Your startup has twelve employees, a live SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. Nobody on the team has “compliance manager” in their job title, even though security matters. Then a would-be enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
So, where should you start?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. Instead, start by making a few decisions that decide what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Decide What Your First Audit Should Cover
Your controls are evaluated against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they cover. Among them, only Security is mandatory. 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 start with Security alone, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Before you collect any evidence, list the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. An unnecessarily broad scope brings extra work without necessarily increasing the report’s value.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified frequently find two reporting options. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 examines. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both their design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, provided the customer accepts it.
Businesses exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification should expect an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. You do not have to finish Type 1 ahead of Type 2. Before paying for either examination, verify your customer’s requirements.
Close the Everyday Security Gaps First
If security controls are tied to everyday business activities, SOC 2 preparation becomes 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.
Keep evidence of production changes and approvals inside the development team. Document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Write policies so they describe what employees actually do. A beautifully written procedure offers limited value if nobody follows it.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
In practice, SOC 2 for saas companies means demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may well ask about when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Reconstructing these records months later is far harder than gathering them as activities occur. CertAssist supports small teams structure this work using built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
Direct integrations with company systems aren’t required. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Know What the Independent Audit Involves
Technically, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. A licensed CPA firm conducts the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software helps prepare and organize evidence, but 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. Fees for the independent audit are separate. Request an auditor’s quote that reflects your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before budgeting.
What Comes After Your First SOC 2 Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security efforts. As time passes, people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. Your controls must stay relevant.
Three habits keep things on track: setting clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. As your startup grows, that discipline makes future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.