With twelve employees, a functioning SaaS product, and an expanding customer base, your startup is well on its way. Security matters, but not one person holds “compliance manager” in their job title. Soon, a potential enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you begin?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, don’t grab dozens of policies immediately. What matters is to make a few choices that decide what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Begin by Deciding What Your First Audit Will Cover
Controls are evaluated using the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. There are five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Among them, only Security is required. Whether the other categories are included depends on whether they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. A startup with a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved before collecting evidence. More scope means additional work, though 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. As of a specified date, Type 1 evaluates the design of controls. Type 2 covers their design and operating effectiveness across a defined period. Where an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, if 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 depend on completing Type 1 first. Check your customer’s requirements before paying for either examination.
Begin With Everyday Security Basics
When security controls are tied to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. Consider requiring 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 development teams. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by management. Write policies that reflect what employees actually do. A polished procedure offers 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.
Reconstructing 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 organize this work.
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
Technically, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. A licensed CPA firm carries out the examination and 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 that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are separate. A quote from an auditor based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth getting before budgeting.
Keep Compliance Sustainable After the First Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security activities. Things keep changing: people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers appear. It’s important that your controls remain relevant.
Three habits keep things on track: setting clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and periodically reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. That discipline makes future examinations easier as a startup grows, while also supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.