With twelve people, a functioning SaaS product, and an expanding customer base, your startup is off to a good start. Security matters, but nobody carries “compliance manager” in their job title. Then a prospective enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
What do you do first?
Grabbing dozens of policies immediately isn’t the first step for founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification. The real first step is to make a few decisions that define what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Decide What Your First Audit Should Cover
SOC 2 assesses controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. The criteria cover Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every SOC 2 report includes Security. Add the remaining areas only when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. For a startup running a straightforward business application, beginning with Security alone can work, provided that scope meets customer expectations.
Identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved prior to collecting evidence. A broader scope brings additional work, but not necessarily a more useful report.
Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline
People searching for how to get SOC 2 certified often discover two reporting options. The design of controls as of a specified date is what Type 1 examines. Type 2 examines their design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful first step, assuming 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. Type 2 does not depend on completing Type 1 first. Before paying for either examination, confirm your customer’s requirements.
Start With Day-to-Day Security Basics
Linking security controls to everyday business activities helps make SOC 2 preparation easier to manage. For instance, require multi-factor authentication for important accounts, set up a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions on a regular basis.
Development teams should hold on to evidence of production changes and approvals. Management should document risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews. Write policies so they describe what employees actually do. There is limited value in a beautifully written procedure that nobody follows.
Get Your Evidence Organized Before the Auditor Asks
Demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is central to SOC 2 for saas companies. An auditor may request records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
It’s easier to gather these records as activities occur than to rebuild them months afterward. With built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist helps small teams manage this work.
There’s no need for direct integrations with company systems. Evidence gets uploaded by the team, and auditors can be given read-only access.
Understand the Independent Audit Requirement
What SOC 2 produces is technically an attestation, not a certification. The examination is conducted by a licensed CPA firm, which issues the SOC 2 report. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
CertAssist promotes a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that includes SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Audit fees are separate. Request an auditor’s quote that reflects your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period before you set a budget.
Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report
Completing a SOC 2 examination isn’t the end of your security efforts. Over time, people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers join your operations. It matters that your controls remain relevant.
Three habits help: assigning clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and periodically reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. That discipline makes future examinations easier as a startup grows, and it supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.