Think of a startup with twelve employees, a functioning SaaS product, and a growing customer base. People take security seriously, but nobody has “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a would-be enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
What exactly should you do first?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, resist the urge to grab dozens of policies right away. The better move is to make a few decisions that decide what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Settle the Scope of Your First Audit
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria serve as the standard that SOC 2 evaluates controls against. These address Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every SOC 2 report includes Security. The remaining categories are added when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. A startup with a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone, so long as that scope meets customer expectations.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be mapped out before collecting evidence. Making the scope unnecessarily broad creates extra work, and it doesn’t necessarily increase the report’s value.
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 examines the design of controls. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both the controls’ design and operating effectiveness. When an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 may be a practical place to start, if 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. You don’t have to get Type 1 before Type 2. Make sure you know what your customer requires before committing to either examination.
Fix the Day-to-Day Security Gaps First
SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable when security controls are tied 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.
Developers should keep evidence of production changes and approvals. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by management. Write policies that describe what employees actually do. There is limited value in a beautifully written procedure that nobody follows.
Collect Evidence While Things Are Happening
Demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is central to SOC 2 for saas companies. An auditor may well ask about 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. With built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist helps small teams organize 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 SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor
SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. The examination is performed by a licensed CPA firm, which then issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, yet it cannot replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Audit fees are separate. Before budgeting, request an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
Make Compliance Manageable After the First Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security work. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls have 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. For a growing startup, that discipline will make future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.