An audit trail (also known as an audit log or certificate of completion) is a critical component of any compliant electronic signature platform. It provides a comprehensive, chronological record of all significant events and actions related to a document's lifecycle, particularly during the signing process. While DocuSigner's current prototype creates a conceptual signing certificate, this page explains what a full audit trail typically entails.

Why are Audit Trails Important?

• Legal Admissibility: A robust audit trail provides evidence of the signing process, which can be crucial in legal disputes to demonstrate the validity and integrity of an electronically signed document.
• Compliance: Many industry regulations and legal frameworks (like ESIGN, eIDAS) require or strongly recommend detailed audit trails for e-signatures.
• Non-Repudiation: Helps to prevent signers from denying their involvement in the signing process.
• Transparency: Offers a clear history of who did what and when, enhancing trust and accountability.

Typical Information in an Audit Trail

A comprehensive audit trail for an e-signature process often includes the following information for each significant event:

• Document ID: A unique identifier for the document.
• Event Type: The action performed (e.g., Document Created, Document Viewed, Email Sent, Signer Authenticated, Field Entered, Document Signed, Document Completed, Document Downloaded).
• Participant Information:
  • Name of the person who performed the action.
  • Email address of the participant.
  • Role (e.g., Sender, Signer 1, Recipient).
• Timestamp: The exact date and time (often in UTC) when the event occurred.
• IP Address: The IP address from which the action was performed (subject to privacy considerations and consent).
• Device Information: Details about the device used (e.g., browser type, operating system), as collected by DocuSigner's current conceptual certificate.
• Authentication Details: If any specific authentication methods were used (e.g., email verification, SMS OTP, knowledge-based authentication).
• Signature ID (Conceptual): A unique identifier for each signature instance, as shown in DocuSigner's conceptual certificate.
• Field Data (Optional & Securely Handled): In some cases, a record of what data was entered into specific fields might be logged, though this requires careful consideration of data privacy.

DocuSigner's Conceptual Approach

In the current DocuSigner prototype, the "Signing Certificate" appended to the PDF after finalization serves as a simplified, conceptual representation of an audit trail. It includes:

• Signer's Name, Email, Company, Phone.
• Authentication level (defaulted to "Email").
• A visual representation of the signature.
• A unique Signature ID.
• Device information (Browser type).
• Simulated timestamps for Sent, Viewed, and Signed events.
• A QR code linking to conceptual verification info.

A full-fledged e-signature platform would expand significantly on these details, providing a more granular and secure log, often as a separate, tamper-evident document or accessible via a secure portal.

Understanding the role of audit trails helps appreciate the security and compliance aspects built into robust e-signature solutions.