What is the difference between SOC 1 and SOC 2?

SOC 1 focuses on controls relevant to financial reporting, typically requested by user entities and auditors. SOC 2 addresses controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy and is common for service providers handling customer data.

Can a SOC document be delivered electronically and e-signed?

Yes. Electronic delivery and eSignatures are broadly accepted under ESIGN and UETA. Ensure retention, audit trail, and authentication meet auditor and customer requirements, and obtain consumer disclosures where applicable.

Who must sign or acknowledge the SOC document?

Typically the responsible compliance officer or executive signs management representations; auditors issue the attestation. Identify signatory authority internally before the audit to avoid signature delays.

How long does it take to produce a SOC report?

Preparation time varies: readiness work can take several weeks to months; an external SOC Type II audit covers a testing period commonly six to twelve months, with report issuance following testing and review.

What if the auditor finds control exceptions?

Address exceptions promptly with documented remediation. Significant unresolved exceptions can lead to modified opinions or qualifications that affect customer reliance and contract negotiations.

How should the SOC document and evidence be stored?

Store final reports and supporting evidence in a secure, access-controlled repository with retention policies aligned to legal and contractual obligations; preserve audit trails and version history for the full retention period.

Business SOC Document

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BUSINESS SOC DOCUMENT

This Business SOC Document (the "Agreement") is made as of by and between:

Provider Name Provider Address Client Name Client Address

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Provider operates and maintains a System and Organization Controls function (SOC) and provides services related to security, monitoring, compliance assessment, and reporting; and

WHEREAS, Client desires to engage Provider to perform SOC-related services described herein, and Provider agrees to perform such services under the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the parties intend for this Agreement to define the scope, deliverables, payment, confidentiality and other material obligations of the parties with respect to the SOC engagement.

SCOPE OF WORK

Provider will perform the SOC services described below. Provider shall exercise commercially reasonable care in the performance of the Work and shall provide suitably qualified personnel to accomplish the deliverables.

Detailed Scope of Work and Deliverables

PAYMENT TERMS

Client shall pay Provider the fees set forth below in consideration for the Scope of Work. Fees exclude applicable taxes unless otherwise stated.

Total Contract Amount Payment Schedule and Milestones Late Payment

All fees not paid when due shall accrue interest at the rate set forth above, and Client shall reimburse Provider for reasonable collection costs, including attorneys' fees, subject to any applicable legal limitations.

TERM AND TERMINATION

The term of this Agreement shall commence on and shall continue until unless earlier terminated in accordance with this Agreement.

Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon days' prior written notice. Either party may terminate for material breach if the breaching party fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days after written notice specifying the breach.

CONFIDENTIALITY

For purposes of this Agreement, "Confidential Information" means non-public information disclosed by a party that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure. Confidential Information includes, without limitation, security assessments, control descriptions, system configurations, reports, and any Client data processed or accessed in connection with the Services.

Each receiving party shall: (a) use Confidential Information solely for the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; (b) restrict access to Confidential Information to employees, contractors and agents who have a need to know and who are bound by written confidentiality obligations no less protective than those herein; and (c) protect Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, but in no event less than reasonable care. The foregoing shall not apply to information that: (i) is or becomes generally known to the public through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (ii) was in the receiving party's possession prior to its receipt from the disclosing party; (iii) is rightfully received from a third party without restriction; or (iv) is independently developed without use of the disclosing party's Confidential Information.

Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, receiving party shall, at disclosing party's option, return or securely destroy Confidential Information and certify in writing that it has done so, except to the extent retention is required by law or bona fide backup/archive procedures, in which case the receiving party shall continue to protect such retained information in accordance with this Agreement.

DATA SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE

Provider shall maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of Client data processed or accessed in connection with the Services, including reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. Provider shall comply with any industry-standard controls expressly agreed in the Scope of Work and shall promptly notify Client of any confirmed security incident materially affecting Client Confidential Information.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Except for liability arising from gross negligence, willful misconduct, breaches of confidentiality, or infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, neither party shall be liable to the other for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages. Provider's aggregate liability for any claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by Client to Provider under this Agreement during the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

GOVERNING LAW; DISPUTE RESOLUTION

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflict of laws principles. The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve disputes arising out of this Agreement through negotiation. If the parties cannot resolve a dispute within thirty (30) days, either party may pursue any available legal or equitable remedies in the courts located in the chosen jurisdiction.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement, including the Scope of Work and any exhibits or addenda executed by the parties, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, negotiations and understandings, whether written or oral. Any amendment or modification to this Agreement must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS

Neither party may assign this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party, except that Provider may assign to a successor in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of substantially all of its assets. Notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth above or such other addresses as either party may designate in writing.

Provider Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Client Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What a Business SOC Document Is and When It's Used

A Business SOC Document is an attestation report that describes and verifies an organization's internal controls relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, or privacy. Commonly issued as SOC 1 (financial controls) or SOC 2 (security and privacy) reports, the document summarizes control objectives, testing procedures, and auditor findings for the covered period. Organizations use SOC documentation to demonstrate control effectiveness to customers, partners, and regulators during vendor assessments, procurement reviews, and third-party risk management processes.

Why a Business SOC Document Matters for Trust and Risk

A clear SOC document helps prospective customers and partners evaluate your control environment, reduces redundant questionnaires, and supports procurement and compliance requirements. It provides independent assurance that controls have been designed and operated effectively over a defined period, lowering due-diligence friction and clarifying scope of liability and expectations.

Who Requests or Prepares a Business SOC Document

Typical requesters and preparers range from security teams to external auditors; understanding the stakeholders helps assign responsibility.

Procurement and vendor risk teams requesting evidence for security and compliance checks.
Information security or compliance officers coordinating controls, evidence gathering, and remediation.
Independent audit firms conducting testing and issuing the formal SOC attestation report.

Identifying the right internal owner and external auditor early accelerates preparation and reduces rework during assessments.

Essential Sections to Include in a Professional Business SOC Document

A well-structured SOC document groups controls and evidence with clear scope, control objectives, testing results, and auditor opinion. Organize content to match auditor conventions and recipient expectations to reduce follow-up requests.

Scope

Define in-scope systems, services, locations, and time period covered by the report; clarity reduces ambiguity in vendor reviews and downstream reliance.

Control Objectives

List specific objectives tied to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, or privacy so readers can map controls to their risk needs.

System Description

Provide an operational description of the environment, data flows, third-party dependencies, and technologies that support the in-scope services.

Control Activities

Describe the policies, procedures, and control activities in place (access controls, change management, encryption) with ownership and frequency noted.

Testing Results

Summarize auditor testing procedures and outcomes, including any exceptions or remediation status; separate findings for transparency.

Auditor Opinion

State the independent auditor’s opinion (type and scope), including whether the controls were suitably designed and operated over the reporting period.

Security and Compliance Details to Include

Encryption in Transit: TLS 1.2/1.3

Encryption at Rest: AES-256

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II

Privacy Frameworks: GDPR/CCPA

Regulated Standards: 21 CFR Part 11

HIPAA Status: BAA available

Step-by-Step: Preparing a Business SOC Document

Follow a staged workflow to gather evidence, engage auditors, and finalize the report with minimal rework; planning reduces audit duration and cost.

01

Plan: Define scope and timeline with stakeholders and auditor.
02

Collect: Assemble policies, logs, and evidence for each control.
03

Test: Work with the auditor on testing procedures and remediation.
04

Report: Review draft, address findings, and distribute final report.

How to Configure an Online Workflow for SOC Document Completion

Use a repeatable template and defined signer/authentication settings to streamline evidence submission and signature collection.

Field	Configuration
Authentication Method	SMS code or email link
Signing Order	Sequential or parallel as required
Auto-Reminders	Enable 3 reminders; frequency configurable
Audit Logging	Enable full action logs and timestamps

Where to Send or File a Business SOC Document

Delivery depends on the recipient: customers, auditors, or regulatory reviewers each have typical routing preferences and evidence needs.

Customer Requests: Send secure copy to vendor risk portal or directly to the procurement contact.
Audit Firms: Provide full evidence package to the auditor using a secure transfer method.
Regulatory Review: Retain and produce upon request, following regulator-specific submission rules.
Internal Archive: Store master copy in a controlled records repository with access controls.

Digital Signing and eSubmission: Platform Considerations

Choose a platform that supports secure authentication, tamper-evident records, and audit trails to meet auditor expectations.

Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
File Formats: PDF, DOCX supported
Authentication: SMS, email, or advanced methods

Typical Timelines and Expectations for SOC Reporting

SOC reporting follows a calendar driven by audit planning, testing windows, and delivery commitments; align internal checkpoints to the auditor’s schedule.

Engagement Start:

Kickoff and scoping within 2–4 weeks of engagement agreement.

Evidence Collection:

Ongoing during the reporting period; targeted pulls during testing windows.

Testing Window:

Auditor testing occurs across the defined period, often a minimum of six months for Type II.

Draft Report:

Auditor issues draft for management review, typically 2–6 weeks after testing completion.

Final Delivery:

Final report delivered after resolving exceptions; timing varies by scope and remediation.

Common Preparation Pitfalls to Avoid

Inconsistent naming or system identifiers across documents that prevent auditors from reconciling evidence efficiently.
Incomplete logs or retention gaps that require recreating events and delay testing procedures by weeks.
Undocumented manual controls lacking owner attestations, resulting in additional auditor queries and potential exceptions.
Late engagement of IT and process owners, which compresses evidence collection and increases the risk of missed controls.

Risks and Consequences of Inadequate SOC Documentation

Contract Loss: Missed deals; customers may withhold business

Increased Scrutiny: Additional vendor questionnaires required

Higher Insurance Costs: Elevated premiums for cyber coverage

Regulatory Exposure: Possible enforcement for regulated data failures

Remediation Costs: Time and expense to correct control gaps

Reputation Damage: Loss of customer trust and references

eSignature Vendor Comparison for Submitting or Signing a Business SOC Document

When choosing an eSignature vendor for SOC documentation workflows, compare pricing, bulk-send capabilities, audit trails, and HIPAA support to match your compliance needs.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor	Varies by vendor
Bulk Send	Yes (Business Premium)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Practical Tips to Produce a Clear, Audit-Ready SOC Document

Follow consistent naming and evidence practices to reduce auditor queries and accelerate report finalization.

Use a Master Template

Adopt a consistent system description and control mapping template so auditors and clients find information in predictable locations, reducing time spent on clarifying requests.

Centralize Evidence

Store log extracts, change records, and policy versions in a single secure repository with controlled access and tamper-evident timestamps to support auditor verification.

Assign Control Owners

Document specific control owners with contact details and escalation paths so auditors can verify operation without organizational delays.

Pre-Audit Readiness

Run internal control tests and remediate gaps before the auditor’s testing window to avoid exceptions and potential report qualifications.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Business SOC Document

Answers to common questions about scope, signing, retention, and practical issues encountered during SOC reporting and distribution.

Need help? Contact support

What is the difference between SOC 1 and SOC 2?
SOC 1 focuses on controls relevant to financial reporting, typically requested by user entities and auditors. SOC 2 addresses controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy and is common for service providers handling customer data.
Can a SOC document be delivered electronically and e-signed?
Yes. Electronic delivery and eSignatures are broadly accepted under ESIGN and UETA. Ensure retention, audit trail, and authentication meet auditor and customer requirements, and obtain consumer disclosures where applicable.
Who must sign or acknowledge the SOC document?
Typically the responsible compliance officer or executive signs management representations; auditors issue the attestation. Identify signatory authority internally before the audit to avoid signature delays.
How long does it take to produce a SOC report?
Preparation time varies: readiness work can take several weeks to months; an external SOC Type II audit covers a testing period commonly six to twelve months, with report issuance following testing and review.
What if the auditor finds control exceptions?
Address exceptions promptly with documented remediation. Significant unresolved exceptions can lead to modified opinions or qualifications that affect customer reliance and contract negotiations.
How should the SOC document and evidence be stored?
Store final reports and supporting evidence in a secure, access-controlled repository with retention policies aligned to legal and contractual obligations; preserve audit trails and version history for the full retention period.

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