Preparing for Your SOC 2 Audit

The path to SOC 2 compliance culminates in one critical milestone: the audit.
It’s the point where all your preparation, policies, and processes are put to the test by an independent third party.

For many companies, the idea of a SOC 2 audit can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.
With the right approach and mindset, you can transform audit preparation from a stressful project into a structured, repeatable process that strengthens your security program.

Let’s explore how to prepare effectively for your SOC 2 audit and set your team up for success.

Start with a Readiness Assessment

One of the most valuable steps in preparing for an audit is conducting a readiness assessment.
This internal review—or pre-audit, conducted by a consultant—helps identify gaps in your current control environment before the auditor arrives.

During a readiness assessment, you’ll:

• Review your current policies and evidence

• Map controls to the Trust Services Criteria

• Identify areas where documentation or execution may be incomplete

• Address any known gaps proactively

Readiness assessments dramatically improve audit outcomes by ensuring that issues are discovered—and fixed—internally first.

Platforms like DSALTA make readiness assessments far more efficient by providing real-time visibility into control coverage, automating evidence collection, and helping track remediation progress.

Define Your Audit Scope

Your SOC 2 report will only cover systems, services, and processes that are explicitly in scope.
Defining this scope clearly—early in the process—is critical.

Work closely with your auditor to document what will be included.
Typical scoping decisions cover:

• The specific products or services under review

• Relevant supporting systems (cloud infrastructure, applications)

• Critical third-party dependencies

• Data types processed and stored

A clear scope prevents surprises during the audit and ensures that evidence collection is focused and efficient.

Build an Internal Project Plan

SOC 2 preparation works best when approached like any other business project—with a clear owner, timeline, and milestones.

Designate a compliance lead (often from your security, engineering, or legal team) who will coordinate preparation efforts and serve as the primary liaison with your auditor.

Establish a project plan that includes:

• Readiness assessment timeline

• Evidence collection milestones

• Internal stakeholder alignment (engineering, IT, legal, HR)

• Final pre-audit readiness review

This cross-functional planning is especially important for organizations pursuing multiple frameworks simultaneously—such as PCI DSS or GDPR—where audit readiness must be coordinated across teams.

Engage Your Auditor Early

Don’t wait until the last minute to involve your auditor.
The earlier you engage with them, the better aligned your expectations and preparation will be.

Most auditors will offer a planning session where you can:

• Review scope and timing

• Clarify evidence expectations

• Understand testing procedures

• Confirm reporting timelines

Clear communication up front reduces surprises later and helps ensure a smooth audit experience.

Leverage Automation to Stay Audit-Ready

Manual SOC 2 preparation is time-consuming and error-prone.
By using a compliance automation platform like DSALTA, you can streamline key parts of the process:

• Automate evidence collection from cloud environments and SaaS tools

• Monitor and control health continuously

• Track readiness progress in real time

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and auditors on a single platform

This not only improves audit outcomes—it also supports a continuous compliance mindset, helping your organization stay prepared year-round.