SOC 2 Timeline
SOC 2 Timeline for SaaS
SaaS teams balance multi-tenant scope, CI/CD pace, and customer pressure; timelines hinge on evidence quality and scope control.
Timeline anchors
SaaS teams balance multi-tenant scope, CI/CD pace, and customer pressure; timelines hinge on evidence quality and scope control.
- •Align deployment cadence with evidence collection and change approvals.
- •Customer security asks often dictate Type I vs Type II timing.
- •Tooling maturity (logging, monitoring, access reviews) reduces delays.
How to stay on schedule
- Sequence pentests, policy approvals, and access reviews early.
- Hold weekly check-ins with control owners and your auditor.
- Lock observation start/end dates and keep evidence organized.
What extends the timeline
- High release velocity without change evidence or approvals.
- Third-party integrations added late in scope that need reviews.
- Tenant isolation controls not documented, causing auditor rework.
FAQ
How long does SOC 2 take for SOC 2 Timeline for SaaS?
Timelines depend on readiness, tool stack, and how quickly you can gather evidence. Smaller teams can move faster by keeping scope lean and decisions centralized.
What slows SOC 2 timelines down?
Unclear ownership, missing evidence, and last-minute scope additions create churn. Align on systems in scope and assign owners early.
When should we start readiness?
Begin at least a few weeks before you want to sign an audit letter. That gives time to close gaps and plan observation windows.
How does Type II change the calendar?
Type II adds an observation period. Plan for control operation evidence across that window and buffer extra time for sampling.
Where do pentests fit in the schedule?
Schedule pentests before the observation window ends so remediation and retests are complete. Link findings to control evidence.
What should be parallelized?
Policies, tooling, and early evidence collection can run in parallel. Keep a weekly cadence to unblock owners quickly.