User Action Log

The User Action Log feature gives more visibility to the actions that users of the classic M-Files Desktop do in a vault. It lets the additional event types listed in the table below to be included in the vault event log. To enable the feature, see Configuring the Vault Event Log.

Important remarks

  • To use this feature, the Electronic Signatures and Advanced Logging module must be active on the M-Files server.
  • Actions done in M-Files Web, the new M-Files Desktop, M-Files Mobile, or M-Files API based custom clients are not recorded.
  • Actions done in offline mode are not recorded.
  • Using this feature considerably increases the size of the vault log.

Event types with User Action Log

Event type Description
Collection Members dialog opened An event of this type is recorded when the Collection Members dialog is opened in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the dialog
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
Column inserted An event of this type is recorded when a column is added to a listing in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who performed the modification
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The column that was added
Column removed An event of this type is recorded when a column is removed from a listing in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who performed the modification
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The column that was removed
Column settings modified An event of this type is recorded when columns are added or removed in the Choose Columns dialog in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who performed the modification
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The columns that are visible to the user after the modification
Data exported An event of this type is recorded when data is exported from the vault.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who did the export operation
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The export settings and the number of exported objects
  • The name and ID of the exported objects
File opened An event of this type is recorded when a file is opened in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the file
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
File opened for document comparison An event of this type is recorded when a user compares document content in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who compared document content
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the compared document
Metadata card opened An event of this type is recorded when the metadata card is shown in the right pane or in a new window for an object.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the metadata card
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The property IDs, name, and ID of the object

The property IDs are shown only if you have enabled this behavior with the feature settings.
Object copied to clipboard An event of this type is recorded when an object is copied to the Windows clipboard in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who copied the object
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object

If multiple objects are copied, all items are separately logged.
Object dragged from M-Files An event of this type is recorded when an object is dragged and dropped from the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who exported the object
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object

If multiple objects are exported, all items are logged.
Object history opened An event of this type is recorded when the History dialog is opened in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the dialog
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
Object listing invoked An event of this type is recorded when a search is done in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who invoked the listing
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The search terms and search criteria
Object listing requested from server An event of this type is recorded when a search is done in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who requested the listing
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The search terms and search criteria

For M-Files to start recording events of this type, you must restart the vault after enabling the feature.
Object relationships opened An event of this type is recorded when the relationships of an object are browsed in the listing area of the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who browsed the relationships
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
Object or objects marked to be available offline An event of this type is recorded when the classic M-Files Desktop is used to mark an object to be available in the offline mode.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who marked the object to be available offline
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
Preview tab opened An event of this type is recorded when the preview tab is displayed for a document or a non-document object containing one or more files.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the preview pane
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the document (or, alternatively, the name of the file and the name and ID of the object containing the file)
Relationships dialog opened An event of this type is recorded when the Relationship dialog is opened in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the dialog
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
Search initiated An event of this type is recorded when a search is done in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who performed the search
  • The search terms
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The columns shown in the listing area
View or folder marked to be available offline An event of this type is recorded when the classic M-Files Desktop is used to mark a view or folder to be available in the offline mode.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who marked the view or grouping level to be available offline
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
View or folder opened An event of this type is recorded when a view or grouping level is opened in the classic M-Files Desktop.
The entry contains these details:
  • The name and ID of the user who opened the view or grouping level
  • The timestamp of the event
  • The name and ID of the object
  • The columns shown in the listing area