Think of a startup that has twelve employees, a working SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. Everyone cares about security, yet no one has “compliance manager” as a job title. Soon, a potential enterprise customer wants to see a SOC 2 report.

So, where do you begin?

If you’re a founder researching how to get SOC 2 certification, don’t download dozens of policies right away. A handful of decisions decides what your company needs to document, implement, and prove, and that is where to start.

Settle the Scope of Your First Audit

Controls are evaluated using the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 audit. Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy are the areas they cover. Among them, only Security is mandatory. Inclusion of the other categories depends on whether they’re relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup with a straightforward business application may begin with Security alone.

The applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved should be identified before collecting evidence. An overly broad scope adds extra work without necessarily improving the report’s usefulness.

Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline

There are two reporting options for people searching for how to get SOC 2 certified. Type 1 evaluates the design of controls as of a specified date. Type 2 goes further, evaluating both design and operating effectiveness over a defined period. Where an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 can be a practical place to start, if 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 don’t have to finish Type 1 before Type 2. Before paying for either examination, confirm your customer’s requirements.

Start With Everyday Security Gaps

If security controls are linked to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. For example, require multi-factor authentication for important accounts, set up a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions on a regular basis.

Developers should retain evidence of production changes and approvals. Record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews at the management level. Actual employee practice needs to be reflected in your policies. A well-written procedure provides limited value if nobody follows it.

Keep 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. You could be asked for records showing when a former employee’s access was removed or whether a production deployment received appropriate approval.

Reconstructing these records months later is much harder than collecting them as activities occur. With 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 Involves

SOC 2 is technically an attestation, not a certification. The examination is performed by a licensed CPA firm, which issues the SOC 2 report. The independent auditor cannot be replaced by compliance software, which helps prepare and organize evidence.

A monthly promotional subscription of US$225 covering SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks is advertised by CertAssist. Audit fees are separate. An auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period is worth requesting before you budget.

Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report

Your security activities should not end once the SOC 2 examination is done. Your operations keep changing: people join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers appear. It matters that your controls stay relevant.

Define clear responsibilities, retain evidence throughout the year, and periodically review whether your documented procedures match reality. As your startup grows, keeping this up makes future examinations easier and helps meet the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.