What is an audit trail?
An audit trail is a chronological, tamper-evident record of who did what and when to a document or system - a log you can rely on later to prove exactly what happened.
An audit trail answers 'who, what, when' after the fact. Every meaningful action - a document opened, a page viewed, a file signed, access granted or revoked - is recorded with the actor's identity and a timestamp, in order, so the sequence of events can be reconstructed and trusted. The value is not in reading it day to day; it is in being able to prove what happened if a dispute arises.
For an audit trail to be worth anything, it has to be complete and hard to alter. If records can be edited or deleted without trace, the log proves nothing. Good audit trails are append-only and, for signatures, cryptographically bound to the exact file, so any later change is detectable.
Audit trails matter most in exactly the moments that carry legal or financial weight: confidential disclosures during a deal, signed contracts, and regulated processes where you may be asked to show you handled information correctly.
In 99 Data Rooms
How it works here.
In 99 Data Rooms two audit trails run automatically. Every shared link carries a page-by-page view log - who opened it, which pages, for how long - retained for 24 months. Every e-signature produces an audit certificate recording the signer's IP, intent-to-sign consent, timestamps and a SHA-256 fingerprint of the signed file, so the signed version is tamper-evident.
Common questions
Audit trail, in short.
What is the difference between an audit trail and an audit log?
The terms are used interchangeably. Both mean a chronological record of actions with actor and timestamp. 'Audit trail' tends to emphasise the ability to reconstruct a sequence of events end to end.
How long does 99 Data Rooms keep the view audit trail?
Page-by-page view history is retained for 24 months. Signature audit certificates travel with the signed document itself.
Related terms
What is viewer analytics (document tracking)?
Viewer analytics is page-by-page tracking of a shared document: who opened it, when, how far they read and how long they spent, so you can see genuine engagement rather than guess at it.
DefinitionWhat is an electronic signature?
An electronic signature is a way to sign a document online instead of on paper, and a strong one comes with an audit trail proving who signed, when and with intent.
DefinitionWhat is due diligence?
Due diligence is the structured investigation a buyer, investor or lender runs before a deal, checking a company's finances, contracts, legal standing and risks against what has been claimed.
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