> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.puddin.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using Audit Logs in Puddin Admissions for Compliance

> Access, filter, and export a complete record of every system action taken in your Puddin account — with timestamps and full user attribution.

The audit log is a tamper-evident record of every action taken in your Puddin Admissions account. Every time an invitation is sent, a decision is recorded, a setting is changed, or a reviewer is assigned, Puddin writes an entry to the audit log with a timestamp and the name of the user who performed the action. This gives you a complete, traceable history of what happened in your account and who did it — supporting compliance requirements, internal governance, and dispute resolution.

## What the audit log records

The audit log captures all system actions, including:

| Action category          | Examples                                                                                |
| ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Applicant management** | Applicant added, applicant deleted, applicant status changed, applicant record exported |
| **Invitations**          | Invitation sent, invitation resent, bulk invitation dispatched                          |
| **Review activity**      | Submission viewed, reviewer assigned, review note added                                 |
| **Decisions**            | Decision recorded, decision amended                                                     |
| **Settings changes**     | Email template edited, decision option added, data retention period changed             |
| **User management**      | Administrator account created, user role changed, user removed                          |
| **Cycle management**     | Cycle created, cycle settings updated, cycle archived                                   |
| **Exports**              | Data export downloaded, audit log exported                                              |

## Accessing the audit log

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to the Admin area">
    Click **Admin** in the main navigation, then select **Audit Logs**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a cycle or view all">
    By default, the audit log shows all actions across your institution's Puddin account. Use the **Cycle** dropdown to filter to activity within a specific admissions cycle.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Browse or search the log">
    The log is displayed in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Each entry shows the timestamp, user, action type, and a description of what changed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Filtering the audit log

Use the filters above the log to find specific entries quickly:

* **Date range** — show only entries within a specific period (e.g., the last 30 days, or between two calendar dates)
* **User** — show only actions performed by a specific user
* **Action type** — filter by category (e.g., show only invitation actions or only decision actions)
* **Applicant** — show all log entries relating to a specific applicant (useful for tracing the complete history of an individual case)

Combine multiple filters to narrow results precisely. Click **Reset Filters** to return to the full log.

## Exporting audit log data

To export the audit log for compliance reporting or external storage:

1. Apply any filters you need to scope the export.
2. Click **Export Audit Log**.
3. Choose **CSV** for structured data or **PDF** for a formatted report.
4. Click **Download**. The export is attributed to your account in the audit log itself.

<Note>
  The act of exporting the audit log is itself recorded as an entry in the audit log, including who downloaded the export and when.
</Note>

## Log retention

Audit log entries are retained for **7 years** by default. Your institution can adjust the retention period within the limits set by Puddin's data retention policy — contact Puddin support to discuss custom retention requirements.

<Warning>
  Reducing your institution's log retention period is irreversible for logs that fall outside the new window. Entries older than the configured retention period are permanently deleted. Review your data retention obligations before making any changes.
</Warning>

## Using audit logs for compliance reporting

The audit log provides the evidence base for demonstrating how your institution has handled applicant data and admissions decisions. When preparing a compliance report:

1. Export the audit log for the relevant date range.
2. Filter by **Action type** to isolate the categories relevant to your report (e.g., decision actions for an appeals process, or settings changes for a data governance review).
3. If you need to demonstrate actions taken by a specific user, filter by that user before exporting.

<Info>
  For GDPR Subject Access Requests relating to an applicant, use the **Applicant** filter to extract all log entries relating to that individual. This provides a complete record of how their data was accessed and used within Puddin.
</Info>