Every envelope in eSign maintains an immutable event log that records each step of the signing process. The audit trail captures who did what, when, and from where — providing a verifiable record of the entire envelope lifecycle.
Who This Is For
Staff who need to verify that a document was signed correctly, confirm signer identity details, or provide evidence of the signing process for compliance or legal purposes.
What Is Recorded
Each event in the audit trail captures:
- Event type — what happened (see the list below)
- Timestamp — when the event occurred (UTC)
- Signer ID or actor — which signer or staff member triggered the event
- IP address — the IP address of the signer or actor at the time of the event
- User agent — the browser and device information
Event Types
| Event | When it is recorded |
|---|---|
created |
Envelope is created |
sent |
Envelope is sent to signers |
viewed |
A signer opens their signing link |
signed |
A signer completes their portion |
declined |
A signer declines to sign |
completed |
All signers have signed |
voided |
The envelope is voided by a staff member |
expired |
The envelope's expiry date passes |
reminder_sent |
A reminder is sent to an outstanding signer |
Viewing the Audit Trail
- Open the envelope.
- Click the Audit tab.
- The full event log is displayed in chronological order.
Each row shows the event type, the timestamp, the actor (signer or staff), and the IP address and user agent captured at the time.
Using the Audit Trail as a Signature Certificate
The audit trail combined with the final flattened PDF constitutes the signature record for the envelope. For each signing event, the record shows:
- The signer's name and email (from the signer record)
- The timestamp at which they signed
- Their IP address and browser at the time of signing
- All preceding events (viewed, fields submitted)
When you need to provide evidence of signing — for a dispute, a compliance review, or record-keeping — export or screenshot the audit log alongside the final PDF.
Immutability
Audit events are written once and are not editable. Voiding an envelope does not remove prior events; the void event is appended to the existing log. This means the complete history — including any declined or abandoned attempts — is always preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can audit events be deleted? No. Audit events are immutable. Even if an envelope is voided or the process was abandoned partway through, all prior events remain in the log.
Is the IP address always available? IP address is captured from the signer's request at the time of the event. If a signer is behind a proxy or VPN, the IP address reflects the exit node, not their physical location.
How do I get the final signed PDF with a certificate? Generate the PDF from the completed envelope (see Tracking Status), then capture the audit trail from the Audit tab. Together these constitute the complete signature record.