Custom controls in Vanta allow your organization to define and track security, compliance, or operational requirements beyond standard framework controls. They’re instrumental when aligning with internal policies, customer contracts, or niche regulations not fully covered by SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, or other supported frameworks. Custom controls also help fill gaps where default controls may not fully capture your unique implementation, for example, a specific data handling process or onboarding workflow. Additionally, they can showcase operational maturity by documenting best practices they want to formalize and monitor over time. Whether preparing for an audit or strengthening internal governance, custom controls offer flexibility to tailor Vanta to your real-world processes.
Creating Custom Controls
From the Controls Page, select +Add Control
Select + Add Custom Control
Complete the information related to the Control
Control ID
Control name
Description
Domain
Effective Date
Framework Code (optional)
Select Add Control
Manage Framework Mappings
Select the three-dot menu of the control you would like to map to a framework
Select Manage framework mappings
Select the Framework you would like the control to be mapped to by using the drop-down, or search bar
Select the appropriate requirement, and click add
The same control can be mapped to multiple frameworks and requirements
Uploading Custom Controls
From the Controls page, select + Control
Select Import Custom Controls
Download the Excel template and complete the appropriate information
Make sure your import contains the following columns
Control Summary
Control ID
Control Description
Domain
Editing Custom Controls
Click on the Control you would like to edit
From here, you can edit the control details as well as mapped elements
Mapping Tests
Select the + button
From here, you can choose from the full list of tests available in Vanta, or choose from a list suggested by Vanta AI
To enable or disable AI suggestions, toggle the Suggest by Vanta AI on or off
Select the test you would like linked to the control, and click Add
Mapping Documents
Select the + button
From here, you can choose from the list of Documents available in Vanta or choose from a list suggested by Vanta AI
To enable or disable AI suggestions, toggle the Suggest by Vanta AI on or off
Select the Document you would like linked to the control, and click Add
You can also upload a new document from this modal by selecting + New document
Mapping Risk scenarios to controls
Select the risk scenario you would like mapped to the control, and click Add
Assigning a Custom Control
Click directly into the owner column of the control
Search for the necessary person, and click their name
Delete a Control
From the main Controls page, choose the ... menu, and select Remove
Choose the delete effective date
Select Delete