The Future of FINRA CAT Oversight Starts with RSMS Vault

 

Navigating the complexities of FINRA’s Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) has become one of the most difficult, resource-intensive compliance challenges for broker-dealers. Daily submissions, clock synchronization rules, error repair cycles, lifecycle reporting, CAIS validations — the requirements are expanding, the timelines are shrinking, and exam scrutiny is increasing.

For years, many firms relied on basic reporting pipelines or legacy systems that simply “submit and store” data. But in today’s regulatory environment, this approach is no longer enough. CAT compliance is no longer just about sending data — it’s about governance, oversight, reconciliation, exception management, and proving control.

This is exactly the gap RSMS Vault fills. It moves firms beyond a submission-only mindset and into a modern CAT compliance framework where accuracy, automation, transparency, and reduced exposure are built directly into the system.

The Limitations of Legacy CAT Reporting Tools

Many firms still depend on outdated CAT reporting mechanics that were never designed for today’s requirements. These shortcomings create major compliance risks:

Minimal Automation & Oversight

Older systems lack monitoring logic, data validations, and lifecycle intelligence, forcing teams to catch exceptions manually.

Heavy, Manual Processes

Spreadsheets, emails, and disconnected workflows make it nearly impossible to track errors, document repairs, or maintain audit-ready logs.

Fragmented Architecture

CAT reporting, CAIS submissions, clock sync oversight, corrections, and supervisory reviews often sit in separate tools — creating silos and blind spots.

Regulatory Exposure

Without integrated controls, error trends, late submissions, and lifecycle breaks often go unnoticed until a FINRA exam.

Modern CAT compliance demands more than sending files — it requires end-to-end visibility.

Key Features That Set RSMS Vault Apart — Purpose-Built for CAT & CAIS

1. Advanced CAT & CAIS Data Controls

  • Automated CAT Validations before submission
  • Lifecycle linking intelligence to detect breaks early
  • CAIS validations & population monitoring
  • Exception categorization for easier triage and repair

2. Continuous Oversight & Automation

  • Real-time monitoring of submissions, statuses, corrections, and rejections
  • Incident Management built directly into the platform
  • Error Repair Tracking with full audit trail
  • Automated reconciliation across order events, accounts, and IDs

3. Executive & Supervisory Dashboards

  • High-level visibility into:
  • Error rates
  • Late submissions
  • Open incidents
  • CAIS population mismatches
  • Lifecycle break trends
  • One centralized location for CAT + CAIS oversight

4. Data Governance & Access Control

  • Role-based entitlements for compliance, operations, and technology teams
  • Secure, cloud-hosted storage
  • Export-ready reports for FINRA exams and internal audits
  • Full transparency into every submission, correction, and exception

Why Firms Are Switching to RSMS Vault

Legacy systems may help you “submit CAT files,” but they don’t solve the real issues — accuracy, oversight, reconciliation, and exam readiness.

RSMS Vault transforms CAT compliance into a proactive, well-controlled process with:

🔹 Automated validations
🔹 Real-time monitoring
🔹 Integrated incident management
🔹 Lifecycle oversight
🔹 CAIS population intelligence
🔹 Built-in self-audit capabilities

It’s CAT compliance the way it should be — controlled, automated, transparent, and exam-ready.

Ready to Simplify CAT Compliance?

If your firm is tired of juggling spreadsheets, manual workflows, error repairs, or scattered tools, RSMS Vault gives you the clarity, control, and confidence you need.

👉 Book a demo to see how RSMS Vault can transform your CAT & CAIS compliance operations.

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