Authorities

American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)

The US professional body for accountants that owns the SOC reporting frameworks.

Overview

The AICPA sets auditing and attestation standards for private entities and the Trust Services Criteria used in SOC 2.

Its powers include publishing standards that others adopt.

Instruments connected to it in this glossary include SOC 2 and SOC.

Check the official sources below for legal scope, applicable dates and exceptions. This entry is an explanatory reference, not legal advice.

Why it matters

Its standards become requirements once regulators cite them or contracts demand them.

Who it affects

Organisations in accounting.

Where it sits

Ten linked steps connect where you operate to the proof that you complied.

  1. 01Jurisdiction
  2. 02Industry
  3. 03Activity
  4. 04Authority
  5. 05Regulation
  6. 06Requirement
  7. 07Guidance
  8. 08Control
  9. 09Evidence
  10. 10Enforcement

Connections

The terms most closely tied to AICPA. Select one to open it.

AICPA

What to do about it

  1. 1Confirm whether AICPA has power over you, and through which licence, registration, membership or activity.
  2. 2Follow its rules, guidance and enforcement publications as they are issued.
  3. 3Map each obligation it creates to a control with a named owner.
  4. 4Keep examination-ready evidence for its highest-risk obligations.
In Regulation Layer

From requirement to evidence.

Regulation Layer tracks its publications in the change feed, maps its obligations to your controls.

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Related terms

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