SOC 2 report walkthrough: Understanding the content

When it comes to winning new business and maintaining trust with your clients, there’s one question Managed Service Providers (MSPs) hear more and more:

“Are you SOC 2 compliant?”

If your answer is anything less than a confident “Yes, and here’s the report to prove it,” you could lose deals before they even start. That’s because a SOC 2 report isn’t just a piece of paper, it’s an independent validation that your systems, processes, and controls meet some of the world’s most respected standards for security and privacy.

In this article, we’ll explain exactly what’s in a SOC 2 report, breaking down each section so you know what to expect. We’ll also show you how MSPs can simplify getting their own SOC 2 report, using the same approach we took at ScalePad.

What is a SOC 2 report?

A SOC 2 report is issued after a thorough audit by an independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who is accredited by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

It evaluates your organization’s controls against the Trust Services Criteria (TSC), which cover five main areas:

1. Security (required) – Protecting systems against unauthorized access.
2. Availability – Ensuring systems are available as promised.
3. Processing Integrity – Making sure systems process data accurately and completely.
4. Confidentiality – Safeguarding sensitive information.
5. Privacy – Protecting personal data and how it’s collected, used, and retained.

There are two types of SOC 2 reports:

• Type I – Evaluates your controls at a single point in time.
• Type II – Evaluates how your controls operate over a period of time (usually 6–12 months).

ScalePad holds SOC 2 Type II compliance across multiple products, including Lifecycle Manager, Lifecycle Insights, Backup Radar, ControlMap, and Quoter.  Meaning we’ve demonstrated that our controls aren’t just designed well, but operate effectively over time.

Why SOC 2 matters for MSPs?

For MSPs, a SOC 2 report does more than tick a compliance box. It:

• Builds trust with prospects and existing clients.
• Demonstrates your commitment to protecting sensitive data.
• Gives you a competitive edge in industries with strict regulatory requirements (e.g., healthcare, finance).
• Helps satisfy vendor due diligence questionnaires instantly, without scrambling for documentation.

Now, let’s look at what’s inside a SOC 2 report.

Inside a SOC 2 report: section-by-section breakdown

A SOC 2 report is more than just a checklist of controls. It’s a detailed, structured document designed to assure stakeholders that your organization meets (and maintains) high security and privacy standards.

Here’s what you’ll find in a typical SOC 2 report:

1. Auditor’s report

This is the auditor’s independent opinion on whether your controls meet the SOC 2 criteria. It’s the part decision-makers often turn to first.

The auditor will issue one of four opinions:

• Unqualified opinion – Your controls meet SOC 2 requirements (this is what you want).
• Qualified opinion – Most controls pass, but some need improvement.
• Adverse opinion – Your controls don’t meet SOC 2 standards.
• Disclaimer of opinion – The auditor couldn’t form an opinion due to insufficient information.

If you’re going through a SOC 2 audit, an unqualified opinion is the gold standard, it signals that you’ve implemented effective, reliable security practices.

2. Management assertion

This section contains a statement from your organization’s management team, prepared before the audit begins. It asserts that:

• You’ve described your system accurately.
• Your controls are in place and designed to meet the selected Trust Services Criteria.

Think of it as your organization’s formal “we believe we’re compliant” statement, one the auditor will then validate (or challenge).

3. System description

While the management assertion is brief, the system description goes into far greater detail. It’s prepared by your team and includes:

• Scope of the report – Which products, services, systems, and locations are included.
• Infrastructure – Hardware, software, and cloud environments that support your systems.
• People – Roles and responsibilities related to maintaining security and compliance.
• Processes & Procedures – How your organization handles security, privacy, and risk management.
• Boundaries – What’s included in the system—and what’s not.
• Incident history – Any security incidents and how they were handled.
  

This section helps readers understand exactly what the auditor evaluated and under what conditions.

4. Description of criteria and controls

This is the largest section of a SOC 2 report, and where the real detail lives. It’s written by the auditor and includes:

• A list of each control that supports the Trust Services Criteria.
• The specific objective for each control.
• How the control is designed and operates.
• The results of the auditor’s testing (including any exceptions found).

For a SOC 2 Type II report, you’ll also see how each control performed over the entire audit period.

Controls can cover areas like:

• Access management (who can log in, and how)
• Encryption of data at rest and in transit
• Change management processes
• Incident response procedures
• Vulnerability management
• Logging and monitoring practices

If you’ve ever received a client security questionnaire, this section answers those questions in depth.

5. Appendices

Finally, the report wraps up with appendices, the additional details or documentation that the auditor feels are relevant.

This might include:

• Management responses to exceptions (for example, how you fixed a failed control).
• Supplemental descriptions or diagrams.
• Evidence summaries that weren’t included in the main body of the report.

While this section is optional, it often provides important context to help stakeholders better understand the report.

SOC 2 report example: how it all fits together

Here’s a simplified example of how these sections might look in practice:

1. Auditor’s Report: Unqualified opinion—controls meet SOC 2 Security and Availability criteria.
2. Management Assertion: We’ve implemented access controls, encryption policies, and incident response procedures to meet SOC 2 standards.
3. System Description: Covers customer-facing SaaS platform, AWS hosting environment, and internal IT infrastructure.
4. Description of Criteria: Control #5 – Multi-factor authentication is enforced for all administrative accounts. Tested over 12 months with zero exceptions.
5. Appendices: Includes network diagram, data flow chart, and remediation steps for minor log retention issue.
   

How MSPs can prepare for their SOC 2 report

Preparing for a SOC 2 audit can feel overwhelming, especially for MSPs juggling multiple clients and their internal operations. Here’s a streamlined approach:

1. Secure leadership buy-in – Management support ensures you have resources to design and implement necessary controls.
2. Define your scope – Decide which services, systems, and Trust Services Criteria your audit will cover.
3. Document your processes – Policies, procedures, and evidence need to be clearly written and accessible.
4. Test your controls – Make sure everything is functioning as intended before the auditor arrives.
5. Use automation where possible – Automating evidence collection and monitoring can save weeks (or months) of manual work.
   

How ScalePad achieved SOC 2 compliance (and how you can too)

At ScalePad, we didn’t just talk about SOC 2 compliance—we lived it. In 2025, we added Quoter to our SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications, alongside Lifecycle Manager, Lifecycle Insights, Backup Radar, and ControlMap.

How did we do it? We use ControlMap, our security compliance management platform.

ControlMap helped us:

• Collect and organize evidence automatically.
• Monitor dozens of systems in real time.
• Maintain compliance across multiple frameworks without drowning in spreadsheets.

The same platform we used is available to MSPs who want to:

• Get their own SOC 2 report faster.
• Add Compliance-as-a-Service to their offerings.
• Build trust with clients in regulated industries.

The bottom line

A SOC 2 report isn’t just a formality—it’s a competitive advantage and a powerful trust signal for your MSP. By understanding what’s inside the report, you can better prepare for your audit and confidently speak to clients and prospects about your security posture.

The process takes planning, discipline, and the right tools, but it’s absolutely worth it.At ScalePad, we know this firsthand because we’ve been through it. With ControlMap, MSPs can cut SOC 2 prep time by up to 90%, automate evidence collection, and focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional service to clients.