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Audit Log Template for Product Planning
A structured template for specifying audit log features in SaaS products. Covers event taxonomy, log schema, retention policies, search and filtering,...
Updated 2026-03-05
Audit Log
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many events should the audit log capture per user action?+
One event per discrete action. A user updating three fields on a profile generates one `user.updated` event with three entries in the `changes` array. Do not generate one event per field. Aggregating changes into a single event makes the log readable and reduces storage volume. The [glossary entry on event-driven architecture](/glossary/prioritization) covers event granularity patterns.
Should we build our own audit log or use a third-party service?+
For products under 10,000 customers, build your own. The schema is specific to your domain, and third-party audit log services (WorkOS Audit Log, Pangea) add a per-event cost that scales poorly. At 10,000+ customers with compliance requirements, evaluate managed services to reduce operational burden. The build vs buy decision framework in the [Enterprise Feature Request Template](/templates/enterprise-feature-request-template) applies here.
How do we handle audit logs for multi-tenant architectures?+
Each log entry includes an `org_id` field. Queries are always scoped to a single organization. Cross-org queries are restricted to internal support agents and platform operators with elevated permissions. For physical isolation requirements (government, healthcare), consider per-tenant audit log partitions. See the [Multi-Tenant Design Template](/templates/multi-tenant-design-template) for tenancy isolation patterns.
What is the right retention period if we have no specific compliance requirements?+
90 days as the default, with 1 year available on paid plans. 90 days covers most incident investigation timelines. Customers on Enterprise plans who need longer retention for their own compliance should get 1-7 years with tiered storage to manage costs. ---
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