Document Activity Tracking and Audit Logs

Track every action taken on your documents with detailed activity logs and audit trails. This guide covers viewing activity history, understanding event types, exporting audit logs, the automatic Certificate of Completion, tracking recipient engagement, and using activity data for compliance.

Prerequisites

Account: Active BreezeDoc account
Plan: Available on all plans (Free, Pro, Agency)
Document: Sent or completed document with activity to track
Access: Document owner, editor, or viewer role

What is Activity Tracking?

Activity tracking records every interaction with your documents, creating a complete audit trail of who did what and when. This provides transparency, accountability, and compliance documentation. Key features:

Universal Availability – Activity tracking on all BreezeDoc plans (Free, Pro, Agency)
Real-Time Logging – Events recorded immediately as they occur
Complete Audit Trail – Every action timestamped with IP address and user agent
Recipient-Level Tracking – Monitor each recipient's engagement independently
Exportable Logs – Download activity history as PDF for records
Certificate of Completion – Automatically appended to completed documents
Compliance-Ready – Detailed logs suitable for legal and regulatory requirements

What Events Are Tracked

Document-Level Events

Document Created – When document is first created
Document Sent – When document is sent to recipients (with timestamp)
Document Completed – When all recipients have signed
Document Expired – When expiration deadline passes

Recipient Events

Email Sent – When notification email delivered to recipient
Document Opened – When recipient clicks link and opens document
Document Viewed – When recipient accesses signing page
Recipient Signed/Completed – When recipient finishes signing
Reminder Sent – When automatic reminder email sent (Pro/Agency)

Metadata Captured Per Event

Each event includes detailed context:

Timestamp – Exact date and time (down to the second)
Recipient Email – Who performed the action
IP Address – Network address of the user (anonymized in Certificate of Completion for GDPR compliance)
User Agent – Browser and device information
Event Type – Specific action taken (sent, opened, viewed, signed)

Viewing Activity Logs

Step-by-Step: View Document Activity

Log in to your BreezeDoc account.
Go to Documents and select the document.
Click the Activity tab or button (usually near document details).
View chronological list of all events:
- 📧 Email sent events
- 👁️ Document opened events
- ✓ Signature completed events
- 🔔 Reminder sent events
Each event shows:
- Event type and description
- Recipient name/email
- Timestamp
- IP address (if applicable)
Events are sorted chronologically (newest first or oldest first depending on view).

Activity Log Interface

The activity log typically displays:

Timeline View: Chronological list of events
Event Icons: Visual indicators for event types (📧, 👁️, ✓)
Recipient Grouping: Events grouped by recipient for multi-party documents
Detailed View: Click events to see full metadata (IP, user agent)
Export Button: Download activity log as PDF

Interpreting Event Timeline

Example Activity Log:

✓ 2024-01-15 14:32:15 - Recipient signed (john@example.com)
   IP: 192.168.1.100, Browser: Chrome/Mac

👁️ 2024-01-15 14:30:45 - Document viewed (john@example.com)
   IP: 192.168.1.100

📧 2024-01-15 09:15:00 - Email sent (john@example.com)

📧 2024-01-15 09:14:58 - Document sent to recipients

Interpretation: Document sent at 9:14 AM, recipient received email at 9:15 AM, opened document at 2:30 PM (5+ hours later), and signed at 2:32 PM (2 minutes after opening).

Tracking Recipient Engagement

Key Engagement Metrics

Email Delivery: Did recipient receive the email?
Open Rate: Did recipient open the document link?
Time to Open: How long between sent and opened?
Time to Sign: How long between opened and completed?
Completion Status: Has recipient finished signing?

Recipient Status Tracking

Monitor each recipient's progress:

Not Sent: Recipient hasn't received email yet (sequential signing, not their turn)
Sent: Email delivered but recipient hasn't opened document
Opened/Viewed: Recipient clicked link and accessed document
Completed: Recipient finished signing

Follow-Up Signals

Use activity data to decide when to follow up:

Not Opened After 24-48 Hours: Recipient may not have seen email (check spam, resend)
Opened But Not Signed: Recipient has questions or concerns (call to discuss)
No Activity After Reminder: Recipient may be uninterested (manual follow-up needed)
Multiple Opens Without Signing: Recipient may be reviewing or have technical issues

Exporting Activity Logs

Step-by-Step: Export Activity Log PDF

Open the document in BreezeDoc.
Go to Activity tab.
Look for Download Activity PDF or Export button.
Click the button to generate activity log PDF.
PDF downloads to your computer.
Filename typically: Document-Title-activity.pdf

Activity PDF Contents

The exported PDF includes:

Document Summary: Title, creation date, completion status
Recipient List: All recipients with their completion status
Event Timeline: Complete chronological list of all events
Event Details: Type, timestamp, recipient, anonymized IP address, user agent
Audit Trail Format: Professional table format suitable for legal/compliance use
Generation Timestamp: When the PDF was created

When to Export Activity Logs

Compliance Requirements: Maintain audit trails for 7-10 year retention
Legal Disputes: Provide proof of document execution timeline
Internal Records: Archive activity logs with completed documents
Client Requests: Share proof of delivery and signing with clients
Audit Preparation: Compile activity logs for regulatory audits

Certificate of Completion

What is the Certificate of Completion?

BreezeDoc automatically appends a professional Certificate of Completion to all completed documents, following industry standards established by DocuSign and other e-signature platforms. This certificate provides tamper-proof documentation of the signing process.

Key Features:

Automatic Inclusion: Certificate automatically appended as final page(s) when document is completed
Complete Activity Log: Shows all events from creation to completion with timestamps
Tamper Detection: Includes SHA-256 checksum to detect any modifications
Professional Branding: BreezeDoc branding appropriate to your plan tier
GDPR Compliant: IP addresses anonymized for privacy while maintaining audit trail
Available on All Plans: Certificate of Completion included on Free, Pro, and Agency plans

What's Included in the Certificate

The Certificate of Completion contains:

Document Title: Name of the completed document
Complete Event Timeline: Chronological list of all document events:
- Document created
- Document sent to recipients
- Recipient viewed document
- Recipient signed/completed
- Document fully completed
Event Timestamps: Exact date and time for each event (timezone-aware)
Recipient Information: Email and name of each recipient
Anonymized IP Addresses: Network location data (GDPR-compliant anonymization)
Browser Information: User agent strings showing device and browser used
SHA-256 Checksum: Cryptographic hash of the completed document for tamper detection
BreezeDoc Branding: Logo and branding based on your subscription tier

How to Access the Certificate

The Certificate of Completion is automatically included in completed documents:

Once all recipients have signed, BreezeDoc generates the completed PDF.
The certificate is automatically appended as the final page(s).
Download the completed document from your BreezeDoc dashboard.
Open the PDF and scroll to the last pages to view the certificate.
The certificate shows the complete signing timeline and verification data.

Note: The certificate is only added to completed documents. Documents still in progress do not include the certificate.

Certificate Verification and Tamper Detection

The SHA-256 checksum provides tamper-proof verification:

Checksum Generation: BreezeDoc calculates SHA-256 hash of the completed document
Tamper Detection: Any modification to the PDF after completion changes the checksum
Verification: Recipients can verify document integrity by recalculating the hash
Legal Value: Checksum provides cryptographic proof document hasn't been altered
Compliance: Meets audit and regulatory requirements for document integrity

Example Checksum:

SHA-256: a7ffc6f8bf1ed76651c14756a061d662f580ff4de43b49fa82d80a4b80f8434a

Certificate Branding by Plan

The certificate appearance varies by subscription tier:

Free Plan: Full BreezeDoc branding and logo
Pro Plan: Reduced BreezeDoc branding (smaller logo)
Agency Plan: Custom logo option with minimal BreezeDoc branding (white-label)

Code Reference: Certificate generation is in app/Models/Document.php:468-485 and template is in resources/views/documents/activity-pdf.blade.php.

Using Activity Logs for Compliance

Audit Trail Requirements

Activity logs satisfy common compliance requirements:

ESIGN Act (US): Demonstrates consent and identity verification
UETA (US): Provides electronic record of transaction
eIDAS (EU): Shows qualified electronic signature process
GDPR: Documents data processing activities and consent (with anonymized IPs)
SOX/HIPAA: Maintains audit trail for regulated documents

Legal and Evidentiary Value

Proof of Delivery: Timestamp when document was sent to recipient
Proof of Receipt: IP address and timestamp when recipient opened document
Proof of Signing: Exact time and device used for signature
Chain of Custody: Complete record from creation to completion
Non-Repudiation: Difficult for signers to deny involvement
Tamper Evidence: SHA-256 checksum proves document integrity

Activity Log Retention

BreezeDoc Storage: Activity logs stored indefinitely with documents in BreezeDoc
Certificate Included: Certificate of Completion embedded in completed PDFs
Export for Archiving: Download completed documents with embedded certificate
Regulatory Requirements: Some industries require 7-10 year retention
Best Practice: Download and archive completed documents with certificates for all important contracts

IP Address and Device Tracking

What IP Addresses Tell You

Geographic Location: Approximate location of signer (city/region)
Network Type: Corporate network, home internet, mobile data
Consistency Check: Same IP for open and sign suggests same session
Fraud Detection: Unusual IP addresses may indicate fraud

IP Address Anonymization for GDPR

BreezeDoc implements IP address anonymization to comply with GDPR privacy requirements while maintaining a useful audit trail:

Anonymization Methods:

IPv4 Anonymization: Last octet masked (e.g., 192.168.1.xxx instead of 192.168.1.100)
IPv6 Anonymization: Last 80 bits masked (e.g., 2001:db8:85a3:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx)
Display Only: Anonymization applied when displaying IPs in Certificate of Completion
Full Storage: Complete IP addresses still stored in database for legal/security purposes
Privacy Balance: Maintains general location data while protecting individual privacy

Example Anonymization:

Original IP:    192.168.1.100
Anonymized IP:  192.168.1.xxx

Original IPv6:  2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
Anonymized IPv6: 2001:db8:85a3:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx

GDPR Compliance:

Data Minimization: Only displays essential location information
Privacy by Design: Automatic anonymization in user-facing certificate
Legitimate Interest: Full IPs retained for security, fraud detection, and legal compliance
Audit Trail Preserved: Anonymization doesn't compromise audit trail functionality

Where Anonymization Applies:

Certificate of Completion: Embedded in completed documents (anonymized)
Dashboard Activity View: Activity logs in BreezeDoc interface (may show full IPs for document owner)
Exported Activity PDFs: Standalone activity exports (anonymized)
Database Storage: Backend records (full IPs retained for security)

Code Reference: IP anonymization is implemented in app/Models/DocumentEvent.php:74-101 via the anonymized_ip attribute accessor.

User Agent Information

User agent captures device and browser details:

Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.
Operating System: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
Device Type: Desktop, mobile, tablet
Browser Version: Specific version numbers

Example User Agent:

Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) Chrome/120.0.0.0

Interpretation: Chrome browser on macOS (Mac computer)

Privacy Considerations

Legitimate Purpose: IP tracking for security and audit purposes
Data Minimization: Only essential metadata collected
GDPR Anonymization: IPs anonymized in user-facing Certificate of Completion
Confidential Storage: Full IP addresses stored securely in BreezeDoc database
GDPR Compliance: IP tracking justified by legitimate interest (contract execution and fraud prevention)
Recipient Awareness: Terms of service disclose activity tracking

Troubleshooting

Issue: Activity log shows "Document sent" but recipient says they never received email

Fix: "Document sent" means BreezeDoc sent the email, not that recipient received it. Check recipient email address for typos. Ask recipient to check spam/junk folder – look for emails from breezedoc.com or noreply@breezedoc.com. Verify recipient's email server didn't block the email (check with IT if corporate email). Look for "Email bounced" event in activity log (indicates delivery failure). Resend document from BreezeDoc to retry email delivery.

Issue: Activity log shows no "Document opened" event but recipient claims they opened it

Fix: "Opened" event only triggers when recipient clicks the signing link. If recipient opened the email but didn't click the link, no event is logged. Ask recipient to click the blue "Sign Document" button in the email. Check if recipient clicked link but page didn't load (network issue, browser blocker). Look for "Viewed" event which may appear instead of "Opened". If recipient truly clicked link but no event, there may be tracking pixel/JavaScript blocking (corporate firewall, privacy extensions).

Issue: Want to see more detailed timestamp information

Fix: Activity log shows timestamps to the second. Hover over timestamps to see exact time in your timezone. Export activity PDF to get complete detailed log. Check document settings for timezone configuration – timestamps displayed in account timezone. For legal/compliance use, export activity PDF which includes full precision timestamps.

Issue: Activity log shows same IP address for all events – is this normal?

Fix: Yes, this is normal if recipient opened and signed in the same session from the same location. Consistent IP addresses indicate legitimate signing session. Different IP addresses between open and sign may indicate: 1) Recipient opened on mobile, signed on desktop, 2) Recipient changed networks (office to home), 3) Potential fraud (different person signed). For high-value contracts, verify with recipient if you see suspicious IP changes.

Issue: Certificate of Completion not appearing in completed document

Fix: Certificate is only added when document status is "Completed" (all recipients signed). Download the completed PDF from your dashboard – the certificate is the last page(s). If document is still "In Progress", certificate won't be included yet. Ensure all recipients have finished signing before expecting the certificate. The certificate is automatically generated when the last recipient completes signing.

Issue: Need to verify SHA-256 checksum for tamper detection

Fix: The SHA-256 checksum is displayed on the Certificate of Completion page in the completed PDF. To verify document integrity: 1) Note the checksum from the certificate, 2) Use a SHA-256 calculator tool to recalculate the hash of your PDF, 3) Compare the two hashes – they should match exactly. If hashes don't match, the document has been modified after completion. Most operating systems have built-in checksum tools (e.g., "certUtil -hashfile filename SHA256" on Windows, "shasum -a 256 filename" on Mac/Linux).

Issue: Want to hide or remove Certificate of Completion from documents

Fix: The Certificate of Completion is automatically included on all completed documents and cannot be disabled. This is a standard feature for legal compliance and audit trail purposes, similar to DocuSign's certificate. If you need a version without the certificate for presentation purposes, export the document before it's completed (while still in draft or in-progress status). However, for legal and compliance purposes, the version with the certificate should be the official record.

Issue: Need to share activity log with client but don't want to reveal IP addresses

Fix: BreezeDoc automatically anonymizes IP addresses in the Certificate of Completion embedded in completed documents (e.g., 192.168.1.xxx). This GDPR-compliant anonymization provides location context without revealing exact IPs. Simply share the completed document PDF – the certificate already has anonymized IPs. For additional privacy, you can summarize key events (sent, opened, signed dates) in a separate document without technical metadata.

Issue: Activity log shows "Reminder sent" but recipient says they didn't receive it

Fix: "Reminder sent" means BreezeDoc sent the email – recipient should check spam folder. Verify automatic reminders are enabled and configured correctly (Pro/Agency plan required). Check that recipient hasn't already signed (reminders stop after completion). Ensure 3 reminders haven't already been sent (maximum limit). If reminders consistently aren't received, recipient's email server may be blocking them – try manual resend or different contact method.

FAQ

Q: Is activity tracking available on the Free plan?

A: Yes! Activity tracking, audit logs, and the Certificate of Completion are available on all BreezeDoc plans including Free, Pro, and Agency.

Q: How long are activity logs stored?

A: Activity logs are stored indefinitely as long as the document exists in your BreezeDoc account. The Certificate of Completion is permanently embedded in completed PDFs.

Q: Can recipients see the activity log?

A: No, activity logs in the BreezeDoc dashboard are only visible to the document owner and team members with appropriate permissions. Recipients cannot see who else has opened or signed the document. However, the Certificate of Completion is included in the final completed PDF that all parties receive.

Q: Are IP addresses and device information accurate?

A: IP addresses are accurate but may show approximate location (not exact address). VPNs and proxies can mask true location. User agent strings are generally reliable but can be spoofed. Use activity data as one factor in verification, not sole evidence. IPs are anonymized in the Certificate of Completion for GDPR compliance.

Q: Can I delete or modify activity log entries?

A: No, activity logs are immutable for integrity and compliance purposes. Once an event is logged, it cannot be edited or deleted. This ensures the audit trail is tamper-proof. The SHA-256 checksum in the Certificate of Completion provides additional protection against document tampering.

Q: What happens to activity logs if I delete a document?

A: Activity logs are preserved with the document. If you permanently delete a document, activity logs are also deleted. Export or download completed documents (with embedded Certificate of Completion) before deleting important documents.

Q: What is the SHA-256 checksum and why is it important?

A: The SHA-256 checksum is a cryptographic hash that acts as a digital fingerprint of your completed document. Any modification to the PDF (even a single character) will produce a completely different checksum, making tampering immediately detectable. This provides legal proof that the document hasn't been altered since completion.

Q: How does IP anonymization work and why is it necessary?

A: BreezeDoc anonymizes IP addresses in the Certificate of Completion to comply with GDPR privacy requirements. For IPv4, the last octet is masked (192.168.1.xxx), and for IPv6, the last 80 bits are masked. This preserves general location information for the audit trail while protecting individual privacy. Full IP addresses are still retained in BreezeDoc's database for security and legal purposes.

Q: Can I disable the Certificate of Completion?

A: No, the Certificate of Completion is automatically included on all completed documents and cannot be disabled. This is a standard feature for legal compliance, audit trails, and non-repudiation, following industry best practices established by e-signature platforms like DocuSign.

Need more help? Contact our support team – we are here to help!