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Activity Logs

Admin

Activity logs record who did what and when in your Brother POS system. Every significant action -- logging in, creating a sale, editing a product, adjusting stock -- is captured in the activity log with a timestamp, the user who performed the action, and relevant details.

Activity logs page

Why Activity Logs Matter​

  • Accountability -- Know which user made a specific change.
  • Troubleshooting -- Trace the steps that led to an issue.
  • Security -- Detect unauthorized access or suspicious activity.
  • Training -- Review new employee actions to identify areas for coaching.
  • Compliance -- Demonstrate a record of actions for regulatory audits.

Accessing Activity Logs​

  1. Log in to the Admin Panel.
  2. Navigate to the Activity Logs from the admin panel.
  3. The activity log page loads with the most recent events at the top.

Understanding Log Entries​

Each log entry contains:

FieldDescription
TimeDate and time of the action (displayed in your store's local timezone).
UserName of the user who performed the action.
ActionWhat was done (e.g., "Create", "Update", "Delete", "Login").
ResourceThe type of record affected (e.g., "Product", "Sale", "User").
DescriptionAdditional context about the action.
SeverityThe severity level of the event.
ActionsView details for the log entry.

Example Entries​

2026-02-13 14:32:05  Jane Smith   Updated   Product #1042   "Changed price from $29.99 to $34.99"
2026-02-13 14:28:17  John Doe     Created   Sale #8847      "Sale completed, total $67.50"
2026-02-13 14:15:03  Jane Smith   Logged In                  "Login from POS terminal"
2026-02-13 13:58:41  Admin        Deleted   User #15        "Deactivated user: Mike Wilson"

Filtering Activity Logs​

Use the filter controls to find specific events:

By Action Type​

Filter by the type of action using the Action dropdown:

  • All Actions -- Show all log entries.
  • Create -- New records created.
  • Update -- Existing records modified.
  • Delete -- Records deleted or deactivated.
  • Login -- User login events.
  • Void -- Voided transactions.

By Severity​

Filter by severity level to focus on critical events or routine actions.

By Date Range​

  1. Set the Start Date and End Date.
  2. The log shows only events within that range.

Combining Filters​

Filters stack. For example, you can view all Create actions with a specific severity within a date range.

Exporting Activity Logs​

To export log data for external analysis or archival:

  1. Apply any desired filters.
  2. Click Export CSV.
  3. The filtered log entries download as a CSV file.
Regular exports

Export activity logs monthly and archive them. If you need to investigate an incident months later, having local copies ensures the data is available regardless of system retention settings.

Key Events to Monitor​

Security Events​

  • Failed Logins -- Multiple failed login attempts may indicate a brute-force attack or a user who needs a password reset.
  • After-Hours Logins -- Logins outside business hours may warrant investigation.
  • Permission Changes -- Track when user roles or permissions are modified.
  • Password Resets -- Monitor who is resetting passwords and for whom.

Financial Events​

  • Manual Discounts -- Track who is applying manual discounts and how often.
  • Void Transactions -- Monitor voided sales for patterns of abuse.
  • Cash Adjustments -- Cash drawer adjustments outside of normal operations.
  • Price Changes -- Unexpected price changes may indicate errors or unauthorized modifications.

Inventory Events​

  • Stock Adjustments -- Manual stock changes without a corresponding receiving or sale.
  • Product Deletions -- Products removed from the catalog.
  • Cost Changes -- Wholesale cost modifications that affect margin reporting.
Investigate anomalies

If you see patterns of unusual activity (e.g., frequent voids by the same cashier, stock adjustments at unusual hours), investigate promptly. The activity log is a detection tool, but it requires human review to be effective.

Activity Logs vs. Audit Trail​

Brother POS has two related but distinct tracking systems:

FeatureActivity LogAudit Trail
FocusUser actions and eventsField-level data changes
DetailWhat action was takenExactly what changed (old value to new value)
ScopeAll system eventsRecord modifications only
Use Case"Who logged in at 3am?""Who changed the price from $10 to $5?"

Use activity logs for event-level investigation and the audit trail for field-level change tracking.

Clearing Activity Logs​

Activity logs can be cleared when no longer needed:

  1. Click the Clear All button on the activity logs page.
  2. Confirm the action when prompted.
  3. All activity log entries are permanently deleted.
Export before clearing

Export your activity logs to CSV before clearing them. Once cleared, the data cannot be recovered. If your industry requires long-term retention (e.g., cannabis regulations may require 1-2 years of records), export logs regularly before clearing.

Best Practices​

  • Review daily -- Spend 5 minutes each morning reviewing the previous day's activity log. Look for anything unusual.
  • Use the Critical Events view -- Focus on high-severity events that require immediate attention.
  • Export monthly -- Download and archive activity logs monthly for long-term record keeping.
  • Investigate promptly -- When you spot something unusual, investigate the same day. Memories are fresh and evidence is available.
  • Correlate with other data -- Use activity logs alongside sales reports and cash drawer reports for a complete picture.
  • Limit access -- Only Admins should have access to activity logs. This prevents users from checking whether their actions are being monitored.

What's Next?​

  • Audit Trail -- View detailed field-level change history on records.
  • Time Tracking -- Monitor employee clock-in/clock-out events.
  • Product Issues -- Track flagged product quality and data issues.