With twelve team members, a working SaaS product, and an expanding customer base, your startup is moving in the right direction. Security matters, but no one carries “compliance manager” in their job title. A potential enterprise customer then requests a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you start?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, don’t download dozens of policies immediately. A handful of choices determines what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.
Define the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
Your controls are evaluated against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. The criteria include Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every report must include Security. Include the other areas only when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. Provided that scope meets customer expectations, a startup offering a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
Map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved prior to collecting evidence. More scope means additional work, though not necessarily a more valuable report.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. Type 1 looks at the design of controls as of a specified date. Type 2 goes further, evaluating design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. Where an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 can be a practical starting point, if the customer accepts it.
Anyone exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification should expect an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. You don’t have to finish Type 1 before Type 2. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Tackle the Everyday Security Gaps Before Anything Else
If security controls are linked to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. Consider enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Developers should retain evidence of production changes and approvals. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by leadership. What employees actually do needs to be reflected in your policies. If nobody follows it, even a polished procedure has limited value.
Keep Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may request records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Reconstructing these records months later is harder than collecting them as activities occur. Through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams organize this work.
No direct integrations with company systems are required. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Why SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor
SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that performs the examination. The independent auditor cannot be replaced by compliance software, which can help prepare and organize evidence.
CertAssist promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are not included. Before budgeting, get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
What Happens After Your First SOC 2 Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security efforts. Your operations keep changing: people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers arrive. Your controls have to stay relevant.
Three habits help: assigning clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. For a growing startup, that discipline makes future examinations easier while supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.