What is PCI SAQ collection?

PCI SAQ collection is the process of collecting Self-Assessment Questionnaires (SAQ) from merchants to evidence their PCI compliance. For many merchants, that means completing a long, complex PDF that can run to hundreds of pages.

In practice, this usually looks like:

• identifying which SAQ type applies to the merchant
• sending the merchant the questionnaire via PDF
• collecting the completed SAQ and Attestation of Compliance
• checking the submission is complete, current, and internally consistent
• chasing missing, expired, or incorrect submissions
• tracking PCI status across the merchant portfolio

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Why PCI SAQ collection needs orchestration

• ‍It is a compliance requirement. Acquirers need to collect the right SAQ and Attestation of Compliance from merchants. Failure to do so results in being non-PCI compliant.
• Merchant experience is typically poor. Asking merchants to fill out a PDF that can run to hundreds of pages creates friction and causes headaches.‍
• Sign-off creates painful delays. Multiple people need to contribute and sign the SAQ prior to submission, requiring PDFs to be emailed around causing large time delays.‍
• Tracking SAQs is expensive. Knowing which merchants have submitted, which are overdue, which attestations need review, and who to chase is a large cost center.‍
• PCI SAQs are complicated. Just selecting the correct SAQ depends on payment channels and cardholder data storage, not obvious for most merchants. The SAQs themselves are technical and difficult to understand.‍
• Manual coordination does not scale. Without orchestration, compliance teams end up chasing merchants, checking PDFs, updating trackers, and trying to keep the process moving by hand.

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With Anqa, SAQ collection becomes a digital and intuitive experience for both you and your customers

• ‍PCI workflow templates. Anqa has digitized all SAQs and has built workflow templates for PCI SAQ collection, available in its workflow library.
• ‍Adaptable workflows. With Anqa’s workflow builder, it’s easy to adapt the workflow to meet your specific needs, such as integrating with CRM systems, email providers, and different workflow paths for high-value merchants.
• ‍Exceptional merchant experience. The SAQ workflow replaces a clunky PDF with a clean and intuitive web portal. Anqa’s AI interface builder enables teams to brand and customize portals for a seamless experience.‍
• Reduced friction. No more sending half-completed PDFs by email. Anqa’s web portal allows merchants to assign specific questions to different users, allowing multiple people to fill out the SAQ at once. The built-in document signature feature allows merchants to digitally sign the SAQ directly in the portal.‍
• Automatic reminders. Workflows automatically trigger and send SAQs prior to expiration, with reminder emails and escalation workflows ensuring merchants don’t slip through the gap.‍
• PDF retention. All PCI SAQs are retained in both database format and full PDFs, ensuring auditors have easy access to SAQ completions.

Automating with AI

• ‍Agentic. AI agents can be embedded directly into the workflow to review SAQ submissions, flagging potential gaps and reducing the workload of analysts. ‍
• Self-improving. With every SAQ, AI agents become smarter and more accurate. ‍
• Autonomous. With Anqa’s PCI SAQ workflow, it’s possible to run SAQ collection entirely autonomously.

Outcomes

While every merchant has unique merchant profiles and a customized workflow, Anqa generally sees the following outcomes.

• ‍Positive merchant experience. A modern and intuitive SAQ portal not only impresses merchants, it saves them time. Merchants consistently provide positive feedback and describe PCI SAQ compliance as a value-add, not a headache.‍
• 90% faster. Digitizing the process results in the average time-to-complete dropping from 60 days to 6.  ‍
• Lower overall costs. Once the workflow is running, analysts are only involved in the high-value tasks, not chasing down merchants.‍
• 100% compliant. Replacing a scaffolded system with an automated workflow ensures 100% of merchants are compliant with their PCI SAQ requirements. 24/7.