Premier Analytics has been receiving inquiries from auditors and finance professionals who use Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and want to know more about the platform’s audit capabilities. Auditing is a critical aspect of managing any business, as it helps prevent data errors and unwanted changes, from incorrect customer information to erroneous ledger postings. In this blog post, we will provide a breakdown of auditing in the context of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and how to go about it.
Auditing allows us to answer crucial questions:
Who: The user responsible for the change.
What: The specific data field or record altered.
When: The exact date and time of the modification.
Old Value: The original data before the change.
New Value: The updated data after the change.
There are currently three ways to monitor any changes made in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. These are Change Logs, Field Monitoring, and Data audit systems field. Together, they offer comprehensive visibility and accountability in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
About the Change Log
The change log lets you track all direct modifications a user makes to data in the database. You specify each table and field that you want the system to log, and then you activate the change log. The change log is based on changes that are made to data in the tables that you track. On the Change Log Entries page, entries are chronologically ordered and show all changes that are made to the values in fields on the tables you specify.
Tracking changes can impact performance, which can cost you time, and increase the size of your database, which might cost you money. To reduce those costs, keep the following in mind:
Use caution when choosing the tables and operations. Do not add ledger entries and posted documents. Instead, prioritize system fields such as Created By and Created Date.
Do not use the All Fields tracking type. Instead, choose Some Fields and track only the most important fields.
Also for performance reasons, the change log is turned off during the process of upgrading Business Central to the next version. In addition to speeding up the upgrade process, this also helps reduce clutter in the change log. As soon as the upgrade is complete, the log starts tracking changes again.
Field Monitoring
Field Monitoring in Business Central allows you to track changes to important fields or what an organization might consider high-risk fields when someone modifies their values. Whether it’s preventing unauthorized alterations or ensuring data integrity, Field Monitoring provides transparency and accountability. Imagine wanting to know if someone changes your company’s IBAN number—Field Monitoring has you covered.
Data Audit Systems
Data Audit System Fields are automatically included in every table object within Business Central. These fields serve as essential components for auditing records, tracking modifications, and maintaining data lineage. Let’s break down the key components:
System Id Field
The SystemId field provides a unique, immutable identifier for records in a table.
Characteristics
All records must have a value in the SystemId field.
You can assign your own value during record insertion, or the platform generates one automatically. Once set, the SystemId remains unchanged.
A unique secondary key ensures no duplicate SystemId values.
Developers can code against the SystemId field for various operations.
Data Audit Fields
Every table in Business Central includes the following four system fields, which can be used for auditing records. These cannot be modified by a user at any permission level. Note that posted records cannot be modified.
SystemCreatedAt: Specifies the date and time the record was created.
SystemCreatedBy: Stores the security ID (SID) of the user who created the record.
SystemLastModifiedOn: Records the date and time of the last modification.
SystemLastModifiedBy: Holds the SID of the user who last modified the record.
Benefits of Comprehensive Audit Systems in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Enhanced Data Security and Integrity: Comprehensive audit systems track all user activity within Business Central, providing a detailed record of who accessed what data, when, and from where.
Improved Regulatory Compliance: Many industries have strict regulations regarding data privacy and financial reporting. Comprehensive audit systems in Business Central can help organizations comply with these regulations by providing auditable trails and reports that demonstrate adherence to control procedures.
Streamlined Fraud Detection and Prevention: Unusual user activity or data modification that may indicate fraud is easily detected with a comprehensive audit trail.
Optimized Business Processes: Audit data can be used to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in business processes.
Increased Accountability and Transparency: Comprehensive audit systems promote accountability by clearly showing who is responsible for specific actions within Business Central.
Simplified Root Cause Analysis: When errors or issues occur, audit logs can be used to quickly identify the root cause.
Best Practices for Audit Optimization
Strategic Filtering: Fine-tune audit settings to focus on critical data elements and events, minimizing the volume of audit logs generated without compromising visibility.
Scheduled Maintenance: Regularly review and archive audit logs to prevent database bloat and optimize system performance. Implement automated processes to streamline maintenance tasks and ensure continuous compliance.
Performance Monitoring: Monitor system performance metrics to identify potential bottlenecks or resource constraints related to audit operations. Proactively address issues to maintain optimal performance levels and user experience.
Set up A Comprehensive Audit Trail Today
Despite the detailed overview we have provided above, tracing an audit trail in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central can be quite challenging. However, we at Premier Analytics are available to assist you. With our extensive experience in setting up comprehensive audits in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central for our clients in Kenya and around the world, we know exactly what you need, and we are here to help. Schedule a free consultation with us today to establish a complete audit trail in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
