If you’ve ever operated a fax machine, you might also be guilty of using the term ‘paper trail’ to refer to a documented trail of evidence in your business. Yet, even with the rapid shift to digitisation and cloud storage, businesses still need to document the sequence of core events – possibly even more so!
In data analytics, a record of the who, what, when and where of any database changes is vital for compliance and security. And businesses can manage these essential internal controls with audit trails – monitoring changelogs and maintaining accurate historical data.
But first, what are audit trails?
Audit trails provide a record of what happened and when in a business. And is the proof needed to show operational and compliance integrity. With audit trails in place, it’s easier to spot areas of non-compliance, as key information is highlighted for anyone performing an audit.
In data analytics, an audit trail is a list of actions or changes made within a software application. The actions are recorded and saved to a file (sometimes called a log) or a database. Since the audit trail monitors all changes in the application, it is a useful reference for troubleshooting the cause of an outage, for instance, repairing bugs or improving the customer experience.
The most effective audit trails have the buy-in of not only the c-suite, but also the IT team and the relevant departments. With everyone on the same page, it becomes quicker and easier to spot, respond and resolve any unusual changes. This reduces the risk of data corruption or potential security breaches.
To keep a close eye on app changes in Qlik Sense, you can set up an audit trail with Vizlib Server’s writeback capability. Get started with these simple steps.
8 steps to set up a writeback audit trail
1. Log into the Vizlib Management Console (VMC).
2. Go to the Writeback Settings menu and click Destinations and Security.
3. Find the writeback destination you want to track and tick the Audit Trail checkbox.
- This will enable an audit trail function, which means if you connect to the destination, every writeback operation you perform will be recorded.
4. Click on Save Changes, then Restart.
5. When you start making writeback changes to the destination, you can continue to work as you did before the audit trail was enabled, editing your data set and saving the changes.
6. When you want to check the Audit Trail, open the VMC and Click on Writeback Audit in the Writeback Settings menu.
7. Use the Filter fields at the top of the panel to search the audit trail. You can search for specific text, a destination, and set start and end dates.
8. Click on a row to open the popup showing the changes. Updated values are shaded green, with the previous saved values shaded light red. If a character hasn’t been updated, the shading will be much lighter. Deleted rows are shaded entirely in red.
Important technical notes
⚡ VMC functions like Audit Trail are only available to Enterprise level users.
⚡ While all changes to Vizlib Writeback Table are stored, the audit trail will only display a maximum of 15 changes for a specific destination.
Further recommended reading
Take a look at these additional resources to fast-track your Vizlib writeback enablement:
- An overview of Vizlib Writeback Table
- Detailed info on VMC Writeback Settings and Writeback Audit
? Stay on top of all app changes with a 360-degree view of your changelog.
