Your startup employs twelve team members, a functioning SaaS product, and a steadily growing customer base. Security matters to everyone, but nobody holds “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a prospective enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.
So, where do you start?
If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, don’t grab dozens of policies right away. A handful of decisions defines what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove, and that is where to start.
Define the Scope of Your First Audit
Controls are evaluated against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 audit. There are five categories: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every report must include Security. The other areas are included when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup running a straightforward business application, beginning with Security alone may work, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Map out the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved before collecting evidence. A needlessly broad scope brings extra work without necessarily improving the report’s value.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Decide
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. Type 1 examines the design of controls as of a specified date. Type 2 goes further, evaluating both design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. When an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 can be a useful starting point, so long as 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
If security controls are connected to everyday business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. Consider enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Retain evidence of production changes and approvals within the engineering team. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by leadership. What employees actually do must be reflected in your policies. There is limited value in a well-written procedure that no one follows.
Organize Evidence Before It Becomes a Problem
SOC 2 for saas companies means demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may request records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Rebuilding these records months later is far harder than gathering them as activities occur. CertAssist assists small teams manage this work through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.
The platform does not require direct integrations with company systems. Evidence is uploaded by the team, and auditors can be provided with read-only access.
Understand Exactly What the Independent Audit Involves
What SOC 2 produces is formally an attestation, not a certification. A licensed CPA firm carries out the examination and issues the SOC 2 report. 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 audit fees are billed separately. Before budgeting, request an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
What Happens After the First SOC 2 Report
Completing a SOC 2 examination shouldn’t be the end of your security activities. Team members join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls must remain relevant.
Three habits help: assigning clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and periodically reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. This discipline makes future examinations easier as a startup grows, and it supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.