Think of a startup with twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. No one in the company has “compliance manager” in their job title, although security is important. One day, a potential enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
What should you do first?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step is not to collect dozens of policies straight away. Instead, start by making a few decisions that define what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Start by Deciding Your Audit Scope
The AICPA Trust Services Criteria are what SOC 2 assesses controls against. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they address. Only Security is mandatory. Whether the other categories are included depends on whether they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup offering a straightforward business application, beginning with Security alone may be enough, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Before collecting evidence, list the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. A needlessly broad scope adds extra work without necessarily improving the report’s value.
Choose the Report Type Your Deadline Allows
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 evaluates. Over 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, as long as the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification begins with an observation period, typically three to twelve months, and ends with an independent examination. Type 2 does not require completing Type 1 first. Before paying for either examination, verify your customer’s requirements.
Tackle the Day-to-Day Security Gaps First
If security controls are connected to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. For instance, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, create a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions regularly.
Engineering teams should hold on to evidence of production changes and approvals. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by management. Actual employee practice needs to be described in the policies. There is limited value in a beautifully written procedure that no one follows.
Collect Evidence While Things Are Happening
Showing that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is central to SOC 2 for saas companies. An auditor may well ask about 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 reconstruct them months later. Through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist helps small teams organize this work.
There’s no need for direct integrations with company systems. Teams upload evidence themselves and can give auditors read-only access.
Know What the Independent Audit Requires
What SOC 2 produces is technically an attestation, not a certification. The examination is conducted by a licensed CPA firm, which issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
On the software side, CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are billed separately. Request an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before budgeting.
What Happens After Your First SOC 2 Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security efforts. Things keep changing: employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers appear. Controls must stay relevant.
Make sure each responsibility has a clear owner, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed periodically against reality. This discipline helps make future examinations easier as a startup grows, while also supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.