Key Takeaways
- Financial Reporting Focus: The SOC 1® report details controls relevant to a service organization’s services that impact its clients’ internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR), addressing potential risks to those financial statements.
- Snapshot vs. Period Review: There are two types of SOC 1® reports: Type 1, which offers a snapshot of the systems as of a particular date, and Type 2, which reviews the operating effectiveness of the system’s controls over a specified period.
- Stakeholder Requirement, Not Mandate: While not legally mandatory, a SOC 1® report is often requested by clients, investors, or their financial statement preparers if they rely on the service organization’s controls (like IT general controls and business process controls) for their own proper financial reporting.
The Importance of a SOC 1®* Assessment
Does your organization offer services that impact the financial reporting of your clients? If so, a SOC 1®* report could help demonstrate the IT general controls and business process controls in place to achieve control objective statements.
SOC 1®* Report Overview
A SOC 1® report details the potential risks related to utilizing your organization’s services. While the SOC 1® report doesn’t make any predictions about future performance, it does offer a snapshot of your systems as of a particular date (Type 1) or a look at your systems over a specified period (Type 2).
Are SOC 1®* Reports Mandatory?
While not mandatory, your clients and investors may ask about your SOC 1® status if the services provided by your organization impact internal controls over financial reporting. If your clients rely on your cybersecurity controls for proper reporting over financial controls, a SOC 1® can demonstrate the operating effectiveness of your organization’s processes.
Speak to a Compliance Specialist.
What are SOC 1®* Reports Used For?
SOC* reports offer transparency to establish trust between service organizations and key stakeholders, and SOC 1® reports are no different. A SOC 1® assessment offers clarity to your partners about your cybersecurity controls and related processes that might impact their financial reporting.
The best way to prepare for your SOC 1® report is to complete a SOC 1® readiness assessment. Your assessment team will work with you to identify and remedy gaps in your controls that might otherwise negatively impact your SOC 1® report opinion. Learn more about SOC 1® readiness.
Choose an Experienced SOC 1®* Partner
When it comes to SOC 1®, an experienced team can make all the difference. Our partners have over 20 years of assessment experience and are here to support you through the evaluation process. If you are ready to get started with SOC 1® reporting, contact Auditwerx today.
FAQs
A SOC 1® report details the potential risks related to a service organization’s services that might impact its clients’ internal controls over financial reporting.
The assessment focuses on the IT general controls and business process controls in place to achieve control objective statements that relate to financial reporting.
A Type 1 report provides a snapshot of the system’s design and implementation as of a particular date. A Type 2 report examines the system over a specified period, demonstrating the operating effectiveness of the controls during that time.
No, the report is not mandatory. However, it is frequently requested by clients and investors whose financial reporting relies on the cybersecurity controls and processes of the service organization.
The best way to prepare is to complete a SOC 1® readiness assessment, where a team can work with the organization to identify and remedy any gaps in controls that could negatively impact the final report opinion.
About the Author
