Your startup counts twelve people, a live SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. Security matters, but no one holds “compliance manager” in their job title. A potential enterprise customer then asks for a SOC 2 report.
Where do you begin?
For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to download dozens of policies immediately. Begin by making a few choices that define what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.
Decide What Your First Audit Should Cover
SOC 2 measures controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the categories they cover. Security is required. The remaining areas are added when they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. Provided that scope meets customer expectations, a startup offering a straightforward business application may start with Security alone.
Identify the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved prior to collecting evidence. More scope means additional work, but not always a more valuable report.
Pick the Report Type Your Deadline Allows
Anybody asking how to get SOC 2 certified will soon meet two reporting options. As of a specified date, Type 1 examines the design of controls. Type 2 covers those controls’ design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. Type 1 may be a useful starting point when an enterprise customer needs evidence fast, as long as the customer accepts it.
The process for how to get SOC 2 type 2 certification begins with an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, followed by an independent examination. Type 2 does not require completing Type 1 first. Before paying for either examination, check your customer’s requirements.
Tackle the Everyday Security Gaps First
Tying security controls to ordinary business activities makes SOC 2 preparation easier to manage. Consider requiring multi-factor authentication for important accounts, establishing a documented employee offboarding process, and reviewing access permissions on a regular basis.
Evidence of production changes and approvals should be kept by engineering teams. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Draft policies so they describe what employees actually do. When nobody follows it, even a beautifully written procedure provides limited value.
Organize Evidence Before It Becomes a Problem
In practice, SOC 2 for saas companies means demonstrating that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently. An auditor might request 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 easier than reconstructing them months afterward. Through built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage, CertAssist helps small teams organize this work.
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 Requires
Technically, SOC 2 is an attestation rather than a certification. The SOC 2 report is issued by a licensed CPA firm that conducts the examination. Compliance software can help prepare and organize evidence, but it cannot replace the independent auditor.
For the software, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Audit fees are separate. Before budgeting, ask for an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.
Keep Compliance Sustainable After the First Report
Security work shouldn’t stop once the SOC 2 examination is finished. People join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers become part of your operations. Your controls need to stay relevant.
Assign clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review whether your documented procedures match reality. As your startup grows, keeping this up will make future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.