Your startup counts twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Nobody on the team holds “compliance manager” in their job title, even though security matters. Soon, a prospective enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you begin?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. The real first step is to make a few decisions that define what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Decide What Your First SOC 2 Audit Should Cover
SOC 2 assesses controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. The criteria cover Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every SOC 2 report must include Security. Add the other areas only when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup running a straightforward business application may start with Security alone.
Map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved prior to collecting evidence. More scope means extra work, but not necessarily a more valuable report.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Decide
Anyone asking how to get SOC 2 certified quickly finds two reporting options. Type 1 examines the design of controls at a specified date. Type 2 examines those controls’ design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. If an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, Type 1 may be a useful first step, assuming the customer accepts it.
Businesses investigating how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification should expect an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, and then an independent examination. You do not have to finish Type 1 ahead of Type 2. Find out what your customer requires before committing to either examination.
Start With Everyday Security Basics
SOC 2 preparation is more manageable when security controls are tied to everyday business activities. Think of requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Keep evidence of production changes and approvals within the development team. Document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Policies must match what employees actually do. A well-written procedure offers limited value if nobody follows it.
Collect Evidence as You Go
SOC 2 for saas companies involves 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 much harder than gathering them as activities occur. CertAssist helps small teams organize this work using built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
No direct integrations with company systems are required. Auditors can be provided with read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Why SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor
Strictly speaking, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. A licensed CPA firm conducts the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. The independent audit is a separate expense. Before budgeting, request an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
Keep Compliance Manageable After Your First Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security efforts. As time passes, people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Controls have to remain relevant.
Three habits keep things on track: assigning clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and periodically reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. For a growing startup, that discipline makes future examinations easier while supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.
