How do I create process documentation that satisfies SOC 2 compliance requirements?
SOC 2 compliance requires documented policies and procedures for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy controls. Each procedure needs a defined owner, review schedule, version history, and evidence of consistent execution. The documentation must demonstrate that controls are not just designed but actually operating — meaning your SOPs must match what people actually do.
What documentation does SOC 2 require?
| Trust Service Criteria | Documentation Required | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Access control procedures, incident response plans | How employees request and receive system access |
| Availability | Disaster recovery, backup procedures, uptime monitoring | How backups are performed and verified |
| Processing integrity | Data processing workflows, quality checks | How data is validated before processing |
| Confidentiality | Data classification, encryption policies | How sensitive data is handled and stored |
| Privacy | Data collection, retention, and deletion procedures | How customer data deletion requests are processed |
What makes SOC 2 documentation different from regular SOPs?
| Requirement | Regular SOP | SOC 2 SOP |
|---|---|---|
| Version control | Nice to have | Required — auditors check revision history |
| Defined owner | Recommended | Required — each control has a named owner |
| Review schedule | Optional | Required — documented annual review at minimum |
| Evidence of execution | Not tracked | Required — logs, screenshots, or tickets proving the SOP was followed |
| Exception handling | Informal | Required — documented process for handling exceptions |
The key insight: SOC 2 auditors do not just read your documentation. They test whether your team actually follows it. Use Glyde to capture your actual workflows — the resulting SOPs reflect what people really do, not what a policy document says they should do. This alignment between documentation and practice is exactly what auditors verify.
This answer is part of our guide to process documentation.