With twelve team members, a working SaaS product, and an expanding customer base, your startup is well on its way. People take security seriously, yet nobody has “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a potential enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
What should you do next?
Grabbing dozens of policies right away isn’t the answer for founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification. A handful of choices determines what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove, and that is where to start.
Start by Defining Your Audit Scope
Controls are evaluated using the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. The criteria cover Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Security is mandatory. The remaining categories are added when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup offering a straightforward business application, beginning with Security alone can work, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Before collecting evidence, identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. A broader scope brings additional work, but not necessarily a more valuable report.
Choose the SOC 2 Report Your Deadline Allows
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. Type 1 looks at the design of controls as of a specified date. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 examines both the controls’ design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, provided the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification starts with an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 1 is not a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Before paying for either examination, verify your customer’s requirements.
Begin With Everyday Security Basics
Linking security controls to ordinary business activities makes SOC 2 preparation easier to manage. Think of enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be retained by developers. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by management. Policies must describe what employees actually do. A well-written procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. You may be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
It’s much easier to collect these records as activities occur than to reconstruct them months later. Small teams 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. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Know Exactly What the Independent Audit Involves
Strictly speaking, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. A licensed CPA firm conducts the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, yet it can’t replace the independent auditor.
For the software, CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audits are a separate cost. A quote from an auditor reflecting your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period should come first.
What Happens After the First SOC 2 Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security efforts. As time passes, employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. Controls must remain relevant.
Set clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review 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.
