SOC 2 compliance automation: what it is, what you can automate, and how to choose software

SOC 2 is a framework used around the world by organizations that handle customer data to implement security best practices, demonstrate their security posture, and earn trust with stakeholders. It’s become such a reliable standard that many large organizations now expect the vendors they work with to have a SOC 2 report before they can agree to do business with them.

However, getting your SOC 2 can be an expensive, time-consuming, and complicated process. A SOC 2 Type 2 report commonly takes months to a year when done mostly manually—because you need to scope your report, implement controls, collect documentation and evidence, and then complete audit fieldwork with a CPA firm.

SOC 2 compliance automation can reduce the manual workload and help teams move faster by automating evidence collection, monitoring, and workflow coordination—so your program doesn’t live in spreadsheets and last-minute screenshot hunts.

This guide covers:

What SOC 2 compliance automation is (and what it isn’t)
The benefits of automating SOC 2 vs manual work or consultants
Which parts of SOC 2 can be automated (and which can’t)
What to look for in SOC 2 compliance automation software

Trying to finish compliance work during a sprint

GIF via GIPHY

Related guides:

Key takeaways

Automation helps most where evidence is repeatable. System signals (cloud configs, identity events, ticketing workflows) are where tools can save the most time.
You still need owners. A platform can route tasks and collect evidence, but controls still require accountable people to review, remediate, and approve exceptions.
Audit speed comes from organization. Centralized evidence, clear PBC assignments, and consistent control narratives reduce back-and-forth during fieldwork.
Choose software based on your stack. Integration depth matters more than a long connector list—validate your must-have tools in a proof of value.

What is SOC 2 compliance automation?

SOC 2 compliance automation is the use of specialized software to automate or augment parts of the SOC 2 compliance process.

In practice, SOC 2 automation tools reduce manual time and effort by automatically collecting evidence where possible, continuously monitoring controls for drift, and providing workflows (ownership, due dates, reminders, and auditor-ready exports) that keep your program audit-ready.

Common tasks SOC 2 automation helps with include:

Continuous monitoring of control status signals
Automated evidence collection and retention
Scanning and testing for common control gaps (where integrations allow)
Guided remediation tasks when something falls out of compliance
Risk assessments and risk register workflows
Auditor collaboration (PBC lists, evidence folders, exports, and secure sharing)

SOC 2 compliance automation can also support you after your initial audit by keeping checks running and surfacing drift early—so you don’t discover a gap the week your auditor asks for evidence.

Benefits of compliance automation for SOC 2

There are three common ways to pursue SOC 2:

Perform most of the work manually in-house
Hire a cybersecurity consultant or contractor to manage the project
Use SOC 2 compliance automation software (often with some advisory support)

Below are several benefits of using compliance automation for SOC 2 compared to doing everything manually or relying heavily on consultants.

Enhance expertise and reliability

SOC 2 requires practical knowledge of controls, evidence expectations, and common audit pitfalls. Smaller or first-time teams often hit skill gaps, which is why consultants are frequently used.

Compliance automation can reduce those gaps by providing structured workflows, templates, and built-in guidance that helps teams implement and maintain controls more consistently.

Automation also reduces human error. When evidence is collected the same way each time, and controls are checked on a regular cadence, teams are more likely to catch compliance gaps earlier and mitigate them before they become audit findings.

Save time and money

Manual SOC 2 prep can consume months of team time across scoping, control implementation, policy writing, evidence collection, and auditor coordination.

Using a SOC 2 compliance automation platform can save time by:

Creating a single system of record for evidence, policies, and tasks
Automating parts of evidence collection
Routing remediation work to owners with clearer accountability

In many organizations, the biggest “savings” isn’t just audit fees—it’s reducing the engineering and operations time spent hunting down proof and recreating the same artifacts each year.

Run more efficient audits

SOC 2 success depends on audit execution. If you’re not prepared, fieldwork can expand through repeated requests and back-and-forth, especially when the auditor can’t find evidence or needs updated versions.

Automation helps by centralizing documentation and creating clearer trails (timestamps, ownership, and recurrence) so your auditor can move faster. Many platforms also allow secure auditor access or exports that reduce email ping-pong.

Empower continued compliance

SOC 2 is ongoing—you must keep controls operating effectively throughout the period. Continuous monitoring and reminders make it easier to catch drift (like access review cadence slipping or logging configurations changing) before it becomes a larger risk.

Support multiple frameworks over time

SOC 2 is often step one. Depending on your customers and industry, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, or other requirements may follow. A platform that supports multi-framework mapping can reduce future work by reusing controls and evidence across standards.

What can (and can’t) be automated in the SOC 2 process

SOC 2 automation software is built to make meeting Trust Service Criteria requirements easier—especially where evidence is repeatable and can be derived from system signals.

It can’t automate everything. But it can typically automate a significant portion of the work you’d otherwise do manually.

What can be automated for SOC 2

SOC 2 compliance automation commonly helps with:

Collecting and tracking evidence that demonstrates how controls operate
Running (or coordinating) risk assessments and maintaining a risk register
Managing employee security training acknowledgements
Reviewing security policies and tracking attestations
Tracking compliance tasks, assigning owners, and managing due dates
Scanning for common areas of non-compliance (depending on integrations)
Continuously monitoring for security and compliance drift
Monitoring third-party tools and applications for issues (via integrations)
Running access reviews and onboarding/offboarding workflows

What can’t be fully automated (but can often be augmented)

Most organizations still need human ownership for:

Writing, approving, and enforcing security policies (tools can provide templates and versioning)
Vulnerability scanning and penetration testing (tools can integrate and track results, but third parties and internal teams execute)
Scoping the SOC 2 report (tools can guide scoping, but it’s still a business decision)
Physical security controls (tools can store documentation, but you still operate the process)
Internal audits (tools can help you prepare and collect evidence)
Incident response and business continuity planning (tools can store plans and track tabletop exercises)

A practical “what to automate first” table

SOC 2 workstream	Automate first	Keep human-owned
Evidence collection	Pull cloud/IAM signals, ticket exports, training completion, access review logs	Approve exceptions; validate narratives match reality
Control monitoring	Continuous checks + alerts for drift where signals exist	Decide thresholds; interpret “false positives” vs real risk
Policies	Templates, versioning, acknowledgements	Policy decisions, tailoring, enforcement
Risk management	Risk register workflows, reminders, evidence of review	Risk scoring methodology, acceptance decisions
Audit execution	PBC tracking, evidence packaging, exports	Auditor discussions, scoping changes, professional judgment

Checklist: your path to SOC 2 compliance

If you need a simple sequence to keep momentum, here’s a practical SOC 2 checklist that aligns well with automation workflows:

Define scope (products, systems, boundaries, and Trust Service Criteria)
Assign control owners and define a realistic operating cadence
Implement controls (and document procedures)
Connect systems for evidence (cloud, identity, HR, ticketing, security tools)
Collect and review evidence on a recurring schedule (not just pre-audit)
Run a readiness check and remediate gaps
Select a CPA firm and prepare your PBC package
Complete fieldwork and respond to auditor questions quickly

For a deeper walkthrough, use our SOC 2 guide:

Your guide to SOC 2 audits

What to look for in SOC 2 compliance automation software

SOC 2 automation shouldn’t stop once you “get the report.” The best platforms help you maintain the program between audits and make renewals easier.

Here are core capabilities to evaluate.

Continuous monitoring

Before automation, many teams relied on point-in-time snapshots. Continuous monitoring is different: it evaluates signals on an ongoing cadence (hourly, daily, or weekly depending on the platform and integration) and notifies owners when controls drift.

Ask vendors:

Which controls are truly monitored vs only “tracked”?
How often are checks performed, and can you tune noise?
What is the workflow from alert → owner → remediation → evidence retained?

Effective risk management

SOC 2 expects risk assessment and management review. A built-in risk register helps you document risks, assign mitigations, and keep proof of recurring review—so audit season doesn’t become a scramble.

Look for:

Customizable risk scoring and treatment plans
Evidence of review/approval (audit trails)
Links between risks, controls, and remediation tasks

Onboarding and offboarding workflows

Access management is a core SOC 2 theme. Software should support workflows like:

New hire provisioning checklists
Offboarding tasks to ensure timely access removal
Periodic access reviews and certifications with exportable logs

Tests, findings, and remediation workflows

SOC 2 programs often incorporate vulnerability management. Your platform should integrate with scanners (for example, cloud-native tools like AWS Inspector and other security scanners) and help you track findings through remediation and closure.

Evaluate:

Which scanners integrate cleanly with your environment
Whether findings can be assigned to owners (and ticketed)
How evidence of remediation is captured and retained

Get started with compliance automation (with SecureSlate)

SOC 2 is a workflow problem: owners, recurring evidence, and control drift over time. SecureSlate helps teams streamline SOC 2 by centralizing controls, evidence, policies, training, and continuous monitoring—so you can reduce manual effort and stay audit-ready.

A typical automated path looks like this:

Connect key systems to SecureSlate so evidence collection is less manual
Assess risk and track mitigations in one place
Identify gaps earlier with monitoring and control status signals
Assign tasks to owners with due dates and reminders
Organize evidence for audit fieldwork and reduce back-and-forth

If you want to see what this looks like for your stack:

Get started for free

Frequently asked questions about SOC 2 compliance automation

What is SOC 2 compliance automation software?

SOC 2 compliance automation software helps organizations prepare for, complete, and maintain SOC 2 by automating evidence collection (where possible), monitoring control signals for drift, and coordinating workflows like ownership, tasks, and auditor-ready documentation.

How much time can SOC 2 automation save?

It depends on your starting maturity, scope, and stack. Teams commonly save the most time on repeatable evidence work (exports, screenshots, and tracking) and on audit coordination. It doesn’t eliminate control ownership or remediation work—but it usually reduces the overhead of proving what you’re doing.

What can’t be automated in SOC 2?

Key parts still require human judgment and ownership: scoping decisions, policy tailoring and enforcement, physical security operations, and decisions about risk acceptance. Many tools can support these areas with templates and tracking, but they can’t replace your program owners or your auditor.

Does SOC 2 automation replace an auditor?

No. SOC 2 examinations must be performed by a licensed CPA firm. Automation software can help you prepare, maintain evidence, and coordinate workflows—but it does not replace audit fieldwork or professional judgment.

Disclaimer (legal note)

This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal, security, or audit advice. SOC 2 engagements require a licensed CPA firm; software does not replace professional judgment, scoping decisions, or your auditor’s requirements.

SecureSlate is our product. We believe SecureSlate is a strong fit for many teams pursuing SOC 2, and we wrote this guide to help you evaluate automation approaches. Vendor capabilities change; confirm current features, contracts, and integration behavior with any vendor during evaluation.