Drata is a powerful tool. It can transform a slow, resource-draining activity into a value-added automated task. But in order for it to work, it needs to be set up properly. This guide explains how SOC 2 actually works inside Drata, what you need before you begin, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that slow teams down. It is written for founders, CISOs, compliance leads, and non-technical executives who want a semi-automated approach to compliance. Drata does not replace your SOC 2 program. It operationalizes it. The platform helps you manage controls, evidence, and monitoring, but decisions, ownership, and execution still matter. A successful Drata SOC 2 project follows a predictable flow: scoping, setup, automation, validation, and audit. Before You Start: What You Need to Run a SOC 2 Project in Drata Before logging into Drata, your organization needs to be aligned. 1- Decide your SOC 2 target: Type 1 vs. Type 2 and realistic timelines SOC 2 comes in two formats defined by the AICPA. SOC 2 Type I evaluates whether controls are designed correctly at a point in time.SOC 2 Type II evaluates whether those controls operate effectively over a period, usually three to twelve months. Report Type What It Evaluates Timeframe SOC 2 Type I Whether controls are designed appropriately Point in time SOC 2 Type II Whether controls operate effectively 3–12 months With Drata, many of our clients reach Type I readiness in 6 to 8 weeks if controls already exist. Type II timelines depend on the observation period, which can range from 3 months to up to a year. If you’re pursuing SOC 2 compliance due to a client’s request, he will till you which type he requires. If you’re proactively seeking SOC 2 compliance, then we recommend going for type 2 compliance. This allows you to cast a wider net of clients. A successful SOC 2 program follows a predictable lifecycle. While tools and timelines vary, the underlying phases are consistent across most organizations. Scoping: Define the system being audited, select Trust Services Criteria, set the audit period, and confirm the auditor. Good scoping reduces downstream complexity dramatically. Setup: Configure Drata, connect integrations, publish policies, and assign control ownership. This phase turns abstract requirements into operational structure. Automation: Enable continuous evidence collection across identity, infrastructure, code, ticketing, and endpoints. Automation replaces manual tracking, but only when integrations reflect reality. Validation: Run a readiness review. Confirm that controls are operating as described, evidence is complete, and timing aligns with the audit window. This is where most hidden risks surface. Audit: Auditors independently test controls and evidence. Clarifications and minor findings are normal. Clear responses and preparation determine how fast this phase moves. Continuous compliance: After the report is issued, controls continue operating. Monitoring, reviews, and periodic reassessment prevent drift and reduce effort in future audit cycles. 2- Select your Trust Services Criteria Every SOC 2 must include the Common Criteria for Security. Additional criteria are optional and must be justified. These include Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy. The choice of additional criteria is driven by the service agreement with the customer, which may require specific criteria, or by the type of business pursuing SOC 2. If you’re a SaaS that handles a large amount of private financial data, it makes sense to pursue the confidentiality criteria, for example. Availability makes sense if you sell uptime guarantees or SLAs. Privacy should only be selected if you are prepared to meet the additional criteria around notice, consent, and data subject rights. 3- Gather prerequisites: Systems, Owners, and Access Drata works best when you already know what is in scope. This includes cloud infrastructure, identity providers, repositories, ticketing tools, and endpoints. You also need named control owners. Automation cannot replace accountability. 4- Choose or confirm an auditor early An external CPA firm ultimately issues the SOC 2 report. Confirm your auditor before proceeding with deep configuration to avoid mismatches in expectations, evidence formats, or control interpretations. Where Axipro Fits in a Drata-Led SOC 2 Program Drata is excellent at operationalizing SOC 2. It centralizes controls, automates evidence collection, and enforces timelines that matter to auditors. What it does not do is make judgment calls, resolve ambiguity, or design controls in context. That work still belongs to the experts. This is where Axipro fits. In practice, Axipro supports Drata-led SOC 2 programs in four critical areas: Scoping discipline Before configuration begins, Axipro helps validate system boundaries, Trust Services Criteria selection, and audit periods. This prevents over-scoping, which is one of the most common reasons SOC 2 projects slow down or fail testing later. Control ownership and execution clarity Drata can track controls, but it cannot assign accountability. Axipro works with teams to ensure every in-scope control has a clear owner, a realistic execution process, and an evidence strategy that will stand up to auditor scrutiny. Readiness validation before auditor access Many SOC 2 delays happen after auditors are invited. Axipro performs structured readiness reviews to catch weak evidence, misaligned controls, and timing gaps before fieldwork begins. This reduces follow-ups, exceptions, and rework. Audit navigation and exception handling During the audit, Axipro helps teams respond to auditor questions, document compensating controls, and resolve findings clearly. This keeps the audit moving and avoids creating long-term issues that resurface in future cycles. Drata provides the operating system. Axipro helps ensure the program running on top of it is coherent, defensible, and sustainable. Step 1: Scope Your SOC 2 Program in Drata Once your prep work is done, it’s time to open Drata and start the real implementation work. Scoping is the first and most important step. It defines what the auditor will test and, just as importantly, what they will ignore. Create the audit container In Drata, scope becomes “real” the moment you create the audit. Navigate to Audit Hub, then select Create Audit. Choose SOC 2 as the framework and define the audit period. This date range matters more than most teams realize. Drata
If your company sells software, handles customer data, or operates in the cloud, chances are you have already been asked for a SOC 2 report. Sometimes by a prospect, sometimes by a procurement team, sometimes by a very persistent security questionnaire that refuses to go away. And if you are early in your compliance journey, that request can feel confusing, intimidating, or even slightly unfair. What exactly is a SOC 2 report? What does it include? How does the process actually work? And do you really need one right now? This article answers those questions clearly, without legal jargon or unnecessary complexity. Whether you are a startup selling internationally or a SaaS company expanding into enterprise deals, this guide will give you the full picture on SOC 2 compliance. What does SOC 2 stand for? SOC 2 stands for System and Organization Controls 2. It is part of a broader family of SOC reports created to help organisations demonstrate how they manage and protect information. In a nutshell, its a voluntary framework that proves that a company stores and manages data in a safe way. The “2” matters because it distinguishes this report from others in the SOC framework: Report Type Primary Focus Typical Audience SOC 1 Controls relevant to financial reporting Auditors, finance teams, regulators SOC 2 Controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy Customers, partners, procurement teams SOC 3 High-level public summary of SOC 2 controls General public, marketing, prospects When customers ask for “SOC 2,” they are seeking evidence that your internal systems and processes are designed to protect their data consistently and measurably. And this can be evaluated through a SOC 2 report. SOC 2 vs SOC 1 vs SOC 3: what’s the difference? SOC reports serve different purposes, and choosing the wrong one can create unnecessary work. SOC 1 focuses exclusively on controls related to financial reporting. It is primarily relevant for service providers whose systems impact a customer’s financial statements, such as payroll processors or financial platforms. SOC 2 evaluates controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. It is the most commonly requested report for SaaS companies, cloud providers, and B2B service organisations because it directly addresses data protection and operational risk. SOC 3 is a high-level, public summary of a SOC 2 report. It contains far less detail and is typically used for marketing or high-level assurance, not for procurement or vendor risk assessments. If customers, partners, or regulators need detailed evidence of how you protect data, SOC 2 is almost always the correct choice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=_Qmle4yusN2cMOJT&v=dueT49f5wNA&feature=youtu.be Benefits of SOC 2 Compliance- Why do Companies Pursue Compliance? Companies invest in SOC 2 compliance for the commercial and operational advantages it delivers. But besides that, being able to produce a SOC 2 report will allow to cast a wider net and work with customers that you would otherwise not be able to work with. Some examples: Cloud service providers, SaaS companies, and Data Centers looking to win big enterprise contracts: These businesses are often required to do Vendor Risk Assessment due to regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, SOX, and NYDFS. Companies in tightly regulated industries: Finance, healthcare, and technology are typically regulated by norms that required SOC 2 reports and Vendor Risk Assessment. Companies bidding for government contracts: While not always required, some government bodies will ask for an SOC 2 report or ISO 27001 certification to accept bids. SOC 2 reports are becoming widespread since they cascade down: Most SOC 2 compliant businesses will require vendors to produce a SOC 2 report, and not having an SOC 2 report will often make you lose a compliant client. Besides that, the most immediate benefit is trust. A SOC 2 report reduces friction during sales cycles by answering security questions upfront, rather than repeatedly through bespoke questionnaires. So even when its not strictly required, having a SOC 2 report will be beneficial. It also improves internal discipline. Preparing for SOC 2 forces teams to formalise access controls, incident response, change management, and monitoring processes that often exist informally. Finally, SOC 2 can be a growth enabler. Many enterprise buyers will not progress without it. Having a current report keeps deals moving and prevents compliance from becoming a last-minute blocker. A 2023 procurement study published by Wired noted that vendor security reviews are now standard even for contracts under six figures, reflecting how deeply embedded assurance expectations have become. Who typically needs SOC 2 compliance? SOC 2 is most often pursued by organisations that handle customer data on behalf of others, especially where trust and security influence buying decisions. This commonly includes: SaaS and cloud-based software companies Managed service providers, IT, and security firms Data platforms, infrastructure providers, and APIs Companies selling into regulated or enterprise markets Beyond industry, SOC 2 is often triggered by stage and scale. Startups moving upmarket, companies entering enterprise sales cycles, or vendors undergoing formal vendor risk assessments are frequently asked for a SOC 2 report before deals can progress. Even when not explicitly required, SOC 2 often becomes a commercial necessity. Customers increasingly expect structured, independent assurance that security controls are not improvised, but designed, documented, and consistently followed. What is a SOC 2 report? A SOC 2 report is an independent assurance report that evaluates how well an organisation protects customer data. It is issued by a licensed CPA firm and is based on the Trust Services Criteria (TSC) developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In simple terms, a SOC 2 report answers one core question: Can this company be trusted to handle sensitive information securely and responsibly? Unlike ISO standards, SOC 2 is not a “certification” in the traditional sense. There is no pass or fail badge. Instead, the report documents: Your control environment How controls are designed How they operate over time Any exceptions or gaps identified by the auditor The result is a detailed report that customers and partners use to assess your
At a Glance In today’s AI-driven sales world, security and trust are as critical as performance. For VidLab7, a fast-growing AI demo automation platform, these values sit at the heart of their innovation. As the company scaled across Europe, it became essential to validate its commitment to information security, data privacy, and customer confidence. To achieve this, VidLab7 pursued ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance, two globally recognized standards that demonstrate excellence in governance and data protection. Partnering with Axipro for advisory guidance and Sensiba as the independent auditor, VidLab7 set out to strengthen its compliance foundation and position itself as a trusted provider of AI-powered sales technology. This certification journey wasn’t just about ticking boxes; it was about reinforcing VidLab7’s promise of delivering secure, reliable, and compliant AI solutions to enterprise customers worldwide. About VidLab7 VidLab7 is revolutionizing how businesses engage prospects through AI-driven demo automation. The platform enables companies to automatically convert inbound website visitors into qualified leads and closed revenue, without forms, delays, or additional headcount.Using interactive AI avatars, VidLab7 delivers personalized product pitches, demos, and follow-ups in real time, across 130+ languages. Its technology seamlessly integrates with major CRMs such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive, allowing marketing and sales teams to boost pipeline and conversion rates up to 10x.Behind this innovation lies a deep commitment to security. With customer data flowing through global systems, achieving ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance was crucial to ensuring that VidLab7’s infrastructure remained both scalable and secure, empowering businesses to grow with confidence Challenge: Data protection & workflows automation As VidLab7 expanded its customer base and data footprint, maintaining compliance across its complex cloud infrastructure became a pressing priority. The company needed to: Protect client data across multiple regions under strict privacy regulations such as GDPR. Standardize information security practices to support ISO 27001 and SOC 2 requirements. Automate compliance workflows through Drata to reduce manual effort and audit stress. Meet enterprise expectations for transparency and trust in AI-powered automation. Operating at the intersection of AI, SaaS, and data-driven sales, VidLab7 understood that certification would not only validate their systems but also elevate customer trust. The goal was ambitious: achieve ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance within six months, without slowing innovation or customer delivery. Solution: Advisory & Audit Partnership For VidLab7, achieving ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance required clarity, coordination, and a partner who understood the fast-moving world of AI and SaaS. They turned to Axipro for structured advisory support that would help them prepare efficiently without slowing down innovation. Together, Axipro and VidLab7 mapped a clear roadmap from assessment to audit readiness. The Axipro team guided VidLab7 through every stage, from risk assessments and control alignment to document readiness and awareness sessions, ensuring each process met the standards of ISO 27001 and SOC 2. Using Drata, VidLab7 automated its compliance tracking, simplifying evidence collection and continuous monitoring. This reduced manual work, improved visibility, and kept every department aligned. Throughout the engagement, Sensiba, the independent audit partner, conducted objective evaluations and verified controls under both frameworks. This separation between advisory and audit preserved independence while ensuring transparency and confidence at every step. By the time the audit began, VidLab7’s teams were confident, organized, and fully aligned, ready to showcase the strength of their information security management system (ISMS). In the words of Tomas Smetana,VP Finance & Operations, VidLab7: Axipro went above and beyond during our ISO and SOC certification journeys. Their team demonstrated deep expertise, proactive communication, and absolute reliability at every stage. What could have been a painful compliance process turned into a smooth, structured, and even enjoyable experience thanks to their professionalism and hands-on support. Results: Strengthened Security & Customer Trust After months of preparation, VidLab7 achieved ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance, reinforcing its position as a trusted AI sales automation provider in Europe. The results spoke volumes: ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and SOC 2 Type I attestation completed under the oversight of Sensiba. A fully operational ISMS that governs all data handling, infrastructure, and personnel processes. Reduced manual workloads thanks to Drata’s automation and Axipro’s streamlined advisory framework. Improved internal awareness of security responsibilities across teams. Enhanced trust from enterprise customers, many of whom prioritize certified vendors for data-sensitive integrations. For VidLab7, the achievement was more than a milestone; it was a signal of maturity and credibility. They could now demonstrate, with confidence, that their AI technology operates with enterprise-grade security and data integrity. Why VidLab7 Chose Axipro When VidLab7 began exploring ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance, they sought an advisory partner that could combine structure with speed. The decision to work with Axipro was driven by three key factors: Advisory Expertise: Axipro’s consultants provided step-by-step guidance, helping the VidLab7 team understand each requirement in context and build controls that made sense for their business. Automation Experience: With deep experience in Drata, Axipro helped VidLab7 maximize automation, streamline documentation, and maintain audit-ready visibility at all times. Reputation & Responsiveness: Recommended through Drata’s partner network, Axipro was known for quick response times, transparent milestones, and exceptional post-project support. Combined with Sensiba’s independent certification expertise, this partnership delivered a balanced approach to governance and growth. VidLab7 achieved ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance on schedule, proving that security and innovation can move forward together. Ready to Start Your Compliance Journey? For VidLab7, achieving ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance wasn’t just a technical milestone; it was a declaration of trust, responsibility, and readiness to scale. The certifications validated their commitment to protecting customer data while driving innovation in AI sales automation. Your organization can achieve the same. Whether you operate in AI, SaaS, or cloud-based technology, demonstrating compliance with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 opens doors to new markets, partnerships, and customer confidence. At Axipro, we simplify the certification process. With structured advisory support, automation through Drata, and trusted audit partners like Sensiba, your path to compliance becomes clear, efficient, and future-ready. Ready to get started? Book a free consultation with Axipro today and take the first step toward achieving ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance with confidence.
