Your startup employs twelve team members, a functioning SaaS product, and a steadily growing customer base. No one at the company holds “compliance manager” in their job title, even though security matters. Then, a prospective enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
What do you do first?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, don’t grab dozens of policies immediately. A handful of choices defines what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.
Settle the Scope of Your First Audit
SOC 2 measures controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. There are five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Only Security is mandatory. Include the remaining areas only when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup offering a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.
Before you collect any evidence, map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. More scope means additional work, but not always a more valuable report.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Decide
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 examines. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 examines both their design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful first step, 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. You don’t have to get Type 1 ahead of Type 2. Before paying for either examination, confirm your customer’s requirements.
Start With Day-to-Day Security Basics
Connecting security controls to everyday business activities helps make SOC 2 preparation easier to manage. A sensible place to start is requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Developers 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. A well-written procedure provides limited value if nobody follows it.
Gather Evidence as You Go
Showing that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is what lies at the core of 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 collect these records as activities occur than to rebuild them months afterward. With built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams organize this work.
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
SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. A licensed CPA firm conducts the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software helps prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
For the software, CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are not included. Get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before budgeting.
What Comes After the First SOC 2 Report
Security work shouldn’t stop when the SOC 2 examination is completed. Things keep changing: employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers appear. Your controls must stay relevant.
Three habits help: setting clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly 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.