Picture a startup that has twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. No one in the company has “compliance manager” in their job title, but security is important. A potential enterprise customer then asks for a SOC 2 report.
What should you do next?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer is not to download dozens of policies immediately. A handful of decisions defines what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.
Settle the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria are what SOC 2 assesses controls against. These address Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Security is mandatory. Inclusion of the other categories depends on whether they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup offering a straightforward business application, starting with Security alone can work, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
List the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved prior to collecting evidence. A broader scope brings additional work, but not necessarily a more useful report.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 covers. Type 2 goes further, evaluating both design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. Type 1 may be a useful starting point when an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, assuming the customer accepts it.
Businesses exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification should expect an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. You do not have to complete Type 1 before Type 2. Make sure you know what your customer requires before committing to either examination.
Fix the Everyday Security Gaps Before Anything Else
SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable when security controls are connected to ordinary business activities. For example, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, set up a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions on a regular basis.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be kept by developers. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by management. Policies must reflect what employees actually do. A well-written procedure provides limited value if nobody follows it.
Gather Evidence While Things Are Happening
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies means demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor might request records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Rebuilding 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 helps small teams manage this work.
The platform doesn’t require direct integrations with company systems. Evidence gets uploaded by the team, and auditors can be given read-only access.
Why You Still Need an Independent Auditor
The outcome of SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. The examination is conducted by a licensed CPA firm, which then issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. The independent audit is a separate cost. A quote from an auditor based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth requesting before you budget.
Keep Compliance Manageable After Your First Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security efforts. Your operations keep changing: employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers appear. Your controls need to remain relevant.
Three habits keep things on track: setting clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. This discipline helps make future examinations easier for a growing startup, while also supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.