New Audit Trail (aka History)

[lubos]

@Patch

Another way would be to have context specific history ie the history shown is filtered depending on what screen the user is looking at when they request history.

I think this is great idea. Smaller History button could be on every screen as well which would show history relevant to that screen (and sub-screens if applicable).

For example, History for Settings tab would show changes to anything to do with Settings. History for Sales Invoices tab would show history for all sales invoices. History for specific invoice would show history relevant to that invoice only etc.

@Joe91

For example, can I create a customer, enter invoices and then in the History undo the Customer Create - the invoices are now posted to a suspense account but maybe it should not allow the Undo

Currently, the only constrain I have in Undo is that you can only undo last changes. For example, you can’t undo invoice update if it was updated at later time by someone else. You need to undo their change first. Sure I could add more constraints but then you would find system fighting with you more than you’d like. If you want to undo bunch of stuff, it shouldn’t matter in which order it is done. Or there could be Undo/Redo function.

@Joe91

Also,when I Undid the Customer Create - it not only deleted the customer, but the Create Customer entry was deleted as well - I think it should have been kept along with a record of the Undo/Delete

Maybe undone operations could just become “gray” and you can Redo them. That way it’s not lost.

@Davide

I think that undo in accounting should be used only as an extrema ratio and only after a backup like in batch update.

Actually, having history in the program, I no longer need these scary warnings to backup before any batch update. Batch update becomes “safe” operation because it can be easily undone. There is global Find & Recode and global Find & Merge I’m working on and especially Find & Merge has potential to change many records with a single click. Having ability to undo is important.

@sharpdrivetek

if you delete an attachment from the transaction and then undo the deletion, the attachment can no longer be opened even though the attachment shows at the bottom of the transaction.

I will fix this today.

@sharpdrivetek

suggestion to have an option to flush or batch delete the audit trail for administrators (sole users in the case of desktop edition). i have noticed that the audit trail feature adds to the size of the business file.

The database size should not grow that rapidly. Also storage is cheap. Not a concern but there will be ability to purge history.

@sharpdrivetek

the audit trail could show the type of transaction and also its reference as two columns so that users can search specifically whether a transaction was modified.

Yeah, but single history line can represent change to 1000 items when it comes to batch operations.

@Abeiku

Limited Users are not supposed to see history or the Audit Trail. Audit trail is for administrators and Auditors.

In Manager speak, only users having Full access to business can see history for the business. Users with Limited access can’t.

@Joe91

I would take away the Undo option altogether. If someone want to delete something they use the Edit transaction.

No, Undo is crucial as a foundation for more types of batch operations I’m planning to add. For example, Find & Merge on tracking codes. You merge two tracking codes into one which can affect thousands of transactions. Takes a few clicks to merge. Shouldn’t take more than a few clicks to unmerge too in case you made a mistake.