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

# Audit Trail

> Full operation history on every document — who did what, when, and how — for compliance and internal auditing.

Every operation on a document is automatically logged with who performed it, when, and how. The audit trail is visible in the dashboard's Document Editor and persists for the lifetime of the document.

***

## What Gets Logged

| Event        | Description                                    |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------- |
| `uploaded`   | Document uploaded to the dashboard             |
| `generated`  | PDF rendered via API (`POST /v1/render/:slug`) |
| `redacted`   | Sensitive content redacted                     |
| `merged`     | Multiple PDFs combined                         |
| `certified`  | Digital signature applied                      |
| `downloaded` | Document downloaded from the dashboard         |
| `deleted`    | Document removed                               |

***

## Who Gets Logged

* **Dashboard users**: The user's email address (from Clerk authentication)
* **API key users**: The API key name (e.g., "Production Key") — not the key itself

This distinction makes it easy to trace actions to specific users or integrations.

***

## Viewing the Audit Trail

Open any document in the **Document Editor** and expand the **History** panel. Events are shown in reverse chronological order with:

* Event type (with icon)
* Actor (user email or "API - Key Name")
* Timestamp

***

## Durability

Audit events are tied to the document record and survive:

* Document re-renders
* Metadata updates
* Status changes (draft → sent → paid)

Events are only removed when the document itself is permanently deleted (after the [retention period](/concepts/documents#retention) expires).

***

## Use Cases

* **HIPAA compliance**: Demonstrate who accessed or modified patient documents
* **Legal discovery**: Prove chain of custody for certified documents
* **Internal audit**: Track which API key or team member generated specific documents
* **Incident response**: Identify when and how a document was modified