Your startup has twelve team members, a functioning SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Security matters to everyone, though nobody holds “compliance manager” as a job title. Then, a prospective enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you begin?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, resist the urge to download dozens of policies immediately. What matters is to make a few choices that define what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Settle the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria are what SOC 2 evaluates controls against. There are five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Security is the one required category. Whether the other categories are included depends on whether they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup offering a straightforward business application may start with Security alone.
Map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved prior to collecting evidence. An unnecessarily broad scope creates additional work without necessarily increasing the report’s usefulness.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
Anybody wondering how to get SOC 2 certified soon runs into two reporting options. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 covers. Type 2 goes further, evaluating design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. Type 1 may be a useful first step when an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, provided the customer accepts it.
For businesses researching how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 2 does not require a Type 1 report first. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Fix Everyday Security Gaps First
SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable when security controls are tied to ordinary business activities. A sensible place to start is enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be kept by development teams. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by leadership. Policies must match what employees actually do. A beautifully written procedure offers limited value if nobody follows it.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor could ask for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Rebuilding these records months later is much harder than gathering them as activities occur. With built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams organize this work.
There is no need for direct integrations with company systems. Teams add evidence themselves and can provide auditors with read-only access.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
SOC 2 is technically an attestation, not a certification. The examination is conducted by a licensed CPA firm, which then issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software helps prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audits are a separate cost. Before budgeting, ask for an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
What Happens After the First SOC 2 Report
Security work shouldn’t stop once the SOC 2 examination is completed. As time passes, employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. Controls have to remain relevant.
Set clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and regularly review 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.