With twelve people, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base, your startup is well on its way. Security matters, but no one holds “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a prospective enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
So where should you start?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. The better move is to make a few decisions that decide what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Begin 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 categories they address. Every report must include Security. Add the remaining categories only 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 begin with Security alone.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be identified before anyone starts collecting evidence. Making the scope unnecessarily broad adds extra work, but it doesn’t necessarily improve the report’s usefulness.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
Anyone wondering how to get SOC 2 certified quickly finds two reporting options. At a specified date, Type 1 evaluates the design of controls. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both their design and operating effectiveness. When an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, if 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, followed by an independent examination. Type 1 is not a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Fix Everyday Security Gaps First
When security controls are linked to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable. Good first steps include enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, creating a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be kept by developers. Leadership should record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews. Policies must match what employees actually do. A well-written procedure provides limited value if nobody follows it.
Organize Evidence Before It Becomes a Problem
In practice, 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 far harder than gathering them as activities occur. Small teams that need help can organize this work with CertAssist’s built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
There is no need for direct integrations with company systems. Teams add evidence themselves and can give auditors read-only access.
Understand What the Independent Audit Involves
What SOC 2 produces is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that conducts the examination. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, yet it can’t replace the independent auditor.
On the software side, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audits are a separate expense. Before budgeting, get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report
Your security work shouldn’t end once the SOC 2 examination is completed. As time passes, employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. Your controls must remain relevant.
Assign clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review 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.