Your startup employs twelve team members, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Security matters, but nobody holds “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a would-be enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you start?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step isn’t to download dozens of policies straight away. What matters is to make a few choices that define what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Define the Scope of Your First Audit
Your controls are assessed against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. The criteria are organized into five areas: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Of these, only Security is mandatory. The other categories are added when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. Provided that scope meets customer expectations, a startup running a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
List the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved before collecting evidence. Making the scope overly broad creates additional work, and it doesn’t necessarily improve the report’s value.
Type 1 vs. Type 2? Let the Deadline Decide
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. At a specified date, Type 1 evaluates the design of controls. Over a defined period, Type 2 examines both the controls’ design and operating effectiveness. Type 1 may be a useful first step when an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, assuming the customer accepts it.
For businesses researching how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 2 doesn’t 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 connected to ordinary business activities. Consider enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Keep evidence of production changes and approvals within the development team. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Policies must reflect what employees actually do. A well-written procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Gather Evidence While Things Are Happening
In practice, SOC 2 for saas companies involves 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.
Reconstructing these records months later is far harder than collecting them as activities occur. CertAssist helps small teams manage this work using built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
Direct integrations with company systems aren’t required. Auditors can be provided with read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Why SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor
The outcome of SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that conducts the examination. Nothing replaces the independent auditor, not even compliance software, though it can help prepare and organize evidence.
A monthly promotional subscription of US$225 that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks is advertised by CertAssist. Independent audit fees are separate. A quote from an auditor reflecting your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth requesting before you budget.
What Comes 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 remain 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.