
November 17, 2021 | Updated: October 17, 2022
#BuiltWithMongoDB#Startups

As businesses globally are facing external pressures to be more focused on privacy, security, and transparency, compliance management is needed now more than ever. With 200+ regulatory updates, 900 regulatory agencies, and the average cost of a non-compliance incident being $14 million, maintaining compliance is critical for every business, no matter the size.

Tracking, maintaining, and proving compliance has traditionally been incredibly difficult, resource-intensive, and takes a significant time commitment. That's why one startup aims to simplify compliance by disrupting the antiquated industry.

Enter VComply. Founded in 2019, VComply is a governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) platform that enables its customers with a secure and easy-to-use solution. VComply is highly configurable to meet the specific needs of any organization without additional coding or infrastructure changes.

The platform collects, organizes, analyzes, and automatically reports on GRC data inputted into the system to provide a high-level view of an organization's compliance posture at any given time.

Combining that with the ability to surface detailed information on any control, VComply modernizes how people work and interact with GRC programs within their businesses.

In this week's #BuiltWithMongoDB, we take a look at VComply to learn more about how they are truly helping organizations strengthen their risk and compliance management.

We spoke with Harshvardhan Kariwala, CEO, and Ashish Jha, Vice President of Engineering at VComply to discuss the company's journey and how they decided to build with MongoDB.

What inspired you to build the business?

Harshvardhan: VComply is actually my third startup. At one of my previous companies, I had become hyper-focused on building the business, and I eventually lost sight of compliance. Operational functions fell through the cracks, and I ended up outsourcing our compliance programs to this corporate firm in Singapore.

Fast forward a bit, they ended up forgetting to do a required compliance filing, and we ended up responsible for paying the non-compliance fines associated with that.

One reporting misstep, and we were fined. That's what got me worried. We got lucky that was all that happened.

It only took one time to inspire action. We then built an internal tool where the entire idea was around creating a culture of reporting excellence and internal accountability.

After adopting our newly created tool, in 2018, we realized that we built a very robust solution to real day-to-day compliance problems. We thought, "Why don't we spin this off into its own product?"

By that time, I was ready to get back into product development, and this was the perfect opportunity. In early 2019 we set up VComply. We quickly got our first customer, the City of Boston, and never looked back.

So that's where VComply got its start. It was never meant to be sold as a product. It was more of an internal compliance tracking tool. That's how we entered the GRC space.

What exactly does VComply do? What are some of its most useful product features?

Harshvardhan: We help businesses be compliant, mitigate risk, and adopt a culture of transparency. If there isn't internal alignment within a company, no tool is going to help them. At its core, VComply is designed to be easy to use so that anyone in an organization can adopt a compliance-first mindset. By removing the traditional technological barriers, we found that businesses can realize the benefits quickly.

That said, VComply serves as the single source of truth for everything GRC within an organization. Think tracking compliance obligations, compliance monitoring, automating activities, alerts and follow-ups, compliance evidence collection, audit trails, and more.

Another popular piece of our tool is our enterprise risk management as well as policy management functionalities. You can monitor and manage risk programs, quickly identify risks, and start linking compliance obligations to mitigate that risk.

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What makes VComply stand out from its competitors?

Harshvardhan: Most other solutions on the market require a compliance expert, are hard to navigate, and take a significant time commitment upfront to get up and running. We built VComply to be more practical and realistic with how people manage their compliance and risk programs today. VComply is easy to set up, simple to use for the end-user, and flexible to map to the specific controls a business needs to comply with without any additional coding.

How did you decide to build with MongoDB?

Ashish: Easy and intuitive search support, as well as indexing and automated performance suggestions, were the key drivers for us building with MongoDB. Also, training new developers is very straightforward.

What has your experience been like scaling with MongoDB?

Ashish: Scaling is pretty seamless with MongoDB. Setting up alerts and monitoring is very straightforward. We've had nothing but great experiences so far.

Do you have a favorite technical book or podcast that you would recommend to other tech entrepreneurs?

Harshvardhan: I would recommend The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building by Matt Mochary. That's definitely a great read.

This is a bit of an open questions, so feel free to interpret it how you'd like. What are you currently learning?

Harshvardhan: That's a tough one. I think you're always learning so many different things on any given day that it's difficult to give one answer. Today, I'm learning marketing strategies, like demand gen as well as sales tactics to scale the business.

Ashish: Primarily, I'm learning how engineering can augment and support other organizations within the company.

Who are some tech leaders or entrepreneurs that you admire?

Ashish: I do admire Jeff Bezos quite a bit. I admire the laser focus that he has and the clarity in terms of his reasoning.

Harshvardhan: Elon Musk because of his ideas and execution. One thing that's great about him is how he executes his ideas flawlessly.

Interested in learning more about MongoDB for Startups? Learn more about us here.

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Preparing for Your Consulting Engineer Interview at MongoDB

Are you a software professional who isn't always just about the software? Do you write code, but just as often get an equally strong sense of accomplishment by configuring a tricky but vital part of the operating system or DBMS? Do you enjoy working with a variety of computer professionals from SysAdmins to Devs to CTOs? Do you feel that special spark from knowing there's so much more to learn about the technology you eat, sleep, and breathe, and that you might never learn every last bit of it, but it'll be a heck of a ride trying to? Are data management and consulting two things you enjoy doing more than anything else? We are always on the lookout for such professionals. Those who seek the challenge. Those who can immerse themselves in every cubic millimeter of a particular stack in their quest to find “the answer”. Those who find fulfillment in helping MongoDB's customers realize every bit of potential that our products can give them. MongoDB Professional Services provides best-of-breed expertise and experience for all of our products to help our customers and community users get the most out of them. This can involve one or more of: Application Lifecycle Expertise, providing both strategic and tactical consulting from the conception to delivery to post-delivery phases of your application lifecycle Dedicated time with a dedicated MongoDB technical expert, with all of the resources of the company and the community at their disposal Public and Private Training for DBAs, DevOps Engineers, Developers, and Data Scientists Migrating customer workloads to MongoDB in Public Clouds And on the front lines is the Consulting Engineer (CE). The Jack-of-all-trades of all things MongoDB who works directly with our customers on a daily basis. What follows is a guide for those looking to join MongoDB Professional Services. We have Consulting Engineer positions available at a variety of levels, and this guidance should help make for the best possible interview experience! Do you have what we're looking for? Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to know how to use MongoDB. Trust me, that was my situation when I interviewed with MongoDB. Don't get us wrong, it is a definite “plus” to have some experience or be an expert, but no experience with MongoDB isn't a deal-breaker. It also isn't an absolute requirement to have been a Consulting Engineer before (I hadn't been), but you do need the skills and qualities that can be made into a successful CE. We look for bright, motivated people who can learn quickly, pivot effortlessly, and adapt relentlessly to a myriad of challenges and situations. People who rise up to technical challenges in pursuit of our customers' needs. We are mostly focused on customers after the sale, although we do work in tandem at times with our Account Teams. A MongoDB Consulting Engineer is well-versed in modern software stacks, database technologies, software development, deployment, and day-to-day operations. They utilize MongoDB Best Practices, deliver MongoDB Technical Training, and work with both customer Dev and Ops teams to ensure successful deployments of MongoDB-based software solutions. They are resourceful, adaptable, always willing to learn, and (if and when we get back to it) comfortable travelling a majority of the time. They enjoy interacting with software professionals on a daily basis. They enjoy representing MongoDB and its products and technologies. They enjoy real-world technical challenges. Do we have what you're looking for? The very first step in your journey is to check the Customer Engineering careers page for open Consulting Engineer positions. If one or more look like a potential fit, we encourage you to apply! As an organization, MongoDB Professional Services strives to be one of the best in the industry. We adhere to very high standards, which translates to maximum benefit to our customers. We are always learning from each other and learning about our new products and technologies as they come down the pipeline. We work hard, we have a lot of fun, and we make a difference. Because a Consulting Engineer must possess a broad skill set, there is significant potential for career growth within the organization. People management is one route, or you might decide you'll always prefer to 'stay technical' - in the latter case, consider a development path that could land you a coveted MongoDB Distinguished Engineer position some day. Alternatively, you might at some point determine that you wish to move into other Professional Services roles with other emphases, such as: Tool and Framework Development for our customers, as well as your fellow Consulting Engineers Curriculum Development, for internal or external Training offerings Engagement Management, where you working more closely with Account Teams to present Professional Services' value proposition to potential and current customers Project Management You are given extensive freedom as a MongoDB Consulting Engineer. We give you the freedom to explore, the freedom to create, the freedom to learn, and the freedom to contribute to the organization and our customers in your unique way. Do you aspire to give a presentation at a MongoDB.local or at MongoDB World? Perhaps the written word is your thing, and you'd like to try your hand at blogging for MongoDB and Professional Services (like I'm doing right here!). Or maybe you just like to develop new and interesting tools for other MongoDB users through the MongoDB Community. All of those and more are possible. Is that what you're looking for? As a company, MongoDB aims to be recognized as a leader in how we value and look after our employees, as well as our customers. Want to learn more? Check out our Life At MongoDB blog posts. Interview step one: speaking with a recruiter Once you've applied for a Consulting Engineer position, a Recruiter will review your resume and determine if they think your skills and experience could be a good fit for the role. If so, they’ll reach out to you to get to know you better and to discuss your qualifications for the particular position, your experience in the industry to date, and what you are looking for in a position with MongoDB. The more you can reflect on your experience and expertise and then show its applicability to what we're looking for, the better. Think about what you are wanting in a career at MongoDB as a Consulting Engineer and how we may be able to make that happen together. A good job fit is, after all, a two-way street. Interview step two: speaking with the hiring manager If the Recruiter confirms that you are a potential fit for Professional Services, you will be scheduled for some time with the Hiring Manager. Give some thought to the following: What do you want out of your next job? What are you looking for in a company and a manager? Why do you feel, at this point, that you are an excellent fit for this position? Pick some example experiences/situations from your past that may be relevant to this position, and be prepared to discuss them. The manager will likely share more about the overall and day-to-day expectations of the job. They will also ask if you have additional questions that they can answer to give you a fuller picture. Our goal is to give you a proper overview of the team (and its culture), Professional Services, and what it's like working at MongoDB. Interview step three: speaking with MongoDB Consulting Engineers In this phase, you will have a handful of one-hour interviews with established MongoDB Consulting Engineers. Each interview covers one or more of the following: Database expertise (Relational and non-Relational) Software development experience and familiarity Problem solving expertise and approach(es) Consulting experience/expertise Rigors of and requirements for daily customer interaction Now: Working with customers remotely (Potentially) In the future: Business travel a majority of the time (note: on hold at present due to COVID) "Soft skills" needed to be a successful MongoDB Consulting Engineer Report writing skills Verbal communication skills (1-on-1 and to groups) Dealing with various customer personalities and situations Comfort talking to customer individual contributors, management, and business stakeholders No, we do not expect you to code an O(n) sorting algorithm on a whiteboard while we wait. Nor do we expect you to install and configure a database server on the fly from a terminal window. That being said, if those sorts of things intrigue you, well…. points for that. What we will do is dig into how you attack problems, how you work with individuals and groups to find solutions, and how you make use of available resources and think outside the box when required. We also ask questions to see how quickly you can absorb new information and how quickly you can adapt to rapidly changing situations. Interview step four: speaking with the PS Director The last stage in the interview process is a chat (usually via video conference) with the Professional Services (PS) Director for that region. This can give you a slightly different perspective of the organization and the role itself, as well as added visibility into our business and company culture. The good news is that this will not be as technical as the interviews above. Before this discussion, consider what you've discussed so far in the interview process, and what other aspects of the role you have further questions about. I will say that when I interviewed back in the day, I sat down with our newly-hired head of Professional Services and asked him "where do you see the organization in two to three years?". His answer was a significant piece of why I accepted MongoDB's offer, so don't be afraid to ask what's really on your mind! Questions? I love to make connections between outstanding individual contributors and MongoDB Professional Services, so if you have any questions about this process or the jobs, feel free to drop me a line. If you’d like to hear more about my experience as a Principal Consulting Engineer, listen to this episode of The MongoDB Podcast. You can find me on LinkedIn, or by writing to me at eric.reid@mongodb.com . Good luck! Interested in pursuing a career as a Consulting Engineer at MongoDB? We have several open roles on our teams across the globe and would love for you to transform your career with us!

November 16, 2021
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Revolutionizing Retail with RFID and MongoDB Atlas

In today's fast-paced retail environment, keeping pace with both customer expectations and competition, maintaining accurate, real-time inventory is more critical than ever. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has emerged as a transformative solution , enabling retailers to track inventory with unprecedented precision and efficiency. However, the potential of RFID can only be fully realized when paired with a robust, scalable data platform capable of handling large volumes of data and providing actionable insights. MongoDB Atlas, with its Device Sync capabilities, is an ideal solution for leveraging RFID data in retail. The role of RFID technology in retail RFID technology uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. This technology offers significant advantages over traditional barcode systems, including the ability to read multiple tags simultaneously and from a distance, and provide real-time updates on inventory levels. For retailers, RFID technology translates into enhanced accuracy in stock management, reduced labor costs, and improved customer satisfaction through better product availability. However, the implementation of RFID technology generates vast amounts of data that need to be efficiently captured, processed, and analyzed. This is where MongoDB Atlas , a fully managed cloud database, and its Device Sync feature, come into play. Figure 1: E2E Supply Chain RFID Tracking Architecture Managing RFID data with MongoDB Atlas and Device Sync Retail enterprises face significant challenges when integrating RFID data into their existing systems to provide real-time visibility and actionable insights. While RFID technology offers substantial benefits, the sheer volume of data generated by RFID tags and readers can be overwhelming without an efficient, scalable database solution. Below are key challenges retailers encounter and how MongoDB Atlas, with Device Sync , can address these issues: Real-time data synchronization: Ensuring that RFID data from multiple locations is synchronized in real-time is critical for maintaining accurate inventory levels and providing timely insights to store associates and management. Data integration and flexibility: Retailers often have legacy systems that need to integrate seamlessly with new RFID data streams. A flexible database schema is required to accommodate different data types and structures. Data volume and velocity: RFID systems can generate millions of data points daily. Retailers need a database solution that can handle this high volume and velocity of data without compromising performance. Data security and compliance: Protecting sensitive inventory and customer data is paramount. Retailers must ensure that their database solution complies with industry standards and regulations. Research-driven solutions with MongoDB Atlas Recent studies have shown that retailers who integrate RFID technology with a robust database platform experience significant operational improvements. According to a report by GS1 US , retailers implementing RFID saw a 25% improvement in inventory accuracy and a 30% reduction in out-of-stock incidents. Additionally, a study by Auburn University RFID Lab found that RFID technology can increase inventory accuracy from an industry average of 65% to more than 95%. MongoDB Atlas enhances these benefits by offering a fully managed, cloud-based database solution that simplifies the process of capturing and analyzing RFID data. Key features of MongoDB Atlas that support RFID integration include: Scalability: MongoDB Atlas can handle the vast amounts of data generated by RFID systems, ensuring that retailers can scale their operations without worrying about database performance. Real-time data processing: With Device Sync, data from RFID readers can be synchronized in real-time, providing instant visibility into inventory levels across all locations. Flexibility: The flexible schema of MongoDB allows retailers to store various types of data, including complex inventory information and transactional data. Security: MongoDB Atlas offers robust security features, including end-to-end encryption, to protect sensitive inventory data. Use cases for MongoDB Atlas and RFID in retail The integration of MongoDB Atlas and RFID technology can revolutionize various aspects of retail operations. Here are some key use cases: Effective inventory management involves several key strategies to ensure seamless operations and customer satisfaction. Real-time inventory tracking plays a crucial role by automatically updating stock levels whenever products are moved, sold, or restocked, providing up-to-date and accurate information. This allows businesses to maintain an accurate view of their inventory at all times. Additionally, automated stock replenishment systems predict stock shortages and trigger reorder requests based on current inventory levels, helping to avoid stockouts and overstock situations. Proper stock management is another essential component. Implementing loss prevention measures helps to identify discrepancies between recorded and actual inventory levels, enabling the detection of theft or loss. Detailed stock insights , such as analyzing inventory turnover rates and product performance, further enhance inventory management by optimizing stock levels and guiding strategic decisions on product placement. In-store associates also benefit from real-time inventory data , which empowers them to provide better customer service. For example, associates can quickly check stock availability and assist customers in locating items. Moreover, efficient stocking is made possible as associates receive guidance on which products need replenishment, ensuring shelves are always stocked with high-demand items. For businesses engaged in omnichannel retailing, integrating online and in-store operations is critical. A seamless connection between these channels enables the efficient fulfillment of Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) orders by leveraging accurate inventory data across both platforms. Additionally, returns management is streamlined by updating inventory levels in real-time as returned items are processed and restocked, ensuring that stock information remains consistent and up-to-date across all channels. Below, you can see a simple representation of how to connect your hardware devices—in this case, a Zebra RFD8500—to interact with your MongoDB Atlas clusters, effectively acting as the perfect data capturing/retrieval tool to elevate the previously commented use cases. Figure 2: RFID Product Tracking Architecture Embracing MongoDB Atlas for RFID solutions in retail For IT decision-makers, adopting MongoDB Atlas and Device Sync can unlock the full potential of RFID technology in retail. By providing a scalable, flexible, and secure platform, MongoDB Atlas ensures that retailers can capture and analyze RFID data in real-time, driving operational efficiencies and enhancing customer satisfaction. What’s more, by integrating MongoDB Atlas with RFID technology, retailers can achieve unprecedented levels of inventory accuracy, streamline their operations, and provide a seamless shopping experience for their customers. It's time for Retail IT to leverage the power of MongoDB Atlas to transform their retail operations and stay ahead in the competitive market. Adopting MongoDB Atlas and Device Sync can revolutionize your retail operations by harnessing the power of RFID technology. As a decision-maker, investing in this key platform will provide enterprises with the tools needed to enhance inventory management, optimize stock levels, and deliver exceptional customer service. Visit our solutions page to learn more about MongoDB for retail innovation. Find out more about connecting a Zebra Technologies 123RFID app with MongoDB Atlas by checking our dedicated GitHub repository .

August 27, 2024