Your startup has twelve team members, a live SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. Everyone cares about security, but no one holds “compliance manager” as a job title. Soon, a prospective enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.
So where do you start?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step is not to grab dozens of policies immediately. A handful of choices determines what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.
Settle the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit
Controls are assessed against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they cover. Security is required. Add the other categories only when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. A startup offering a straightforward business application may start with Security alone, so long as that scope meets customer expectations.
Before collecting evidence, identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. Making the scope overly broad adds additional work, but it doesn’t necessarily improve the report’s usefulness.
Pick the Report Type That Fits Your Timeline
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. The design of controls at a specified date is what Type 1 covers. Throughout a defined period, Type 2 evaluates both the controls’ design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, as long as the customer accepts it.
For businesses exploring how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification, the process includes an observation period, usually three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 2 doesn’t require a Type 1 report first. Find out what your customer requires before paying for either examination.
Begin With Day-to-Day Security Basics
SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable when security controls are linked to everyday business activities. Good first steps include enforcing multi-factor authentication for important accounts, creating a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions regularly.
Retain evidence of production changes and approvals inside the engineering team. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the leadership level. Actual employee practice needs to be described in your policies. If nobody follows it, even a well-written procedure provides limited value.
Keep Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
In practice, SOC 2 for saas companies involves demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor may well ask about 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 afterward. Small teams that need help 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. Evidence gets uploaded by the team, and auditors can be given read-only access.
Know What the Independent Audit Involves
SOC 2 is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that performs the examination. Compliance software helps prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
For the software, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Audit fees are separate. Get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before budgeting.
Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report
A completed SOC 2 examination shouldn’t mark the end of your security efforts. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls have to remain relevant.
Three habits help: assigning 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.