SOC 2 Type I & Type II Assessments

Turn your security posture into a report enterprise buyers trust.

B4Q Assurance CPA PC guides you from readiness gaps to an AICPA-aligned SOC 2 report — clear scoping, hands-on remediation support, and an audit process built to keep your deal cycles moving.

  • Licensed & Certified USA CPAs
  • AICPA Trust Services Criteria
  • Type I & Type II experience
Security Confidentiality Availability Privacy
SOC 2
Attestation Ready
0Years of Experience
0Satisfied Clients
0Client Retention Rate
0Trust Service Criteria Covered
Why It Matters

Your customers ask for it before they sign.

More enterprise buyers now require a SOC 2 report before completing security review — it's become the default proof that a vendor takes data protection seriously.

A SOC 2 report is an independent CPA's evaluation of the controls you've put in place across the Trust Services Criteria that apply to your business. It replaces lengthy security questionnaires with one credible, reusable document.

  • 01 Shortens enterprise sales cycles by answering security review up front.
  • 02 Signals operational maturity to investors, partners, and auditors.
  • 03 Gives your team a durable framework for ongoing risk management.
Issued byLicensed CPA firm
FrameworkAICPA Trust Services Criteria
Report typesType I · Type II
AudienceRestricted / enterprise buyers
Typical Type II window3–12 months
Renewal cadenceAnnual
The Framework

Five Trust Services Criteria. One report.

Security is mandatory for every SOC 2 report; the other four are scoped to what your customers actually need assurance on.

CC / SECURITY

Security

Controls that protect systems and data against unauthorized access.

A1

Availability

Systems are monitored and maintained to meet uptime commitments.

PI1

Processing Integrity

Data processing is complete, accurate, and delivered as intended.

C1

Confidentiality

Information designated confidential is protected as agreed with clients.

P1–P8

Privacy

Personal information is collected, used, and disposed of appropriately.

Choose Your Report

Type I or Type II — we scope it to your timeline.

Our audit professionals run both engagements, and often recommend starting with a Type I while you build the evidence trail for Type II.

Point-in-time

SOC 2 Type I

Evaluates whether your controls are suitably designed as of a specific date — the fastest way to show customers a credible, third-party-reviewed report.

2–4 wksTypical fieldwork
1 datePoint-in-time scope
DesignFocus of testing
  • Fastest path to a shareable report
  • Confirms control design before Type II
  • Ideal for first-time SOC 2 organizations
Design assessed
Operating tested
Evidence window
Over a period

SOC 2 Type II

Tests whether your controls actually operated effectively over an observation period — typically what enterprise security teams expect to see.

3–12 moObservation window
OngoingEvidence sampling
OperatingFocus of testing
  • The report most enterprise buyers expect
  • Demonstrates sustained control operation
  • Strongest signal for renewal & scale
Design assessed
Operating tested
Evidence window
How We Work

Your path to an issued SOC 2 report.

We assist throughout the journey — identifying gaps, implementing controls, and preparing for a smooth, efficient audit.

01

Readiness & Scoping

We assess your current environment, define system boundaries, and select the Trust Services Criteria relevant to your customers.

02

Gap Remediation

We identify compliance gaps against the framework and help you implement the controls, policies, and evidence needed to close them.

03

Type I Assessment

Our audit professionals test whether your controls are suitably designed as of a point in time and issue your Type I report.

04

Observation Period

Controls run and are monitored over your chosen window, building the operating-effectiveness evidence Type II requires.

05

Type II Audit

We test operating effectiveness across the period and prepare the final report against the applicable Trust Services Criteria.

06

Report Issuance & Renewal

You receive your signed report, plus a plan for maintaining controls ahead of next year's renewal cycle.

Why B4Q

Audit professionals who stay with you end to end.

Licensed CPAs, proven frameworks, and a process built to reduce friction at every stage of your SOC 2 journey.

Licensed & Certified CPAs

Every engagement is led by AICPA-affiliated CPAs, not just generalist consultants.

End-to-End Readiness Support

We stay involved from gap identification through control implementation to final report.

Proven, Repeatable Frameworks

Industry-tested methodologies that shorten implementation time and audit-readiness gaps.

50+ Businesses Served

From startups to established enterprises, across a range of industries and control environments.

96% Client Retention

Clients return year after year for renewal audits and expanded scopes.

Timelines You Can Plan Around

Clear milestones from kickoff to issuance, so sales and security teams know what to expect.

In Practice

How this plays out for companies like yours.

Two common paths we help clients through — from a stalled deal to a signed report, and from a first-year Type I into a clean Type II renewal.

These scenarios are illustrative, based on patterns we see across engagements — not a specific named client. See verified client case studies →
Scenario · SOC 2 Audit

First Enterprise Deal Stalls on SOC 2

The situation

A seed-stage B2B SaaS company reaches security review on its first six-figure enterprise deal — and has no SOC 2 report. Security review alone can add weeks to a sales cycle even for companies that are ready; it adds far more when the report doesn't exist yet.

How B4Q approaches it

We start with a scoping call to identify exactly which Trust Services Criteria this prospect — and the wider pipeline — actually requires, then run a readiness assessment to flag gaps before the formal audit clock starts.

A Type I report in as little as 8–12 weeks to unblock the immediate deal, with a Type II observation period running in parallel for renewal.

Scenario · SOC 2 Type II

From SOC 2 Type I to Type II

The situation

A company completed a Type I under time pressure the prior year. Now an enterprise renewal is asking for a Type II report — testing whether controls operated effectively over time, not just whether they were well designed on one date.

How B4Q approaches it

We review the prior Type I control set, tighten evidence collection so it holds up over a 6–12 month observation window, and set a cadence of quarterly control checks so nothing lapses before the audit window closes.

A clean Type II report at the end of the observation period, with far less last-minute evidence-gathering than a first-time audit.

Questions

SOC 2, answered.

How long does a SOC 2 report take?
A Type I report can often be issued within a few weeks of completing readiness work. A Type II report requires an observation period, typically three to twelve months, before the audit and issuance.
Do we need all five Trust Services Criteria?
No. Security is required for every SOC 2 report. The remaining four criteria — Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy — are scoped based on what your customers and business model actually require.
Should we start with Type I or go straight to Type II?
Many first-time organizations start with a Type I to establish a credible report quickly, then move into an observation period for Type II. If you already have mature controls, going straight to Type II can be appropriate.
What does B4Q help with before the audit begins?
We assess your current environment, identify gaps against the applicable criteria, and support implementation of the controls, policies, and evidence collection processes needed for a smooth audit.
Who can see our SOC 2 report?
SOC 2 reports are restricted-use documents typically shared under NDA with existing and prospective customers, unlike SOC 3 reports, which are designed for public distribution.

Ready to start your SOC 2 journey?

Book a free strategy call and we'll map out a Type I / Type II timeline tailored to your business.

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