Audit trail
Encyclopedia
Audit trail is a sequence of steps supported by proof documenting the real processing of a transaction flow through an organization, a process or a system.
(Definition for an audit and/or IT environment).
An Audit log is a chronological sequence of audit records, each of which contains evidence directly pertaining to and resulting from the execution of a business process or system function.
Audit records typically result from activities such as transactions
or communication
s by individual people, systems, accounts or other entities.
Webopedia defines an audit trail as "a record showing who has accessed a computer system and what operations he or she has performed during a given period of time." (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/audit_trail.html)
In telecommunication
, the term means a record of both completed and attempted accesses and service, or data
forming a logical path linking a sequence
of events, used to trace the transactions that have affected the contents of a record.
In information
or communications security
, information audit
means a chronological record of system
activities to enable the reconstruction and examination of the sequence of events and/or changes in an event.
In nursing research
, it refers to the act of maintaining a running log or journal
of decisions relating to a research project, thus making clear the steps taken and changes made to the original protocol
.
In accounting, it refers to documentation
of detailed transactions supporting summary ledger
entries. This documentation may be on paper or electronic records.
In online proofing
, it pertains to the version history of a piece of artwork, design, photograph, video, or web design proof during the lifecycle of a project.
The process that creates audit trail should always run in a privileged mode, so it could access and supervise all actions from all users, and a normal user could not stop/change it. Furthermore, for the same reason, trail file or database table with a trail should not be accessible to normal users.
The software can operate with the closed-looped controls, or as a 'closed system
,' as required by many companies when using an Audit Trail system.
(Definition for an audit and/or IT environment).
An Audit log is a chronological sequence of audit records, each of which contains evidence directly pertaining to and resulting from the execution of a business process or system function.
Audit records typically result from activities such as transactions
Financial transaction
A financial transaction is an event or condition under the contract between a buyer and a seller to exchange an asset for payment. It involves a change in the status of the finances of two or more businesses or individuals.-History:...
or communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s by individual people, systems, accounts or other entities.
Webopedia defines an audit trail as "a record showing who has accessed a computer system and what operations he or she has performed during a given period of time." (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/audit_trail.html)
In telecommunication
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
, the term means a record of both completed and attempted accesses and service, or data
Data
The term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which...
forming a logical path linking a sequence
Sequence
In mathematics, a sequence is an ordered list of objects . Like a set, it contains members , and the number of terms is called the length of the sequence. Unlike a set, order matters, and exactly the same elements can appear multiple times at different positions in the sequence...
of events, used to trace the transactions that have affected the contents of a record.
In information
Information security
Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction....
or communications security
Communications security
Communications security is the discipline of preventing unauthorized interceptors from accessing telecommunications in an intelligible form, while still delivering content to the intended recipients. In the United States Department of Defense culture, it is often referred to by the abbreviation...
, information audit
Information audit
The Information Audit extends the concept of auditing holistically from a traditional scope of accounting and finance to the organisational information management system...
means a chronological record of system
System
System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....
activities to enable the reconstruction and examination of the sequence of events and/or changes in an event.
In nursing research
Nursing research
Nursing research is the term used to describe the evidence used to support nursing practice. Nursing, as an evidence based area of practice, has been developing since the time of Florence Nightingale to the present day, where many nurses now work as researchers based in universities as well as in...
, it refers to the act of maintaining a running log or journal
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
of decisions relating to a research project, thus making clear the steps taken and changes made to the original protocol
Guideline (medical)
A medical guideline is a document with the aim of guiding decisions and criteria regarding diagnosis, management, and treatment in specific areas of healthcare...
.
In accounting, it refers to documentation
Documentation
Documentation is a term used in several different ways. Generally, documentation refers to the process of providing evidence.Modules of Documentation are Helpful...
of detailed transactions supporting summary ledger
Ledger
A ledger is the principal book or computer file for recording and totaling monetary transactions by account, with debits and credits in separate columns and a beginning balance and ending balance for each account. The ledger is a permanent summary of all amounts entered in supporting journals which...
entries. This documentation may be on paper or electronic records.
In online proofing
Online proofing
Online proofing is the process undertaken by web designers, photographers, marketing agencies and video production companies, among others, to automate the review and approval of work online...
, it pertains to the version history of a piece of artwork, design, photograph, video, or web design proof during the lifecycle of a project.
The process that creates audit trail should always run in a privileged mode, so it could access and supervise all actions from all users, and a normal user could not stop/change it. Furthermore, for the same reason, trail file or database table with a trail should not be accessible to normal users.
The software can operate with the closed-looped controls, or as a 'closed system
Closed system
-In physics:In thermodynamics, a closed system can exchange energy , but not matter, with its surroundings.In contrast, an isolated system cannot exchange any of heat, work, or matter with the surroundings, while an open system can exchange all of heat, work and matter.For a simple system, with...
,' as required by many companies when using an Audit Trail system.