Governance and Compliance

Regulators in 2026 expect live, evidence‑backed governance and compliance across IT and business services, and platforms like ServiceNow, HaloITSM, HaloPSA, Freshworks and ManageEngine now make this possible through automated workflows, continuous monitoring and auditable data trails.​​

Why has Governance and Compliance become a real‑time discipline in 2026?

Compliance is now driven by fast‑changing regulations (DORA, PCI DSS 4.0, AI and privacy laws) that require continuous risk and control visibility instead of annual point‑in‑time audits. Boards and regulators expect near real‑time dashboards, traceable evidence and rapid incident reporting, especially in financial services and data‑intensive sectors.​​

• DORA came fully into force for EU financial entities in January 2025, hard‑coding operational resilience and ICT risk expectations.​​

• PCI DSS 4.0 future‑dated requirements became mandatory in March 2025, driving stronger, continuously validated security controls.​

• Data privacy, AI ethics and ESG reporting are converging into integrated compliance programs, forcing organizations to centralize risk and governance data.​

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What macro‑trends are reshaping GRC strategy in 2025?

Three macro‑trends dominate GRC in 2026: regulatory acceleration, continuous data‑driven compliance and the expansion of GRC into ESG, vendor risk and operational resilience. These trends demand platforms that can ingest control data, automate monitoring and provide clear, board‑ready narratives.​​

• Regulatory acceleration and complexity: AI regulations, sector rules such as DORA and PCI DSS 4.0, and evolving privacy laws require frequent updates and tighter mapping between authority documents and internal controls.​

• Continuous, data‑driven compliance: Organizations are moving from periodic testing to continuous control monitoring, automated evidence capture and real‑time dashboards.​

• GRC beyond cyber: ESG metrics, third‑party/vendor resilience and business continuity are now embedded into GRC architectures, not handled as side projects.​​

  
  

Why do manual, spreadsheet‑based GRC approaches now fail?

Manual GRC relies on disconnected spreadsheets, emails and siloed tools, which cannot keep pace with regulatory updates or provide reliable, audit‑ready evidence at scale. These methods create inconsistent control execution, opaque ownership and brittle reporting that breaks under the scrutiny of 2026 regulators.​​

• Cross‑functional activities like incident reporting, vendor risk and resilience testing become fragmented when not supported by integrated workflows.​

• Organizations waste months preparing static audit packs, instead of maintaining continuous registers of assets, risks, incidents and third parties.​

• Lack of CMDB, asset context and standardized data models prevent reliable mapping between regulatory obligations and real systems.​

  
  

How is governance shifting from documents to live workflows?

Governance used to mean publishing policies and hoping teams complied; in 2026 it means encoded workflows with controls embedded in day‑to‑day tools such as ITSM, PSA and HR service platforms. ServiceNow, HaloITSM, Freshservice and ManageEngine now drive policy‑driven approvals, change governance, asset tracking and audit trails directly at the ticket and configuration level.​​

• Change approvals, access requests and vendor onboarding are automated with role‑based routing, ensuring governance rules are always applied.​​

• Evidence (logs, approvals, SLA outcomes, test results) is captured as a by‑product of work rather than as a separate manual effort.​​

• DataLunix’s EchoViz framework shows how to extend this model into DORA‑style ICT risk, resilience testing and third‑party oversight.​

  
  

How does ServiceNow GRC act as a strategic governance hub?

ServiceNow GRC centralizes policies, authority documents, risks, controls and issues into a unified platform, acting as the governance “brain” for the enterprise. It maps regulatory content (ISO, NIST, PCI DSS, DORA and similar frameworks) to controls, automates control testing and orchestrates evidence collection across IT and business processes.​​

• AI‑enhanced risk prediction in ServiceNow helps identify emerging risks and prioritize mitigation, combining KRIs, incidents and external indicators.​

• Continuous control monitoring automates routine tests, surfaces violations and updates dashboards, helping teams maintain an always‑audit‑ready posture.​

• Native integrations with ITSM, ITOM, HRSD and ITAM mean that incidents, changes, assets and HR cases can all contribute to real‑time risk and compliance views.​​

  
  

How does DataLunix design ServiceNow‑centric GRC operating models?

DataLunix uses ServiceNow as an enterprise GRC and risk management backbone while aligning it with regulatory frameworks such as DORA, CSRF‑style resilience rules, ISO 27001 and NIST CSF. EchoViz provides a common information model and AI‑enabled compliance assistant that ingests ICT asset, risk, incident, testing and third‑party data via APIs from ServiceNow and other platforms.​

• EchoViz standardizes Registers of Information (assets, risks, incidents, third parties, tests) into a portable data model aligned with DORA pillars.​

• DataLunix designs integrated operating models and dashboards that quantify maturity, return on resilience and regulatory readiness for board‑level reporting.​

• Engagements follow a structured Discover–Evaluate–Design–Execute methodology, ensuring quick wins (60 days) and a 12‑month roadmap to continuous compliance.​

  
  

How do HaloITSM and Freshservice embed operational governance for IT teams?

HaloITSM and Freshservice (Freshworks) bring governance into daily IT operations through ITIL‑aligned incident, problem and change workflows, CMDB, asset management and SLA tracking. They provide structured audit trails, approvals and configuration governance that underpin security and compliance frameworks without the overhead of a full GRC suite.​​

• HaloITSM offers configurable workflows, CAB approvals and SLA monitoring with automatic escalations and notifications, enabling reliable change governance and service performance evidence.​

• Freshservice provides robust ticketing, CMDB, automation and integrated knowledge, supporting traceability and standardized service processes aligned with ITIL.​​

• In real deployments, HaloITSM has helped healthcare organizations maintain 99.9% uptime and same‑day resolution for half of tickets while satisfying strict regulatory expectations.​

  
  

How do HaloPSA and ManageEngine enforce policy and compliance in MSP and enterprise contexts?

HaloPSA and ManageEngine give MSPs and internal IT teams contract governance, time and billing traceability, configuration control and role‑based access that translate policies into enforceable workflows. These tools also provide strong reporting across SLAs, tickets, assets and user access, which is vital when demonstrating adherence to customer contracts and sector regulations.​​

• HaloPSA centralizes contracts, time entry, billing and service delivery data, ensuring that obligations such as SLAs and security terms are auditable.​

• ManageEngine’s suite covers service desk, UEM, ITAM and security modules, providing end‑to‑end visibility of endpoints, configurations and changes that affect compliance posture.​​

• In practice, ManageEngine has been recognized in industry research as a leader in ITAM and digital experience monitoring, reinforcing its role as an operational governance tool.​​

  
  

How do these platforms support continuous, AI‑enabled monitoring?

In 2025, GRC tools embed AI to detect anomalies, predict risks and recommend actions, while ITSM/PSA platforms supply the operational data needed for those models. ServiceNow uses AI for risk prediction, control anomalies and policy lifecycle insights; HaloITSM and Freshservice apply AI to triage tickets, suggest knowledge and forecast SLA breaches.​

• AI‑driven risk prediction in ServiceNow analyzes incidents, KRIs, vendor signals and trends to update risk levels and trigger actions before issues materialize.​

• Operational platforms provide structured, labeled data (tickets, change records, asset health, user activity) that feed GRC analytics and ML models.​​

• DataLunix’s EchoViz architecture adds a domain‑specific, privately hosted LLM to interpret regulatory text, monitor compliance gaps and generate evidence narratives.​

  
  

How does GRC expand into ESG, third‑party risk and operational resilience?

Regulators and investors are pushing organizations to treat ESG metrics, vendor resilience and cyber‑physical risks as integral parts of governance and compliance, not standalone topics. That means extending GRC platforms to cover vendor contracts, SLA adherence, testing outcomes and ESG data sources, often with ITSM/PSA tools providing the operational telemetry.​​

• DORA‑style regulations explicitly require third‑party risk management, resilience testing and incident communication across the supply chain.​​

• ESG reporting increasingly overlaps with data privacy, security controls and operational continuity metrics, demanding unified evidence architectures.​

• EchoViz’s information model and DataLunix’s cross‑tool architecture allow mapping ESG and vendor controls to assets, services and suppliers in ServiceNow, Halo and ManageEngine.​

  
  

How do ServiceNow, HaloITSM, HaloPSA, Freshworks and ManageEngine compare for governance and compliance?

The table below shows how each platform contributes to a unified governance and compliance stack when orchestrated by DataLunix.​​

Platform contributions to governance and compliance

Platform	Strategic GRC & policy management	Audit trails & SLA reporting	Risk registers & dashboards	Vendor/contract governance	ESG & resilience support	Typical role in DataLunix architectures
ServiceNow	Full GRC suite with policy, authority document mapping, control lifecycle and issue management for ISO, NIST, PCI and DORA. ​	Native audit trails across ITSM, HRSD, ITOM and workflows; strong SLA and performance analytics. ​​	Central risk registers, KRIs, AI‑enabled risk prediction and continuous control monitoring dashboards. ​	Vendor risk management, contract records and third‑party issue tracking via GRC and procurement modules. ​​	Supports resilience programs (BCM, ITDR) and can model ESG metrics via custom data structures and reporting. ​	Acts as the enterprise GRC hub and “system of record” for risks, controls and policies, integrated with EchoViz. ​
HaloITSM	No full GRC module, but ITIL‑aligned processes can embed policy rules into incident, change and request workflows. ​	Strong ticket histories, SLA tracking and CAB workflow records enable operational auditability. ​	Can surface basic operational risks via categories, tags and reports, feeding higher‑level GRC tools. ​​	Supports change, access and request approvals tied to customer or internal policies. ​	Can track ESG‑related incidents or tasks (e.g., sustainability or safety service requests) when configured. ​​	Serves as governed ITSM backbone for mid‑market clients, providing clean operational data into EchoViz or ServiceNow GRC. ​
HaloPSA	Policy enforcement through standardized service catalogs, projects and billing rules rather than formal GRC objects. ​	Detailed logs of tickets, time entries, projects and invoices support contractual compliance evidence. ​​	Limited risk structures, but reports highlight revenue, margin and SLA hotspots for MSP governance. ​	Strong contract, SLA and billing governance for MSPs, aligning services with customer terms. ​​	Indirect support via reporting on resource utilization, incident patterns and availability metrics. ​	Operates as contract and commercial governance layer for MSP scenarios that DataLunix integrates with risk tooling. ​
Freshworks (Freshservice)	Does not provide full GRC, but offers structured workflows, approvals and configuration that support policy execution. ​​	Robust ticketing, SLA metrics and configuration histories provide compliance‑grade audit logs. ​	Dashboards reveal operational risks (e.g., recurring incidents, SLA breaches) that can be exported to GRC systems. ​	Manages service catalogs, approvals and changes that enforce internal policy and supplier commitments. ​​	Can track ESG‑related service items and projects, especially in ESM deployments. ​​	Functions as a versatile ITSM/ESM platform for mid‑market clients, supplying governed workflows and metrics into the broader GRC stack. ​
ManageEngine	No monolithic GRC suite, but multiple modules (ServiceDesk, ITAM, UEM, security tools) enforce governance across endpoints and services. ​​	Extensive logs, change histories and ITAM records support compliance across software licenses and endpoint configurations. ​	Risk‑related reporting appears through monitoring, alerts and asset compliance states rather than formal risk registers. ​​	Strong support for contract and license governance through ITAM and integrated procurement processes. ​	Endpoint and infrastructure monitoring data can underpin resilience and ESG reporting (e.g., energy, uptime). ​​	Provides deep technical governance and compliance for infrastructure and endpoints, integrated by DataLunix into ServiceNow or EchoViz. ​

How does DataLunix orchestrate a unified, multi‑platform GRC operating model?

Most organizations already run multiple tools, so DataLunix focuses on designing a federated but unified GRC operating model across ServiceNow, Halo, Freshworks and ManageEngine. The goal is to make governance and compliance a cross‑platform, data‑driven capability, not a single‑tool project.​

Key elements of the DataLunix approach include:

• Common information model

  • Use EchoViz to create a portable model for assets, risks, incidents, tests and third parties aligned with DORA/CSRF‑style frameworks.​

  • Map each tool’s data (tickets, assets, vendors, tests) into this model via REST APIs, ensuring consistent semantics.​

• Tiered platform roles

  • ServiceNow GRC becomes the strategic governance and risk layer for policies, risk registers, controls and compliance reporting.​

  • HaloITSM, Freshservice, HaloPSA and ManageEngine act as “operational GRC rails”, capturing governed work, approvals, configurations and SLAs.​​

• Continuous compliance automation

  • Configure automated control tests (e.g., change approvals, privileged access, backup checks) and link them to real workflows in ITSM/PSA tools.​​

  • Use EchoViz’s AI assistant to monitor gaps, generate narratives and guide remediation planning.​

• Board‑ready reporting and RoR (Return on Resilience)

  • Produce dashboards that show compliance status, control coverage, incidents, vendor dependencies and resilience metrics in business language.​​

  • Quantify value through metrics like reduced audit effort, fewer high‑severity incidents and improved remediation time.​

    
    

What practical, ticket‑level governance examples should you implement?

To differentiate from generic GRC advice, you can focus on ticket‑level and asset‑level controls implemented inside your ITSM/PSA stack. Examples include:​​

• Change governance in HaloITSM or Freshservice

  • Mandatory CAB approval and impact analysis for high‑risk changes (e.g., payment systems, EHR platforms), with Entra ID‑linked approval roles in HaloITSM.​

  • Automatic creation of ServiceNow GRC control test evidence whenever such changes are approved or rejected.​

• Access and segregation of duties

  • Implement service catalog items for access requests, with multi‑step approvals and automated provisioning in ManageEngine and ServiceNow.​​

  • Export logs and entitlement changes into EchoViz to assess SoD conflicts and generate audit‑ready access reviews.​

• Vendor and contract governance in HaloPSA

  • Model SLAs, security obligations and data residency in agreements, then track incident and response metrics per contract.​​

  • Feed these into ServiceNow vendor risk records and DORA/EchoViz third‑party registers.​​

• Resilience testing and DORA evidence

  • Use ServiceNow or ManageEngine to schedule and record resilience tests (failover drills, cyber ranges) and link results to DORA resilience pillars.​

  • Automate reporting of test scope, findings and remediation actions via EchoViz dashboards.​

    
    

How should organizations start their 2026 GRC journey with DataLunix?

For 2026, the priority is to move from reactive audits to continuous, platform‑driven governance and compliance without abandoning existing tools. DataLunix typically recommends a phased journey aligned with business risk and regulatory deadlines.​​

1. Baseline and roadmap

   • Assess current GRC posture, regulatory scope (DORA, PCI DSS 4.0, privacy, ESG), tooling inventory and data quality.​

   • Use EchoViz and ServiceNow workshops to map gaps against the five pillars of operational resilience and key compliance frameworks.​

2. Quick wins (60–90 days)

   • Automate high‑value controls like change approvals, SLA monitoring and access requests in HaloITSM, Freshservice and ManageEngine.​​

   • Stand up basic ServiceNow GRC structures (policies, controls, risk registers) and connect at least one ITSM tool for evidence ingestion.​

3. Scale to continuous compliance (6–12 months)

   • Expand integrations to cover ITAM, UEM, security tools and third‑party systems, enriching the GRC data fabric.​

   • Roll out AI‑driven monitoring and automated reporting, including DORA‑aligned resilience dashboards and ESG‑linked metrics.​

4. Optimize and innovate

   • Use insights to simplify tool sprawl, streamline processes and improve return on resilience.​

   • Pilot new AI models for predictive risk and automated narrative generation across audits and board packs.​

     
     

FAQ

How does DataLunix help unify Governance and Compliance across multiple tools?

DataLunix designs a GRC architecture where ServiceNow and EchoViz serve as governance hubs, while HaloITSM, HaloPSA, Freshservice and ManageEngine supply operational control data. This lets you keep existing investments but manage risks, controls and evidence through unified models and dashboards.​​

Why is Governance and Compliance automation essential for DORA and PCI DSS 4.0?

DORA and PCI DSS 4.0 require continuous oversight of ICT risks, third parties and payment security, plus auditable evidence of how controls operate. Automation ensures you can maintain always‑current registers, incident logs and control tests without unsustainable manual effort.​​

Can HaloITSM and Freshservice support my Governance and Compliance goals without a full GRC suite?

Yes. Their ITIL‑aligned workflows, CMDB, SLA tracking and approvals create governed, traceable processes that satisfy many internal and external compliance expectations. You can later feed their data into ServiceNow GRC or EchoViz to build a more formal, multi‑framework program.​​

How do HaloPSA and ManageEngine contribute to Governance and Compliance in MSP environments?

HaloPSA manages service catalogs, contracts, billing and SLAs, ensuring contractual governance for MSP relationships. ManageEngine enforces technical governance through ITAM, UEM and monitoring tools that control endpoints, configurations and licenses, providing strong evidence for audits.​​

Why should I work with DataLunix for my 2025 Governance and Compliance roadmap?

DataLunix uniquely combines deep expertise in ServiceNow, Halo, Freshworks and ManageEngine with its EchoViz framework for DORA‑style compliance and AI‑enabled monitoring. This positions DataLunix as a strategic advisor that can turn fragmented tools into a cohesive, audit‑ready GRC operating model.​​

Call to action: Turn Governance and Compliance into a competitive advantage with DataLunix

If your 2026 reality includes DORA, PCI DSS 4.0, AI and privacy regulations, you cannot afford spreadsheet‑driven governance and reactive audits. Partner with DataLunix to design a multi‑platform GRC architecture that combines ServiceNow, HaloITSM, HaloPSA, Freshworks and ManageEngine into one continuous, AI‑enabled governance and compliance engine, powered by EchoViz and proven operating models. Visit DataLunix.com or engage the DataLunix team to build your audit‑ready, resilience‑focused roadmap today.