Definition
The record supports process control and the investigation of exceptions.
An audit trail is a chronological record of actions performed in a system. It may include a field change, document addition, decision, case transfer, login, integration call, or error. Its purpose is to reconstruct the sequence of events: who performed an action, when, on which object, and with what result. The scope of the record should reflect the process risk and the organization’s requirements. Collecting logs alone is not enough—rules for access, retention, protection against modification, and review are also required. Read about security and compliance.