SOC 2

How do I prepare for SOC 2?

Prepare for SOC 2 by choosing your report type and Trust Services Criteria, scoping your system, implementing the core controls (access, change management, monitoring, vendor management, incident response), collecting evidence continuously, running a readiness assessment to close gaps, and then engaging a licensed CPA firm for the audit.

Step by step

1. Choose report type and criteria. Decide between Type I and Type II and which Trust Services Criteria apply beyond the required Security criterion.
2. Scope your system. Define the product, infrastructure, and data covered by the report.
3. Implement the core controls. Access management, change management, monitoring, vendor management, and incident response.
4. Collect evidence continuously. Capture policies, tickets, logs, and reviews as work happens rather than at audit time.
5. Run a readiness assessment. Find and remediate gaps before the auditor does.
6. Engage a licensed CPA firm. For Type II, sustain the controls across the observation window before the audit opinion.

Start with scope and criteria, not tools

The single biggest driver of SOC 2 effort is scope. Decide which Trust Services Criteria you actually need (Security is always required; add Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, or Privacy only if you promise them to customers) and draw a clear system boundary before you buy anything.

Make evidence continuous

Type II is an opinion over a period, so the work is sustaining controls and capturing proof the whole time. Teams that collect evidence as work happens sail through; teams that batch it at the end find gaps too late.

Where Keel fits

Keel gives SMBs one control-and-evidence graph, pre-mapped control sets, continuous evidence collection with freshness tracking, and AI to draft policies and summarize readiness, so preparation is a program you run, not a fire drill.

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