Picture a startup with twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Nobody in the company holds “compliance manager” in their job title, even though security matters. One day, a prospective enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
Where do you start?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, don’t download dozens of policies immediately. A handful of choices defines what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove, and that is where to start.
Define the Scope of Your First Audit
Your controls are assessed against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. There are five areas: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Of these, only Security is required. The remaining areas are added when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup running a straightforward business application, starting with Security alone can work, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved before collecting evidence. An overly broad scope adds extra work without necessarily improving the report’s usefulness.
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. Over a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both the controls’ design and operating effectiveness. Type 1 may be a useful first step when an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, provided 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 2 doesn’t depend on a Type 1 report first. Confirm your customer’s requirements before paying for either examination.
Fix Everyday Security Gaps First
SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable when security controls are connected to existing business activities. For instance, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, create a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions on a regular basis.
Developers should hold on to evidence of production changes and approvals. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Policies must describe what employees actually do. A beautifully written procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Collect Evidence While Things Are Happening
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies means 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.
Reconstructing these records months later is harder than collecting them as activities occur. Small teams can organize this work with CertAssist’s built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
Direct integrations with company systems aren’t required. Teams add evidence themselves and can provide auditors with read-only access.
Why SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor
SOC 2 is technically an attestation, not a certification. A licensed CPA firm conducts the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it can’t replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Audit fees are charged separately. An auditor’s quote reflecting your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth requesting before you budget.
What Comes After the First SOC 2 Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security work. Over time, people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls need to remain relevant.
Define clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and regularly review whether your documented procedures match reality. This discipline makes future examinations easier as a startup grows, while also supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.