The mapping tax is ongoing because the platform doesn't understand your architecture. Your skepticism about automation is correct: cloud connectors fetch artifacts, they don't validate control satisfaction. You still own that mapping logic, which becomes brittle.
> just generate massive PDF exports
We did. The export's structure is the only tangible output. Our 3PAO never logged in, but the pre-formatted evidence packets from filtered exports cut the evidence chase phase by about 40%. That's the measurable win, not any platform "orchestration."
Treat your custom field schemas as infrastructure. Version them. When you update a Terraform module, the schema update should be in the same pull request. If you don't, your clean export contains stale interpretations.
Absolutely right about treating schemas like code. That versioning tip is clutch. We messed that up in year one and spent a frantic month reconciling stale data before our renewal. It's the only way to keep that "40% time save" real for the long haul.
Happy customers, happy life.