With twelve team members, a functioning SaaS product, and a growing customer base, your startup is off to a good start. No one at the company holds “compliance manager” in their job title, but security matters. Then a potential enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
Where do you start?
Grabbing dozens of policies right away isn’t the answer for founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification. A handful of decisions decides what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.
Decide What Your First SOC 2 Audit Should Cover
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 SOC 2 report includes 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 start with Security alone, as long as that scope meets customer expectations.
Before you collect any evidence, identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. More scope means extra work, but not always a more useful report.
Choose the Report Type Your Deadline Allows
There are two reporting options for anyone searching for how to get SOC 2 certified. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 covers. Type 2 evaluates those controls’ design and operating effectiveness across a defined period. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful first step, as long as the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification begins with an observation period, typically three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. You don’t have to finish Type 1 before Type 2. Verify your customer’s requirements before paying for either examination.
Fix the Everyday Security Gaps Before Anything Else
SOC 2 preparation is more manageable when security controls are linked to existing business activities. A sensible place to start is requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, setting up a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be kept by developers. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by leadership. What employees actually do must be described in your policies. When nobody follows it, even a well-written procedure offers limited value.
Gather Evidence as You Go
SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. You might be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Collecting these records as activities occur is far easier than reconstructing them months later. Small teams can manage 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. Auditors can be given read-only access, while teams upload evidence themselves.
Why You Still Need an Independent Auditor
SOC 2 is technically an attestation, not 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, which can help prepare and organize evidence.
A monthly promotional subscription of US$225 covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks is offered by CertAssist. Independent audits are a separate cost. A quote from an auditor based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth getting before budgeting.
What Happens After the First SOC 2 Report
Security work shouldn’t stop when the SOC 2 examination is done. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. It matters that your controls remain relevant.
Make sure each responsibility has a clear owner, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed regularly against reality. For a growing startup, keeping this up makes future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.