Your startup counts twelve employees, a functioning SaaS product, and an expanding customer base. No one in the company has “compliance manager” in their job title, although security is important. Then a potential enterprise customer requests a SOC 2 report.

Where do you start?

For founders researching how to get SOC 2 certification, the answer isn’t to collect dozens of policies straight away. The real first step is to make a few decisions that decide what your company needs to document, put in place, and prove.

Define the Scope of Your First SOC 2 Audit

Controls are assessed against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria in a SOC 2 examination. The criteria address Security, Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. Every report must include Security. Include the other categories only when they are relevant to the organization’s services and commitments. As long as that scope meets customer expectations, a startup with a straightforward business application may start with Security alone.

Before you collect any evidence, list the applications, infrastructure, employees, and service providers involved. An overly broad scope creates additional work without necessarily increasing the report’s value.

Choose the Report That Matches Your Deadline

Anyone asking how to get SOC 2 certified quickly finds two reporting options. The design of controls at a specified date is what Type 1 examines. Type 2 examines their design and operating effectiveness throughout a defined period. Where an enterprise customer needs evidence quickly, Type 1 can be a practical starting point, so long as 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. Type 2 doesn’t depend on a Type 1 report first. Make sure you know what your customer requires before paying for either examination.

Fix the Day-to-Day Security Gaps First

When security controls are connected to ordinary business activities, SOC 2 preparation gets more manageable. For instance, enforce multi-factor authentication for important accounts, create a documented employee offboarding process, and review access permissions on a regular basis.

Engineering teams should hold on to evidence of production changes and approvals. Management should record risk assessments and relevant supplier reviews. Policies must match what employees actually do. If nobody follows it, even a beautifully written procedure provides limited value.

Gather Evidence While Things Are Happening

Showing that relevant controls exist and, for Type 2, operate consistently is central to SOC 2 for saas companies. An auditor might ask for 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. Small teams can organize this work with CertAssist’s built-in controls, editable policy templates, evidence checklists, and document storage.

The platform doesn’t require direct integrations with company systems. Evidence gets uploaded by the team, and auditors can be given read-only access.

Why SOC 2 Requires an Independent Auditor

The outcome of SOC 2 is technically an attestation, not 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.

On the software side, CertAssist offers a US$225 monthly promotional subscription that covers SOC 2, ISO 27001, and its other supported frameworks. Fees for the independent audit are separate. Before budgeting, get an auditor’s quote based on your business size, selected criteria, and intended reporting period.

Keep the Process Manageable After Your First Report

Your security activities shouldn’t end when the SOC 2 examination is completed. Things keep changing: employees join and leave, applications change, and new suppliers arrive. Controls have to stay relevant.

Three habits help: setting clear responsibilities, retaining evidence throughout the year, and regularly reviewing whether your documented procedures match reality. As your startup grows, that discipline makes future examinations easier and supports the security expectations of customers who depend on your software.