What Is an Audit Trail?
Every document in ZiaSign is accompanied by a detailed Audit Trail — a chronological record of every action taken on the document from creation to completion. This trail provides the legal evidence that makes your e-signatures enforceable.
What Gets Recorded
Each audit trail entry includes:
| Data Point | Example |
|---|---|
| Action | Document created, sent, viewed, signed, completed |
| Timestamp | 2026-04-15T14:32:07Z (UTC, millisecond precision) |
| Actor | Name and email of the person who performed the action |
| IP Address | 203.0.113.42 |
| Device / Browser | Chrome 124 on macOS 15.3 |
| Authentication | Email link, access code, or email OTP verification |
| Location | Approximate geolocation from IP (country/region) |
Certificate of Completion
When all parties have signed, ZiaSign generates a Certificate of Completion that is appended to the final PDF. The certificate includes:
- A unique document ID
- The complete audit trail in human-readable format
- A cryptographic hash (SHA-256) of the signed document
- Signer details: name, email, signature image, IP address, and timestamp
Tamper Evidence
ZiaSign uses cryptographic hashing to ensure document integrity:
- When a document is uploaded, a SHA-256 hash is computed
- After each signature, a new hash is computed and chained to the previous
- The final document includes the complete hash chain
- Any modification to the document breaks the chain, proving tampering
Legal Framework
ZiaSign e-signatures are legally valid under:
- ESIGN Act (United States) — Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act
- UETA (United States) — Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (adopted by 49 states + DC)
- eIDAS (European Union) — Regulation on electronic identification and trust services
- IT Act (India) — Section 5 of the Information Technology Act, 2000
- ECA (Canada) — Electronic Commerce Act and provincial equivalents
Note: Certain document types (wills, family law, court orders) may be excluded from e-signature laws in some jurisdictions. Consult legal counsel for jurisdiction-specific requirements.
Downloading the Audit Trail
You can download the audit trail at any time:
- Open the document from your dashboard
- Click the Audit Trail tab
- Click Download to get a PDF with the complete trail
The audit trail is also embedded in the final signed document as the last page(s).
Frequently asked questions
Are ZiaSign e-signatures legally binding?
Yes. ZiaSign e-signatures comply with the U.S. ESIGN Act, UETA, and EU eIDAS regulation, making them legally binding in over 180 countries.
What information does the audit trail capture?
The audit trail records every action: document creation, sends, views, field completions, signature events, IP addresses, timestamps, browser/device info, and authentication methods.
Can the audit trail be used as evidence in court?
Yes. ZiaSign's audit trail provides a comprehensive, tamper-evident record that has been accepted as evidence in legal proceedings.
Related documentation
The Signing Experience
How signers review, fill, and sign documents — no account required, works on any device.
Security & Compliance
How ZiaSign protects your data: encryption, compliance certifications, infrastructure security, and privacy practices.
Sending Documents for Signature
Upload, prepare, and send documents to one or multiple signers with full control over the signing experience.