The audit report has been upgraded to allow for a more complete and accurate audit trail, with an extended range of reportable history. All existing history and functionality will continue to be available.
Overview
The following table provides a breakdown of the specific improvements to expect.
| Previous Audit Report | Enhanced Audit Report | |
|---|---|---|
| Time Range | No more than 62 days. | Up to 365 days. |
| Granular History | Rapid, repeated actions were sometimes collapsed, so some entries were not included. | Every action is recorded, providing a comprehensive history. |
| Historical Display Names | Each entry showed the present-day name for the item (Org, project, user, etc), even if it had a different display name in the past. | Each entry shows the name as it was at the time of the action, allowing you to compare previous vs. current values. |
| System / Integration Activity | Excluded. | Included. Hidden by default in new reports. |
| Performance | Large reports could run slowly and with unpredictable wait times. | All reports run with more consistent, predictable wait times. |
| Access | Project Admins and Org Admins could run the audit report. | For data security, only Org Admins can run audit reports. Project Admins can access audit data using the User Activity Log. |
Granular History
Previously, when the same action occurred repeatedly in quick succession, some of those entries could be collapsed.
Now, the report will record every action. To account for these smaller actions, some saved reports may return more rows than they previously did for the same time range.
Historical Display Names
Previously, changing an item’s name would update it across the entire audit history, including actions that took place before the name changed.
To provide a more accurate historical record, audit entries will now show the item’s name as it was when the action occurred, rather than its present-day name. This update applies to the following items:
- Orgs
- projects
- contacts
- user names
- user emails
- documents
- sections
- fields
To illustrate, let’s say you created a task item in a project called Smith Intake in March. In June, you changed the project name to Smith v. Jones. The logged entry in March will continue to display Smith Intake, while any entries from June or later will reflect the new Smith v. Jones name.
Use the underlying identifier, like the project number, to locate an item independently of its name.
System / Integration Activity
Some activity in Filevine comes from automations and integration users rather than a specific person. Examples include:
- the Client Portal reading project information to display to clients
- “read” activity performed through the Filevine API
- connected integrations and apps that use the Filevine API
- reports exported through the API
The audit report now captures this activity to provide a comprehensive record. Each audit entry has a Log Type that indicates the activity type and source:
- User: standard, user-initiated actions taken in Filevine.
- Advanced: configuration-level, user-initiated actions or changes.
- API / System: system / integration activity.
For readability, newly-created audit reports will exclude system / integration activity by default. To include it, remove the Log Type: is not Api criteria from the report.
The criteria for existing saved reports is unchanged—those that do not exclude the API log type will show system / integration activity.
Saved Reports and History
Your existing saved reports and their criteria are unchanged. Auto-reports, the Data Connector, and other scheduled or automated exports will continue to run as configured.
That said, the data they return will follow the enhancements described above. Those using Periscope will start to see more data in their charts and graphs.
Your historical audit record is safe, and nothing will be removed. This change only bolsters the completeness, accuracy, and granularity of your records.
FAQs
How far back can I report now?
You can now run audit reports covering a range of up to one year. Previously, the audit report could display no more than 62 days of activity.
Will my audit reports run faster?
Not necessarily, but they will run with more consistent, predictable wait times. Large reports that previously ran slowly or had unpredictable wait times are now more reliable.
Why doesn't activity from the last few minutes appear yet?
Audit reports now derive from a dedicated reporting system, so recent activity may take a short time to appear.
Why does my report show more rows than before?
The previous system occasionally merged actions that were taken rapidly or repeated. The enhanced audit report displays each one individually.
Why does an older entry show a different Org, project, or user name than I expected?
Audit entries now reflect the name at the time of the action. When an item is renamed, you can now clearly differentiate between actions taken before and after the rename.
The underlying identifier, like the project number, remains the same.
What system or API entries can I now see?
You can see any actions performed by automations or integration users, such as Client Portal reads, API-driven reads, and connected integrations. While these actions are excluded by default for readability, you can include them through the report's criteria.
Will this change my saved reports, report criteria, or Data Connector setup?
No. Your saved reports, their criteria, and your Data Connector and auto-report configurations are unchanged. They will simply reflect the enhanced audit data going forward.
Who can run audit reports?
Audit reports are now restricted to Org Admins to ensure data security. Project Admins can view audit activity for their projects through the project's User Activity Log.
Comments
0 comments
Article is closed for comments.