Quarterly Access Review Pipeline Template
Stay Ahead of Every Access Certification Cycle
Every quarter demands the same grind: inventory privileged systems, chase owners for approvals, rip out unneeded access, and package evidence for the audit team. This template bundles the entire flow so IT, security, and compliance leads see the scope, sign-offs, remediation tasks, and audit files in one live canvas. Duplicate the micro-template cards to spin up a checkpoint per system, tag high-risk roles, drop CSV exports and ticket links directly into the board, and show progress list by list. Your team moves cards left to right as decisions land, while the Getting Started section points you straight to Plan the Review and the Start-Here card keeps the playbook obvious for the next cycle.
- Scope each system and owner in one shared board
- Track privileged review responses with labels and due dates
- Capture removal evidence and audit files for clean sign-off
- Highlight overdue owners and terminations at a glance
Launch the scope in Plan the Review
Start at the Getting Started section and duplicate the System Scope card for every application you certify this quarter. Drag each new card into the Plan the Review list, fill in the owner, compliance driver, and kickoff notes, and assign the card to whoever is running point. Set a due date before the review window opens so follow-ups surface, and use the SOX scope or High risk labels to flag critical systems immediately. This column becomes your single index before you pull any evidence. When new systems appear, add cards mid-cycle so nothing slips past control owners.
Drop evidence into Pull Access Evidence
Run privileged access exports and duplicate the Evidence Extract card to log what was pulled, who generated it, and where the raw file lives. Attach the CSV or ZIP artifact straight onto the card so the board holds the canonical evidence bundle. Tag the card Evidence ready once the file is validated and note any filters used so auditors understand scope. Assign the analyst who owns the extract for fast questions. Move each card along only after the supporting file is uploaded and verified on the card.
Route sign-offs through Owner Certifications
Drag each scoped system into Owner Certifications when the export is ready. Duplicate the Owner Review card to capture the system name, accountable owner, and decision deadline, then assign it to the person who must certify access. Set due dates that match your control requirement and add the Owner overdue label whenever you’ve sent a reminder. Drop follow-up comments or links to owner responses directly into the card so every nudge is logged. As soon as an owner answers keep/remove decisions, update the notes and move the card forward.
Drive fixes in Remediation & Deprovision
Shift any keep/remove decisions that require action into Remediation & Deprovision and duplicate the Removal Task template. Record the access being revoked, paste the service desk ticket link, and assign the engineer or IAM analyst responsible. Use Pending removal and Needs ticket labels to highlight work-in-flight, and check items off once the ticket closes. When you’re dealing with terminated users, add the Terminated user label so HR can confirm the source record. Upload the closure screenshot or change log as an attachment so the card itself proves remediation before you move it forward.
Archive evidence in Audit Sign-Off
Once remediation is complete, move cards into Audit Sign-Off and duplicate the Evidence Package template to summarize what was delivered. Attach the consolidated artifact bundle, record who provided sign-off, and update the next review due date so scheduling is obvious. Add Exception approved to cards that required formal justification and include links to signed memos. Confirm that Evidence ready remains on anything exportable for auditors. When everything in this list is tagged and dated, auditors can open the cards and see the full trail without leaving Instaboard.
What’s inside
Start-Here launch pad
Four punchy steps that point straight to the Plan the Review column so the first duplicate happens in seconds.
Five aligned pipeline lists
Plan, Pull Access Evidence, Owner Certifications, Remediation & Deprovision, and Audit Sign-Off keep every stage visible as cards travel left to right with fresh evidence and sign-offs.
Micro-templates for every artifact
Cards for scope, evidence extracts, owner decisions, remediation tickets, and audit packages cut typing to labels and links.
Demo content that shows the standard
Sample cards include due dates, assignees, ticket URLs, and file attachments so your team mirrors the right detail.
Compliance-focused label set
Ready-made tags such as High risk, Owner overdue, Pending removal, and Evidence ready make filtering instantaneous.
Why this works
- Expose scope, evidence, sign-offs, and remediation in one view
- Keep privileged owners accountable with visible due dates and labels
- Tie every removal to a ticket and attachment for defensible audits
- Document audit-ready packages without jumping between tools
FAQ
How often should I run this board?
Copy the board for every quarterly review so you preserve prior evidence. If you operate on a monthly cadence, shorten due dates but keep the same columns.
Can I adapt this for access reviews outside SOX or ISO controls?
Yes—swap the compliance driver fields in the template cards for the framework you follow, then edit the label set on the board so your terminology shows up on every card.
How do I prove that remediation happened?
Keep remediation cards in the Remediation & Deprovision list until the ticket link shows a closed status and attach the export or screenshot confirming removal before moving them to Audit Sign-Off.
What if an owner does not respond?
Apply the Owner overdue label, push the due date forward, and log each escalation in the card description so you can demonstrate follow-ups during audits.