With twelve people, a functioning SaaS product, and a growing customer base, your startup is off to a good start. Security matters, but no one carries “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a potential enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
What do you do next?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step is not to grab dozens of policies immediately. The better move is to make a few choices that decide what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Start by Deciding Your Audit Scope
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria are what SOC 2 assesses controls against. The criteria are organized into five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every SOC 2 report includes Security. The other categories are added when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. Provided that scope meets customer expectations, a startup with a straightforward business application may start with Security alone.
Map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved before collecting evidence. A broader scope brings extra work, but not necessarily a more useful report.
Type 1 vs. Type 2? Let the Deadline Decide
There are two reporting options for anyone researching how to get SOC 2 certified. At a specified date, Type 1 evaluates the design of controls. Type 2 covers those controls’ design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. Type 1 may be a useful starting point when an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, assuming the customer accepts it.
For businesses investigating how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 2 doesn’t depend on a Type 1 report first. Verify your customer’s requirements before paying for either examination.
Close the Everyday Security Gaps Before Anything Else
When security controls are tied to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. Think of requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Retain evidence of production changes and approvals inside the engineering team. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by management. Policies must match what employees actually do. A polished procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Keep Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
SOC 2 for saas companies comes down to 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 easier to gather these records as activities occur than to rebuild them months afterward. Small teams that need help can manage this work with CertAssist’s built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
The platform does not require direct integrations with company systems. Teams upload evidence themselves and can provide auditors with read-only access.
Why You Still Need an Independent Auditor
Strictly speaking, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that conducts the examination. The independent auditor cannot be replaced by compliance software, though it can help prepare and organize evidence.
A US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks is advertised by CertAssist. Audit fees are charged separately. Request an auditor’s quote that reflects your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before you set a budget.
What Comes After Your First SOC 2 Report
Completing a SOC 2 examination shouldn’t be the end of your security work. As time passes, employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. Your controls need to remain relevant.
Three habits help: setting clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. That discipline makes future examinations easier for a growing startup, and it supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.