The Audit a file report provides the various actions that any user has performed on a specific file over a specified period. You can only run an Audit a file report for files you are the owner of. The report results are exported as a comma-separated values (CSV) file.
Locate the file to audit
Before you can audit a file, you must establish its location within your account:
- Use the Syncplicity online file browser to locate the file. Note the root Syncplicity folder and the full path from it to the file.
- If the file is synced to one of your desktop clients, you can use the native desktop file browser (for example, Explorer on Windows or Finder on a Mac) to locate the file. Note the root Syncplicity folder and the full path from it to the file.
Create an Audit a file report
- Start typing part of the root folder name in the Syncplicity Folder Name input field. The autocomplete feature assists to locate the Syncplicity folder. Click the x icon to remove the selected user. You cannot select the Syncplicity default folders such as Desktop or Pictures.
- Enter or paste the exact path and file name (without the root folder, but including the file extension) of the file you want to audit into the File Path and File Name input field. Use slashes to separate folders, sub-folders and the file name. For example,
folder1/folder2/filename.ext. - If the file is directly within a root folder (not located in a folder or sub-folder under it), enter just the file name and its extension. For example,
filename.ext. - Enter the date range. The default date range for the report is one month back from today. You can change range each time you run the report.
- The start of the date range cannot be earlier than January 1, 2011.
- The end of the date range cannot be later than today's date.
- The maximum range between start and end dates cannot exceed 365 days.
Report CSV file column and row descriptions
In the CSV output file for the report, each row provides information on an action performed at a point in time on the specified file, during the period defined by the date range selected when the report was run.
|
CSV file columns |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Syncplicity Folder: Name |
The Syncplicity root folder name. This is sometimes referred to as a syncpoint or a Syncplicity top-level folder within the your Syncplicity online file browser view. |
|
Syncplicity Folder: GUID |
A globally unique identifier (GUID) for the Syncplicity folder. |
|
Syncplicity Folder: Owner |
The full name of the Syncplicity user who is the owner of the Syncplicity folder. |
| Syncplicity Folder: Email | The email address of the Syncplicity user who is the owner of the Syncplicity folder. |
| Syncplicity Folder: Owner Group | The name of the Syncplicity group (if any) the owner of the folder is part of. |
|
Folder: Path |
If the action performed by the user was related to a folder or file contained within a Syncplicity folder (rather than the root folder itself), then this column contains the file path below the root folder, excluding the file name. |
| Folder: Name | Folder name. For this report this field will always be blank. |
|
File: Name |
The file name, including any extensions, at the time this action was taken. |
|
Action: Type |
The type of action performed by the user. Refer to the auditable user actions section below for a list of the user actions that are reflected in the audit a user report. |
|
Shared Link: Type |
The type of shared link: "Public", "Login required", "Password required", or "Login and password required". |
|
Shared Link: Outcome |
The outcome of the "File shared link accessed" action: "Download initiated", "Login failed", or "Password incorrect". |
|
Action: Date and Time: UTC |
The date and time when the action was performed in UTC time. The date and time values are formatted in the international date and time format: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss |
|
Action: Date and Time: UTC<+/-HH:mm> |
The date and time when the action was performed in the time zone based on the locale of the administrator's browser session when the report was initiated. The time zone's positive or negative offset (in hours and minutes) from UTC time is included in the column name. The date and time values are formatted in the international date and time format: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss |
|
Action By: User Name |
The full name of the Syncplicity user who performed the action listed in the "Action: Type" column. Since this audit a user report pertains to actions performed by a specific user, this column contains the same user name throughout. |
|
Action By: Email |
The email address of the Audit a folderSyncplicity user who performed the action listed in the "Action: Type" column. Since this audit a user report pertains to actions performed by a specific user, this column contains the same email address throughout. |
|
Action By: Device Name |
The name of the device from which the Syncplicity user performed the action listed in the "Action: Type" column. |
|
Action By: IP Address |
The IP address of the device from which the Syncplicity user performed the action listed in the "Action: Type" column. |
| On Behalf Of: User Name | The user name of the impersonated user. |
| On Behalf Of: Email | The email address of the impersonated user. |
|
Folder Shared/Unshared: Group Name |
If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing of a Syncplicity folder with a Syncplicity group, then this column contains the name of the group. |
|
Folder Shared/Unshared: User Name |
If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing, unsharing or changing of sharing permission of a Syncplicity folder with a Syncplicity user, then this column contains the full name of the user. |
|
Folder Shared/Unshared: Email |
If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing, unsharing or changing of sharing permission of a Syncplicity folder with a Syncplicity user, then this column contains the email address of the user. |
| Folder Shared/Unshared: Permissions | If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing, unsharing or changing of sharing permission of a Syncplicity folder with a Syncplicity user, then this column contains the permissions given to the user. |
| Folder Shared/Unshared: ExpireDateUtc | If the action performed by the user was related to sharing, unsharing or changing of sharing permission of a Syncplicity folder with a Syncplicity user, then this column contains the expiration date of the folder in UTC time. |
|
Shared Link: Group Name |
If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing of file link with a Syncplicity group ("Shared link created" action), then this column contains the name of the group. |
|
Shared Link: User Name |
If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing of a file link with a Syncplicity user ("Shared link created" action), then this column contains the full name of the user. |
|
Shared Link: Email |
If the action performed by the user was related to the sharing of a file link with a Syncplicity user ("Shared link created" action), then this column contains the email address of the user. |
| Tags | If the action performed by the user was related to the addition or removal of tags on a file or folder (where user is editor/owner), then this column contains the tag(s) that were added or removed. |
| Lock: Owner Name |
If the action performed by the lock owner was related to the lock, the full name of the user. |
| Lock: Owner Email | Email address of the lock owner. |
| Lock: Duration |
Lock duration time is based on the following examples:
|
| Lock: Expiration Date and Time: UTC | Date and time in UTC time when the file lock will expire. The date and time values are formatted in the international date and time format: yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss. |
Auditable user actions
The table below provides a list of the user actions that are reflected in the audit reports.
|
Action Type |
Reports |
Action Description |
|---|---|---|
|
File shared link created |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user generates a shared link (URL) to a file within the Syncplicity account. The type of shared link security selected is recorded: Public, Password required, Login required, Login and password required. |
|
File shared link accessed |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user accesses a shared link (URL) to a file within the Syncplicity account. The access outcome is recorded: Download initiated, Password incorrect, Login failed. |
|
File shared link deactivated |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user deactivates a shared link to a file. |
|
File created |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user creates a file in one of the folders that their desktop client is syncing to the Syncplicity account, or a user uploads a file to Syncplicity via their mobile client, or a user uploads a file via their Syncplicity online file browser. |
|
File updated |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user updates, or uploads a new version, of a file that is already being synced via Syncplicity using their Syncplicity desktop, mobile or web interface. |
|
File deleted |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user deletes a file that is already being synced using the Syncplicity desktop, mobile or web interface. |
|
File restored |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user restores a file, via the Syncplicity online file browser, that the user had previously deleted. |
|
File recreated |
Audit a user, Audit a folder, Audit a file |
A user moves a file out of a folder on the desktop that is being synced (causing a file deleted event within Syncplicity) and then moves or copies the unchanged file back to the original folder (causing a file recreated event). |
| File tag added | Audit a folder, Audit a file | A user adds a tag on a file or folder. |
| File tag removed | Audit a folder, Audit a file | A user removes a tag on a file or folder. |