With twelve people, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base, your startup is moving in the right direction. Security matters, but nobody carries “compliance manager” in their job title. Then, a prospective enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
What should you do next?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. What matters is to make a few choices that decide what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Decide What Your First Audit Should Cover
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria are what SOC 2 evaluates controls against. These include Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Only Security is required. Include the remaining areas only when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup running a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be identified before anyone starts collecting evidence. An unnecessarily broad scope adds extra work without necessarily improving the report’s usefulness.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Choose
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified frequently discover two reporting options. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 examines. 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 quickly, assuming the customer accepts it.
For businesses exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, usually three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. You don’t have to finish Type 1 ahead of Type 2. Find out what your customer requires before committing to either examination.
Start With Day-to-Day Security Gaps
When security controls are linked to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable. For instance, require multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establish a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions regularly.
Keep evidence of production changes and approvals within the development team. Leadership should document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews. Policies must match what employees actually do. There is limited value in a well-written procedure that nobody follows.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before Problems Start
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies means demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may 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 collecting them as activities occur. With built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams manage this work.
Direct integrations with company systems aren’t required. Teams upload evidence themselves and can give auditors read-only access.
Know What the Independent Audit Involves
Strictly speaking, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. The examination is performed 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 promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are billed separately. An auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth getting before budgeting.
What Happens After Your First SOC 2 Report
Completing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security activities. Team members join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls need to stay relevant.
Assign clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review whether your documented procedures match reality. As your startup grows, that discipline makes future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.