Your startup has twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and a growing customer base. Security matters to everyone, yet nobody has “compliance manager” as a 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 grab dozens of policies immediately. The real first step is to make a few choices that define what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Settle the Scope of Your First Audit
SOC 2 assesses controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. These cover Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every report must include Security. Inclusion of the other categories depends on whether they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. A startup offering a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone, so long as that scope meets customer expectations.
Before you collect any evidence, map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. Keeping the scope overly broad creates extra work, and it doesn’t necessarily improve the report’s usefulness.
Choose the SOC 2 Report That Fits Your Timeline
Anybody wondering how to get SOC 2 certified soon runs into two reporting options. Type 1 looks at the design of controls at a specified date. Type 2 covers their design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. Where an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, Type 1 can be a practical place to start, so long as 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. Before paying for either examination, verify your customer’s requirements.
Close the Day-to-Day Security Gaps First
When security controls are tied to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets 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.
Retain evidence of production changes and approvals within the development team. Leadership should record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews. Draft policies that describe what employees actually do. There is limited value in a well-written procedure that nobody follows.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before Problems Start
SOC 2 for saas companies means 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.
Gathering these records as activities occur is much easier than reconstructing them months later. Small teams that need help can manage this work with CertAssist’s built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
The platform does not require direct integrations with company systems. Evidence gets uploaded by the team, and auditors can be provided with read-only access.
Know Exactly What the Independent Audit Requires
Technically, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that conducts the examination. Nothing replaces the independent auditor, not even compliance software, though it can help prepare and organize evidence.
On the software side, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. The independent audit is a separate cost. An auditor’s quote reflecting your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period should come first.
Make Compliance Sustainable After the First Report
Security work shouldn’t stop once the SOC 2 examination is completed. Your operations keep changing: employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers arrive. Your controls must stay relevant.
Make sure responsibilities are clearly assigned, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed regularly against reality. This discipline makes future examinations easier as a startup grows, while also supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.
