Think of a startup that has twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Nobody in the company has “compliance manager” in their job title, but security matters. A potential enterprise customer next asks for a SOC 2 report.
What should you do first?
Downloading dozens of policies right away isn’t the first step for founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification. What matters is to make a few choices that define what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Settle the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
Your controls are evaluated against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the categories they address. Every report includes Security. The other areas are included when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup offering a straightforward business application may start with Security alone.
Before collecting evidence, map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. An unnecessarily broad scope adds additional work without necessarily increasing the report’s usefulness.
Type 1 vs. Type 2? Let the Deadline Choose
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. Type 1 looks at the design of controls at a specified date. Type 2 goes further, examining design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. If an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 may be a useful first step, assuming the customer accepts it.
For businesses exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 1 isn’t a mandatory prerequisite for Type 2. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Close the Everyday Security Gaps Before Anything Else
SOC 2 preparation is more manageable when security controls are linked to ordinary business activities. For example, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establish a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions on a regular basis.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be retained by developers. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be recorded by management. Actual employee practice must be described in the policies. There is limited value in a polished procedure that nobody follows.
Keep Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
At its core, SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. You could be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Reconstructing these records months later is 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 upload evidence themselves and can give auditors read-only access.
Know What the Independent Audit Requires
SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that performs the examination. Nothing replaces the independent auditor, not even compliance software, which can help prepare and organize evidence.
CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are not included. A quote from an auditor based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth requesting before you budget.
Keep the Process Manageable After the First Report
Completing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security efforts. Employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Controls have to stay relevant.
Three habits keep things on track: setting 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.