Overview
The audit log is a single, global record of key actions taken across Octal HR, including payroll runs. For each event it captures who did what, when, from which IP address and browser (user agent), and — where relevant — the before and after values. This provides a clear chain of custody from payroll initiation to employee payment.
The audit log supports FBR compliance requirements, internal audit reviews, and employee salary dispute resolution. It is often the first resource HR teams check when an employee reports a discrepancy in their payslip.
What is logged
| Event | Logged? | Detail captured |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll initiated | Yes | Month, initiating user, timestamp, IP |
| Employee salary adjusted | Yes | Field changed, old value, new value, reason |
| Adjustment approved / rejected | Yes | Approver name, timestamp, comments |
| Payroll submitted for approval | Yes | Submitted by, level of approval required |
| Payroll approved | Yes | Each approver level, timestamp, IP |
| Payroll returned for revision | Yes | Returned by, reason/comments |
| Payroll finalised | Yes | Finalising user, timestamp |
| Payslip emailed | Yes | Employee, email address, delivery status |
| Bank file downloaded | Yes | User, bank, file format, timestamp |
| Journal exported | Yes | User, format (Excel/CSV/Octal Accounts), timestamp |
| Payroll run voided | Yes | Run ID, previous and new status |
| Payroll run deleted | Yes | Run ID, deleting user, timestamp |
Sample audit trail
A typical audit trail for an April 2026 payroll run:
2 May 2026, 09:14
Payroll initiated — Apr 2026 monthly run
by Ayesha Siddiqui (Payroll Admin) · 192.168.1.45
2 May 2026, 11:32
Salary adjusted — Ahmed Raza: Basic changed PKR 80,000 → PKR 85,000 (increment backdated Apr 1)
by Ayesha Siddiqui · Reason: Annual increment approved on 28 Apr
2 May 2026, 14:05
Payroll submitted for approval — Level 1 (HR Manager)
by Ayesha Siddiqui
3 May 2026, 10:18
Approved (Level 1) — HR Manager review passed
by Kamran Akhtar (HR Manager) · 103.244.12.8
3 May 2026, 15:44
Approved (Level 2) — CFO sign-off complete
by Nadia Farrukh (CFO) · 103.244.12.12
4 May 2026, 09:02
Payroll finalised — Apr 2026 payroll locked
by Ayesha Siddiqui
4 May 2026, 09:10
Bank file downloaded — HBL ACH format, 87 employees
by Ayesha Siddiqui
4 May 2026, 09:11
Payslips emailed — 87 / 87 delivered successfully
via system · Delivery confirmed
Accessing the audit log
1
Go to Admin → Audit. All logged events across the system appear in reverse-chronological order.
2
To focus on payroll, filter by the payroll module (see below). Click any entry to open its detail, including the recorded before/after values where captured.
Search and filter
Use the filter bar on the audit log page to narrow results:
- Module — e.g., show only payroll events
- Action — filter to a specific event type, such as approvals or exports
- User — filter by the person who performed the action
- Date range — view events between any two dates