Imagine a startup that has twelve employees, a functioning SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. Security matters, but nobody carries “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a potential enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
So, where should you start?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, resist the urge to download dozens of policies immediately. Start by making a few decisions that decide what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Decide What Your First SOC 2 Audit Should Cover
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria serve as the standard that SOC 2 evaluates controls against. There are five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every report includes Security. Add the other areas only when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. A startup running a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
List the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved before collecting evidence. Making the scope unnecessarily broad adds extra work, but it doesn’t necessarily increase 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. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 covers. Type 2 goes further, examining design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. Type 1 may be a useful starting point when an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, provided 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 1 isn’t a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Verify your customer’s requirements before paying for either examination.
Start With Day-to-Day Security Gaps
Connecting security controls to ordinary business activities makes SOC 2 preparation more manageable. A sensible place to start is requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Engineering teams should keep evidence of production changes and approvals. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. What employees actually do needs to be described in the policies. A well-written procedure has limited value if nobody follows it.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
Showing that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is central to SOC 2 for saas companies. You may be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Collecting these records as activities occur is much easier than reconstructing them months later. CertAssist supports small teams organize this work with built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
There’s no need for direct integrations with company systems. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
What SOC 2 produces is technically an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that performs the examination. Compliance software can help 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. The independent audit is a separate expense. Get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before you set a budget.
Keep Compliance Manageable After the First Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security efforts. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. It matters that your controls stay relevant.
Three habits help: assigning clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. For a growing startup, keeping this up makes future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.