Building Your SOC 2 Project Plan

Preparing for a SOC 2 audit is not something that happens by chance.
To succeed, your organization needs a structured, well-managed project plan—one that brings the right people together, defines clear milestones, and ensures that every part of your control environment is ready for audit.

Treating SOC 2 preparation like a formal project not only improves your chances of a clean audit outcome—it also helps embed compliance into your company’s culture and operations.

Here’s how to approach building a SOC 2 project plan that sets your team up for success.

Why a Project Plan Matters

SOC 2 preparation involves multiple teams, systems, and processes.
Without a clear project plan, it’s all too easy for key steps to fall through the cracks—resulting in rushed evidence collection, missed controls, or unexpected audit findings.

A project plan helps you:

• Establish shared ownership across functions

• Track readiness progress

• Coordinate evidence collection and testing

• Keep stakeholders aligned and informed

• Foster a mindset of continuous improvement

And with modern compliance programs often spanning multiple frameworks—such as HIPAA, GDPR, or PCI DSS—project planning is essential for managing complexity.

Laying the Groundwork

Every SOC 2 project plan should begin with scope definition.
What services, systems, and processes will your audit cover?
Getting this right ensures that your plan is aligned with customer expectations and avoids surprises down the line.

Next, designate a compliance lead—someone who will coordinate efforts across teams and serve as the primary liaison with your auditor.
This role requires strong project management skills and an understanding of your control environment.

Finally, establish clear lines of accountability.
Define who owns which controls, who will collect evidence, and who will participate in testing and review cycles.

Structuring the Project Timeline

While every SOC 2 project is different, a typical project plan might include phases such as:

• Conducting a readiness assessment to identify gaps

• Remediating identified issues and strengthening controls

• Collecting and validating evidence

• Finalizing documentation and policies

• Engaging with the auditor for planning and scoping

• Participating in the audit itself

• Reviewing findings and addressing any remediation points

Tools like DSALTA can help you manage this timeline dynamically—automating evidence collection, tracking control health, and providing real-time visibility into project progress.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

SOC 2 is not just a security or compliance project—it requires collaboration across the entire organization.

Key contributors typically include:

• Engineering and DevOps (infrastructure and system controls)

• IT (access management, device security)

• HR (onboarding, offboarding, training)

• Legal (vendor risk management, privacy practices)

• Executive leadership (governance and accountability)

Bringing these teams together early and often fosters alignment and helps build a culture of shared responsibility for security and trust.

Final Thoughts

A strong SOC 2 project plan transforms what can feel like an overwhelming process into a manageable, repeatable discipline.
It enables your team to approach SOC 2 preparation proactively, ensuring that you not only pass the audit but also operate with greater maturity and transparency going forward.

By using platforms like DSALTA to support project management and continuous compliance, you can turn SOC 2 into an engine of trust and competitive advantage, not just an annual requirement.