Your startup counts twelve people, a functioning SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. Everyone cares about security, yet no one holds “compliance manager” as a job title. Then a prospective enterprise customer asks for a SOC 2 report.
So where should you begin?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the first step isn’t to download dozens of policies right away. Instead, start by making a few decisions that define what your company needs to document, implement, and prove.
Decide What Your First Audit Should Cover
SOC 2 evaluates controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. There are five areas: Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Only Security is mandatory. Include the other areas only when they’re 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.
The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be identified before collecting evidence. Keeping the scope overly broad adds additional work, but it doesn’t necessarily improve the report’s usefulness.
Type 1 or Type 2? Let the Deadline Choose
Anybody wondering how to get SOC 2 certified will soon meet two reporting options. Type 1 evaluates the design of controls as of a specified date. Over a defined period, Type 2 examines both the controls’ design and operating effectiveness. If an enterprise customer needs evidence in a hurry, Type 1 may be a useful starting point, provided 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. You do not have to get Type 1 ahead of Type 2. Confirm your customer’s requirements before paying for either examination.
Begin With Everyday Security Basics
SOC 2 preparation becomes more manageable when security controls are linked to ordinary business activities. Consider requiring 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 inside the engineering team. Risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews should be documented by management. Actual employee practice needs to be described in the policies. There is limited value in a well-written procedure that no one follows.
Organize Evidence Before It Becomes a Problem
Showing that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is what lies at the core of SOC 2 for saas companies. You might be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.
Rebuilding these records months later is much harder than collecting them as activities occur. Through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist supports small teams manage this work.
The platform does not require direct integrations with company systems. Teams add evidence themselves and can give auditors read-only access.
Know Exactly What the Independent Audit Requires
What SOC 2 produces is formally an attestation, not a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that performs the examination. The independent auditor cannot be replaced by compliance software, which helps prepare and organize evidence.
For the software, CertAssist advertises a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Independent audit fees are billed separately. Before budgeting, ask for an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
Keep Compliance Sustainable After Your First Report
Finishing a SOC 2 examination shouldn’t be the end of your security work. Employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls have to remain relevant.
Make sure each responsibility has a clear owner, evidence is retained throughout the year, and documented procedures are reviewed periodically against reality. For a growing startup, that discipline makes future examinations easier while supporting the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.