SOC 2 Readiness Guide for SaaS and Service Companies

How to prepare for a SOC 2 audit: scoping, trust services criteria, controls, evidence and the difference between Type I and Type II.

If enterprise customers keep sending security questionnaires, a SOC 2 report can shorten sales cycles and build trust. Here is how to get ready.

What SOC 2 is

SOC 2 is an attestation report issued by an independent CPA firm. It evaluates controls against the AICPA Trust Services Criteria: Security (always included), plus optional Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality and Privacy.

Type I vs Type II

• Type I examines whether controls are suitably designed at a point in time.
• Type II examines whether controls operated effectively over a period, commonly several months to a year. Most customers ask for Type II.

Readiness roadmap

1. Define scope. Systems, data, people and the criteria you will include.
2. Run a gap assessment. Compare current controls with the criteria.
3. Implement controls. Access management, MFA, change management, logging, vulnerability management, backups, vendor management and incident response.
4. Write policies and procedures people actually follow.
5. Collect evidence continuously: screenshots, logs, tickets and review records.
6. Prepare for the auditor with a mock walkthrough.

Mistakes to avoid

• Scoping too broadly and creating unnecessary work.
• Writing policies that do not match reality.
• Collecting evidence only at audit time.

Important: SOC 2 reports are issued by independent auditors, not consultants. Our role is to get you ready. See our SOC 2 consulting services or try the compliance readiness benchmark.

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