Your startup employs twelve people, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Nobody in the company holds “compliance manager” in their job title, even though security matters. Then a prospective enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
So where should you begin?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, resist the urge to download dozens of policies immediately. Instead, start by making a few choices that decide what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Define the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
Controls are evaluated using the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 audit. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they cover. Every SOC 2 report includes Security. 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 with a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be listed before anyone starts collecting evidence. An unnecessarily broad scope brings extra work without necessarily improving the report’s usefulness.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. Type 1 evaluates the design of controls as of a specified date. Type 2 evaluates their design and operating effectiveness across a defined period. Type 1 may be a useful starting point when an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, as long as the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification begins with an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 1 is not a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Find out what your customer requires before paying for either examination.
Begin With Everyday Security Basics
If security controls are connected to everyday business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. For example, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, set up a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions regularly.
Engineering teams should keep evidence of production changes and approvals. Document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Policies must match what employees actually do. A well-written procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Organize Evidence Before It Becomes a Problem
SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may well ask when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Gathering these records as activities occur is much easier than reconstructing them months later. Small teams that need help can organize this work with CertAssist’s built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
No direct integrations with company systems are required. Teams upload evidence themselves and can provide auditors with read-only access.
Why You Still Need an Independent Auditor
Technically, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. A licensed CPA firm performs the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Nothing replaces the independent auditor, not even compliance software, though it helps prepare and organize evidence.
For the software, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. The independent audit is a separate expense. Request an auditor’s quote that reflects your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before you set a budget.
What Comes After Your First SOC 2 Report
Security work shouldn’t stop when the SOC 2 examination is finished. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. It’s important that your controls remain relevant.
Assign clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review whether your documented procedures match reality. For a growing startup, keeping this up makes future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.