AI automation software evaluation checklist: 10 steps to choosing an execution-ready platform

As organizations increasingly adopt AI automation solutions, the stakes of selecting the right Automation-as-a-Service (AaaS) platform have never been higher. A poor choice can lead to security vulnerabilities, integration nightmares, compliance failures, and wasted investment. A strategic choice, however, can transform operations, accelerate workflows, and deliver measurable ROI within weeks.

This comprehensive evaluation checklist walks you through the 10 critical questions every decision-maker should ask before committing to an AaaS platform. These questions span data security, system integration, compliance auditing, and deployment complexity, or the pillars that determine whether your automation investment succeeds or stalls.

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Key takeaways

1. A robust Automation-as-a-Service (AaaS) platform must feature end-to-end encryption (TLS/AES-256), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and Single Sign-On (SSO).
2. In regulated industries, platforms must provide immutable logs that track every AI and human action to meet compliance requirements such as SOC 2 and HIPAA.
3. The best platforms prevent data silos by offering pre-built connectors to CRMs (Salesforce), ERPs, and e-signature tools, as well as open APIs for custom integrations.
4. When evaluating price, decision-makers must look beyond the sticker price to consider implementation costs, training time, and scalability.

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Why a structured evaluation matters

The AI-as-a-Service market is projected to reach $43.3 billion by 2028, with over 40% of enterprises planning to deploy AI agents in production by 2026. This rapid growth means more vendors, more features, and more complexity in evaluation.

Without a structured checklist, teams often prioritize flashy features over foundational requirements. They discover integration gaps after signing contracts, uncover compliance shortfalls during audits, or realize too late that the platform cannot scale with their needs.

The following 10 questions will help you cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters.

1. Does the platform meet enterprise security standards?

Security is non-negotiable. Any AaaS platform handling business-critical data must demonstrate robust security architecture from the ground up.

Key Security Requirements

1. End-to-end encryption: Data should be encrypted both in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest (AES-256). This is the baseline standard used by financial institutions and government agencies.
2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA): All administrative access should require MFA. Single-factor authentication is a critical vulnerability.
3. Single Sign-On (SSO) and SAML integration: Enterprise identity management requires seamless integration with existing authentication systems like Okta or Azure AD.
4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Look for features like restricted downloads, document watermarking, and controlled file sharing to prevent unauthorized data exposure.

Moxo applies multiple security layers encompassing data encryption, network protection, and physical security safeguards.

The platform supports SSO, SAML, OIDC, and MFA for centralized access management. All data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using TLS and AES-256, and granular role-based permissions ensure only authorized personnel access sensitive information.

2. What compliance certifications does the vendor hold?

Compliance certifications provide third-party validation that a vendor meets established security and operational standards. They're not optional for regulated industries.

Essential Certifications

1. SOC 2 Type II: Confirms that systems and controls are reviewed regularly for both design and operational effectiveness. Ask for a current report that covers the actual portal systems, not just infrastructure.
2. GDPR Compliance: Required for any organization handling EU citizen data. Look for Data Processing Agreements (DPA), Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), and clear subprocessor lists.
3. HIPAA Compliance: For healthcare data, vendors must offer and sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). No BAA means the platform is not HIPAA compliant.
4. ISO 27001: Demonstrates a comprehensive information security management system.

Moxo maintains SOC 2 Type II certification and aligns with GDPR requirements for data handling. The platform supports HIPAA-compliant workflows when required, with encryption, retention, and access controls consistently applied across all client workspaces.

Moxo is ready to sign HIPAA BAAs and GDPR DPAs, with data centres in multiple regions to support data residency requirements.

3. How are audit trails and activity logs managed?

Comprehensive audit trails are the backbone of compliance and accountability. When regulators or auditors come calling, you need complete documentation of every action.

Some audit trail requirements are

• Immutable logs: Audit records must be tamper-proof. Logs that can be modified defeat their purpose.
• Comprehensive tracking: Every login, view, share, edit, approval, and deletion should be time-stamped and user-identified.
• Export capabilities: One-click exports compatible with SIEM tools and regulatory reporting formats.
• AI action logging: When AI agents perform automated tasks, those actions must be logged with the same rigor as human actions.

Every action in Moxo, be it messages, documents, approvals, signatures, and AI agent activities is logged in immutable audit trails with timestamps, user IDs, and IP addresses.

Reports can be exported directly for regulators or shared with internal committees. Each AI action is logged in the audit trail, so automation supports compliance rather than obscuring it.

4. Does the platform support Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)?

Not everyone needs access to everything. Effective access control limits visibility to only what each user needs, reducing exposure and meeting least-privilege requirements.

RBAC Checklist

1. Granular permission settings at the workspace, folder, and document level
2. Ability to define custom roles aligned with organizational structure
3. Automatic permission inheritance for new team members
4. Access review and certification workflows for periodic validation

Moxo provides granular roles and permissions that reduce exposure and align with auditor expectations for least-privilege access. Advisors see client files, compliance sees logs, and clients see only their workspace.

The AI Agents respect defined permissions, compliance requirements, and escalation paths at all times. They learn your instructions, roles, and rules to ensure actions always follow your playbook.

5. How seamlessly does it integrate with existing systems?

An AaaS platform that doesn't integrate with your existing tech stack creates data silos, double-entry, and workflow fragmentation. Integration capabilities determine whether automation accelerates or complicates operations.

Here is how you assess integrations

1. Pre-built connectors: Look for native integrations with CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot), ERPs, document management systems, e-signature tools (DocuSign), and identity verification services.
2. Open APIs: Custom integrations should be possible through well-documented APIs and webhooks.
3. Third-party platform support: Tools like Zapier can bridge gaps for less common applications.
4. Bi-directional sync: Data should flow both ways—updates in the AaaS platform should push to systems of record, and vice versa.

Moxo connects directly with CRMs, ERPs, payment gateways, document repositories, and identity verification tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, DocuSign, Jumio, and Stripe.

The platform supports automatic data push to systems of record at configurable intervals, and third-party actions can be added to workflows, with apps opening directly within Moxo Flow Workspaces. Webhooks and Zapier integration enable completely custom connections.

6. Can you deploy without heavy IT involvement?

A powerful tool that requires IT to build every workflow isn't scalable. The right AaaS platform empowers business teams to create, modify, and optimize automations without waiting in the IT queue.

Some indicators of good deployment are

1. No-code workflow builder: Visual, drag-and-drop interfaces that don't require programming knowledge
2. Pre-built templates: Ready-to-use workflow templates for common processes like onboarding, approvals, and document collection
3. Fast time-to-value: Ability to go live with core workflows within days or weeks, not months
4. Dedicated support: Customer success managers who guide implementation and answer questions quickly

Moxo's Flow Builder lets teams build, reuse, and customize workflows without technical expertise. The platform includes pre-built templates for evidence collection, policy attestations, approvals, onboarding, and more.

7. How does the AI balance automation with human oversight?

AI that operates as a black box creates risk. The best AaaS platforms combine AI-driven efficiency with clear human decision points, ensuring accountability where it matters most.

Human-AI balance looks like this

1. Transparent AI actions: Clear visibility into what AI agents are doing and why
2. Configurable automation boundaries: Ability to define which tasks AI handles autonomously vs. which require human approval
3. Exception escalation: Automatic routing of anomalies or edge cases to human reviewers
4. Judgment preservation: Critical decisions remain with humans; AI handles preparation and routine steps

Moxo is designed around a core philosophy: the most important steps in any business process require human judgment and accountability.

AI Agents prepare and route work around those decisions but never replace the decision-maker. The platform separates judgment calls only humans can make from the repetitive tasks that slow them down.

8. What external collaboration capabilities exist?

Business processes rarely stay within organizational walls. Clients, vendors, and partners need to participate securely without creating account management overhead.

External Collaboration Needs include

1. Secure portals: Branded, client-facing environments for document sharing and task completion
2. Passwordless access: Magic links or one-click access for external participants without account creation
3. Secure document requests: Ability to request files, approvals, and signatures from external parties within controlled workflows
4. Mobile-first design: External participants often work from mobile devices; the experience must be seamless

Moxo's Magic Links let external stakeholders review, sign, or approve in moments—directly from a secure portal or via a one-click link, without creating accounts. Notifications and reminders keep them on track so approvals don't stall.

9. Does it provide visibility and performance reporting?

You can't improve what you can't measure. Effective AaaS platforms provide real-time dashboards and reporting that track SLAs, identify bottlenecks, and measure outcomes.

You need to evaluate these reporting features

1. Real-time dashboards: Visibility into active workflows, pending actions, and process status
2. SLA monitoring: Custom SLA timers, reminders, and automated escalations when deadlines approach or are missed
3. Bottleneck identification: Analytics that surface where processes stall or slow down
4. Export and sharing: Ability to export reports for executive presentations, board meetings, or regulatory submissions

Moxo provides dashboards and management reports that track SLA compliance, identify bottlenecks, and measure evidence readiness. Reports can be exported directly for regulators or shared with internal committees.

10. What Is the total cost of ownership?

Sticker price tells only part of the story. True cost includes implementation time, training requirements, maintenance overhead, and the operational impact of the platform's capabilities or limitations.

Here are some important TCO considerations

1. Implementation costs: How much professional services or consultant time is required to go live?
2. Training investment: How long until teams are proficient? Is training included or an add-on?
3. Time savings: What measurable reduction in manual effort can you expect?
4. Error reduction: What's the cost of errors in current processes that automation would prevent?
5. Scalability costs: How does pricing change as you add users, workflows, or volume?
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Moxo fits between mid-market platforms and enterprise GRC suites, offering deep workflow automation, AI-powered document checks, and secure client collaboration at lower overhead than traditional enterprise solutions.

Here’s what users say about Moxo on G2:
“Moxo was so helpful in assisting with the development of a private label platform for client management.”

Quick reference: Your AaaS evaluation checklist

Use this summary to score and compare vendors:

• Enterprise Security Standards (encryption, MFA, SSO, DLP)
• Compliance Certifications (SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001)
• Audit Trail Management (immutable logs, comprehensive tracking, export capabilities)
• Role-Based Access Control (granular permissions, custom roles, access reviews)
• System Integration (pre-built connectors, open APIs, bi-directional sync)
• Deployment Simplicity (no-code builder, templates, fast time-to-value)
• Human-AI Balance (transparent actions, configurable boundaries, judgment preservation)
• External Collaboration (secure portals, passwordless access, mobile-first)
• Visibility and Reporting (dashboards, SLA monitoring, bottleneck identification)
• Total Cost of Ownership (implementation, training, measurable ROI)

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Choosing an AaaS partner, not just a platform

The right AaaS platform brings together humans, systems, and AI to accelerate work without sacrificing control, compliance, or security.

As you evaluate options, remember that the best vendors aren't just selling software; they're offering a partnership in operational excellence. Look for platforms that invest in your success through dedicated support, continuous improvement, and a genuine understanding of your industry's requirements.

As the Human + AI Orchestration Platform, Moxo is built for business operations teams who need to coordinate complex processes across organizations and departments. From client onboarding to multi-party approvals, from vendor management to regulatory compliance, Moxo drives the right actions, from the right people, at the right time.

Book a demo to explore how AI-driven orchestration can strengthen your business processes and accelerate growth.

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FAQs

What compliance certifications should I look for in an AI platform?

Essential certifications include SOC 2 Type II (for operational security), GDPR (for EU data), HIPAA (for healthcare data, requiring a BAA), and ISO 27001 (for information security management).

Why is Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) important?

RBAC ensures that users only see data relevant to their roles. This minimizes security exposure and meets "least-privilege" requirements often demanded by auditors.

What should I ask about "Human-AI Balance"?

You should ask whether the platform provides transparent AI actions, configurable boundaries (what AI does vs. what humans do), and allows exception escalation, where the AI routes edge cases to humans for review.

Why is "No-Code" deployment a critical factor?

A no-code workflow builder allows business teams to create and modify automations without relying heavily on IT departments. This results in faster time-to-value and greater agility in adapting workflows.

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