Step 18: Enable Audit Trail Functionality

You can use the Configure Asset/Template Change Settings screen to select specific actions to be performed by the system when you capture and store change data for fields/columns in the Asset Master and/or Asset Template records.

You must first decide if you want the system to capture change data at all and, if so, whether you want to capture change data for Asset Master records, Asset Template records, or both. The system can capture the asset/template record identifier, the name of each changed field, the old data from before the change, the new data after the change, information on the user who performed the change, and the date and time of the change.

In order for the system to capture change details, you must select the desired fields/columns in the Asset/Template Field/Column Names subtask of the Configure Asset/Template Change Settings screen BEFORE you make changes to Asset Master and/or Asset Template records.

Each check box that you select in the Asset/Template Field/Column Names subtask of the Configure Asset/Template Change Settings screen signifies that you want to capture data for that field for an Asset Master and/or Asset Template record each time you make a change to that data, regardless of the screen in which the change was made.

Note: The tables that store the change data have the potential to become very large, depending on how many fields you select and how many changes you make to Asset Master/Template records. As a result, the default status for ALL check boxes for ALL rows in the Asset/Template Field/Column Names subtask of the Configure Asset/Template Change Settings screen have all been initially set to clear.

To limit the size of the audit log tables, you will probably select specific check boxes rather than all check boxes. You should capture change data for the fields YOU consider most significant, such as depreciation method, current period depreciation expense amount, location, and so on. You may decide not to capture change data for more insignificant data changes, such as spelling corrections made to description fields, and so on.

Once the change details have been captured, use the View Asset Change History screen to view change data from the Asset Audit Log and the View Template Change History screen to view data from the Template Audit Log. Use the Print Change History screen to print change data reports from the Asset Audit Log or the Template Audit Log.

You can also use the Configure Asset/Template Change Settings screen to post transfer entries to the General Ledger. You can have the system generate transfers entries automatically when you make changes to the asset ("ownership") account, organization, and project fields AND/OR the Accumulated Depreciation Account Code fields in an Asset Master record. Note that when you have selected the option to generate transfer entries automatically, those entries have to be posted in the Post Fixed Assets Journal screen before closing the Fixed Assets period.

Provided that the applicable check boxes are selected on the Configure Asset/Template Change Settings screen, you can:

• Write change details to an audit log for the fields you have selected from Asset Master and/or Asset Template records; and
• Create G/L transfer entries for posting to the G/L.