Audit Log Use Cases
1. Data Stewards – Monitoring Data Quality Changes
Use Case: A data steward reviews the audit log to confirm that all changes to customer records (e.g., name corrections, merges, or deduplication) were performed correctly.
Benefit: Ensures data quality initiatives are properly implemented and provides visibility into how data has been cleaned.
2. Compliance Officers – Regulatory Reporting
Use Case: A compliance officer exports the audit log to provide evidence of data handling practices during an external audit (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA).
Benefit: Demonstrates accountability and transparency, helping the organization stay compliant with data governance regulations.
3. IT Administrators – Investigating Issues or Errors
Use Case: An administrator uses the audit log to trace back unusual changes or deletions reported by business users.
Benefit: Provides a clear, time-stamped trail to quickly identify the root cause and user responsible for changes, speeding up issue resolution.
4. Business Analysts – Reviewing Data Transformation History
Use Case: A business analyst checks the audit log to understand how a dataset was transformed before running analytics or reporting.
Benefit: Improves confidence in insights by verifying that data hasn’t been incorrectly altered along the way.
5. Management – Oversight & Accountability
Use Case: Senior management reviews exported audit logs during quarterly governance meetings to confirm teams are following approved data management practices.
Benefit: Strengthens trust in data handling, reduces risk of misuse, and supports a culture of accountability across departments.