---
title: Activity log and audit requests
keywords: activity log, audit log, audit requests, audit trail, user activity, action log, admin log, activity tracking, user actions, request inspector, field changes, change history, database changes, compliance, security, accountability, administration, system log
summary: The Activity log records all user actions in Manor and lets administrators inspect the underlying audit requests down to individual tables and column-level changes. Covers accessing, filtering, and drilling into entries for accountability, troubleshooting, and compliance.
---

# Activity log and audit requests

## What is the activity log?

The **Activity log** is a complete, chronological record of user actions in Manor. Every time an authorized user creates, updates, or deletes records — such as saving a client, editing a project, adding a rate, or deleting a time entry — an **audit request** is recorded behind the scenes. The Activity log page is where you review those audit requests.

Each entry combines a human-readable summary of what happened with the detailed, record-level changes that were stored. This gives administrators a single place to answer *who did what, when, and with what values*.

## Why the activity log matters

Reviewing the Activity log helps you:

- **Track user actions** — See exactly what each user has done in the system.
- **Ensure accountability** — Know who created, edited, or deleted records.
- **Investigate discrepancies** — Trace when a value such as a rate, price, or project setting changed, and inspect its exact pre- and post-change values.
- **Maintain compliance** — Retain historic records of data modifications for statutory, corporate governance, and regulatory requirements.
- **Support troubleshooting** — Understand the sequence of events that led to a problem, before it affects billing, invoicing, or client reporting.
- **Monitor security** — Spot unusual activity patterns or access outside a user's typical scope of work.

## Accessing the activity log

1. Click **Administration** in the main navigation.
2. Select **Activity log**.

![Activity log page showing filters and the list of recorded actions](../screenshots/activity-log-page.png)

## The activity list

The list displays a chronological ledger of user actions with the following columns:

- **Date** — The date when the action took place (for example `21.09.2026`). The date is a link that opens the detailed audit request.
- **Time** — The exact time when the action occurred.
- **Project** — The project associated with the change, when applicable. The cell is empty for actions that are not tied to a project.
- **User** — The name of the user who performed the action.
- **Action** — A human-readable description of what was done (for example "Created a client", "Created a project", or "Saved an instance setting").

## Filtering and searching

Use the controls above the list to narrow down entries:

### Quick filter

Type keywords into the **Quick filter** box to filter by user name, action description, or project name.

### Filter by user

The **User** dropdown filters the list by the person who performed the action:

- **All users** (default) — Shows actions by everyone in the organization.
- A specific user — Isolates all modifications made by that individual during a review.

### Filter by entry date

The **Entry date** dropdown sets the timeframe to investigate. Options include:

- **Last 12 months** (default)
- Presets such as this/last month, **Last 3 months**, **Next 3 months**, and specific years
- Custom ranges by picking a **from** and **to** date

### Sorting and clearing filters

- Click a column header (**Date**, **Time**, **Project**, **User**, or **Action**) to toggle the sort order.
- Click **Clear filters** to reset all filters back to the default **Last 12 months** view.

![Activity log filtered by the keyword "Created"](../screenshots/activity-log-filtered.png)

## Viewing the details of an entry

Behind every line in the list is a detailed audit request. To inspect it:

1. Locate the entry you want to review.
2. Click the entry or its **Date** link.
3. The **Activity log entries** dialog opens.

![Activity log entries dialog listing the database operations for one action](../screenshots/activity-log-entries-modal.png)

### What the dialog shows

The dialog breaks the action down into its individual database operations:

- **ID** — The identifier of the affected record.
- **Table** — The kind of record that was changed (for example `clients`, `rates`, or `time_entries`).
- **Action** — The exact operation that was performed:
  - `create` — A new record was added.
  - `update` — An existing record was modified.
  - `delete` — A record was removed.

### Expanding column details

Click **Detail** next to an operation to reveal the individual field values that were recorded for that change:

- **Column** — The field that was set or altered.
- **Value** — The exact value stored for that field, including blank/`null` values and numbers. Longer values such as addresses are expanded into their individual parts.

![Expanded detail showing the column-level values recorded for a change](../screenshots/activity-log-entries-modal-detail.png)

This level of detail lets you verify exact numbers, confirm when a project setting changed, or check values when troubleshooting billing anomalies.

## Common audited activities

Actions captured in the Activity log include:

- **Rates and pricing** — Creating rates, changing prices or cost prices, and adjusting pricing periods.
- **Clients and projects** — Creating, editing, or archiving clients and projects.
- **Billing and invoices** — Creating invoice proposals, finalizing invoices, and recording payments.
- **Users and security** — Role assignments, permission changes, user creation, and deactivation.
- **Time and billables** — Logging, editing, or deleting time, expenses, products, travels, and per diems.
- **Settings** — Saving instance, firm, and other configuration settings.

## Best practices

- **Review regularly.** Periodically review the Activity log, especially after major restructuring, at the end of billing cycles, or following permission changes.
- **Use filters first.** When investigating a specific issue, narrow the list with the user and date filters before scrolling through entries.
- **Inspect the details.** When troubleshooting billing anomalies, expand the **Detail** view to examine the recorded field values rather than relying on the summary alone.
- **Document investigations.** Keep records of your reviews for compliance purposes.
- **Restrict access.** Limit access to Administration and the Activity log to authorized administrators through [Custom Roles](custom-roles.md).

## Limitations

The Activity log only shows actions that the system captures. Some technical actions may be recorded as internal identifiers rather than plain-language descriptions, and not every action is logged depending on system configuration. If you need deeper technical logs, contact your system administrator.

## Related articles

- [Administration](administration.md) — Overview of the Administration section and its features.
- [User Roles](user-roles.md) — Managing built-in system roles and permissions.
- [Custom Roles](custom-roles.md) — Creating customized roles and controlling access to the Activity log.
- [Users](users.md) — Managing user accounts and role assignments.