FAQs on Audit Logs

FAQs on Audit Logs

1. What is an audit log and how is it helpful?

The audit log, also known as the audit trail, keeps a record of all the actions that are performed by every user in your CRM account, displayed in chronological order. An audit log can help identify which user performed what type of change, as well as what records have been changed. 

2. How is the audit log different from Timeline in records?

The Timeline feature in Zoho CRM is specific to a record and only shows the actions that were made involving that record. The audit log captures the activities and actions performed on all records in the CRM in chronological order.

3. What type of actions are captured in the audit log?

The audit log lists every time records are created, edited, updated, deleted, and imported, along with other actions which depend on the module they were performed in and the feature used to make the change.

Based on module
  1. Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Deals, Tasks, Meetings, and Calls modules the audit log displays the following actions:
    1. Add, update, and delete records
    2. Mass update and mass delete
    3. Import and export records
    4. Convert leads
    5. Delete from Recycle Bin
    6. Rollback of imported records
    7. Restore deleted records
    8. Restore records in bulk
    9. Find and merge duplicates
    10. Remove duplicate records
    11. Map fields for lead conversion
  2. For the Campaigns, Solutions, Vendors, Quotes, Orders, and Invoices the audit log only displays the deleted records.
  3. For the Cases and Price Books audit log only displays the deleted, imported or exported records.
Based on feature
  1. The audit log records create, edit, and delete actions for:
    1. Email templates and folders
    2. Inventory templates and folders
    3. Mail merge templates and folders
    4. Auto response rules
    5. Auto response rule entries
    6. Workflow rules
    7. Workflow alerts
    8. Workflow tasks
    9. Workflow field updates
    10. Workflow follow-ups
    11. Webhooks
    12. Case escalation rules
    13. Case escalation rule entries
    14. Webforms (for the Leads, Contacts, and Cases modules)
    15. Business hours
    16. Roles, Profiles, and Groups
    17. Reports and Report folders
    18. Assignment rules
    19. Assignment rule entries
    20. Web tabs
  2. The audit log also records when a new user is added to the account or a user's details are edited.
  3. It also records when auto response rules, case escalation rules, and web forms are activated and deactivated, and by whom.
  4. Create and edit actions for field-dependency mapping are also included in the log.
  5. The audit log also displays records edited by the account's Super Admin.

4. Are bulk actions captured in the audit log?

Yes, the following bulk actions are captured in the audit log:
  1. Mass update
  2. Mass delete
  3. Import
  4. Export
  5. Restore records from the recycle bin

5. Will I be able to see a user's login history in the audit log?

The audit log doesn't capture users' login history. It only captures the actions performed by each user in chronological order. To view the login history of users you can go to Setup > Zoho Directory > Login History.

6. How can I see the changes made in workflows in audit log?

Any action performed in a workflow, including creating, editing, updating, deleting, or locking rules and adding actions to rules will be displayed in the audit log along with the details of who made the change, which workflow was changed, and the name of the rule.
To see what changes were made, click View changes next to the action you want to see more details for.

7. Can I filter the audit log based on the actions performed or a date range?

Yes, you can filter the entries in the audit log based on modules, user, actions (e.g. added, updated, or deleted), or a selected date range. 

8. Where can I see logs from more than 60 days ago?

Currently, it is not possible to view logs of actions made more than 60 days ago. Zoho CRM only captures users' actions, and the list of any actions logged prior to that is permanently deleted. We recommend you export your audit logs periodically so you'll always have a record of actions performed in your account.

9. Can I export the audit log and save it on my local computer?

Yes, audit logs can be exported as a .CSV file and saved on your personal device.
To export an audit log, follow these steps:
  1. Go to Setup > Data Administration > Audit log.
  2. Click Export on the right hand side.
  3. Click Download in the bottom-right corner once the log has been exported successfully.

10. Who can access the audit log?

Your audit log can be accessed by all users in your CRM account. The account admin can see the chronological history of activities and actions they have performed and performed by users reporting to them in the role hierarchy. By default, administrators can view the audit logs of all users in their organization.

11. Why can't I view other users' audit logs?

Users with the administrative profile can view the audit log for every user in their organization. Users with other profiles will only be able to view their own logs and their subordinates' logs.

12. Why can't I see my superior's audit log in my account?

Only the CRM account administrator can view everyone's entries in the audit log. Other users can only view their own and their subordinate's actions in the audit log.

We hope that this list of frequently asked questions about audit logs is informative. If you still have questions that haven't been addressed, please let us know here. We will be happy to discuss them with our subject matter experts and add them in the future. And please don't forget to share your rating below :)

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