With twelve team members, a functioning SaaS product, and a growing customer base, your startup is off to a good start. No one on the team has “compliance manager” in their job title, although security matters. Then a potential enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
Where do you begin?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer is not to grab dozens of policies immediately. The better move is to make a few decisions that define what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Define the Scope of Your First Audit
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria serve as the standard that SOC 2 evaluates controls against. The criteria are organized into five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Only Security is mandatory. Add the remaining areas only when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup running a straightforward business application, beginning with Security alone may be enough, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Before collecting evidence, list the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. A needlessly broad scope adds additional work without necessarily improving the report’s usefulness.
Choose the SOC 2 Report That Fits Your Timeline
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. Over a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both their design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful first step, as long as the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification starts with an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, and ends with an independent examination. Type 1 isn’t a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Find out what your customer requires before you pay for either examination.
Close the Everyday Security Gaps First
Tying security controls to everyday business activities helps make SOC 2 preparation more manageable. Think of requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be kept by engineering teams. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Write policies that describe what employees actually do. A well-written procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Keep Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. Expect an auditor to ask when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Collecting these records as activities occur is far easier than reconstructing them months later. Through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams manage this work.
There’s no need for direct integrations with company systems. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
What SOC 2 produces is formally an attestation, not a certification. A licensed CPA firm carries out the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Software can help prepare and organize evidence, yet it cannot replace the independent auditor.
On the software side, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are billed separately. Before budgeting, get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security activities. As time passes, employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. It’s important that your controls stay relevant.
Make sure each responsibility has a clear owner, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed periodically against reality. As your startup grows, that discipline will make future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.