System Logs
Screenshot of the System Logs page with activity timeline
What Is This Page?
The System Logs page shows all operational activity in the Admin Portal. Track admin actions, API calls, authentication attempts, errors, and system events for troubleshooting and security auditing.
When to Use This Page
- Investigate errors — Find out what went wrong when something fails
- Monitor API activity — Review API calls and integrations
- Audit security — Check admin actions and login attempts
- Debug issues — Search logs to understand system behavior
- Verify changes — Confirm when actions were performed
- Compliance — Keep records of platform activity
What You Can Do Here
1. View System Logs
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Time | When the action occurred (sorted newest first by default) |
| Level | Log severity: Error, Warning, Info, Debug |
| Action | What happened (e.g., “create_license”, “update_product”) |
| Resource | What was affected (e.g., “License”, “Product”, “Admin”) |
| User | Who performed the action or system component |
| IP Address | Source IP of the request (for security tracking) |
| Details | Additional context or error message |
2. Search & Filter
- Search: By action name, message content, IP address, resource type
- Level Filter: All Levels, Error, Warning, Info, Debug
- Per Page: Display 10, 20, 50, or 100 logs per page
3. Sort Logs
Click the Sort button (⊕) to customize sort order:
- Sort By: Time, Level, Action, Resource, User, or IP Address
- Order: Ascending (oldest first) or Descending (newest first)
4. Common Log Actions
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| create_* | New resource created (e.g., create_license, create_product) |
| update_* | Existing resource modified |
| delete_* | Resource deleted or disabled |
| activate_license | License activated for use |
| deactivate_license | License disabled |
| login | Admin logged in |
| logout | Admin logged out |
| export_* | Data exported to file |
| import_* | Data imported from file |
| api_call | External API request |
| webhook_sent | Webhook delivery triggered |
| job_queued | Background job started |
| job_completed | Background job finished |
| job_failed | Background job errored |
5. Understand Log Levels
Error (Red)
- System failures or critical issues
- Action failed or could not complete
- Requires investigation
- Example: “Failed to activate license - invalid HWID”
Warning (Orange)
- Unusual but handled situations
- No immediate failure but worth monitoring
- Example: “Rate limit approached for API key”
Info (Blue)
- Normal operational activities
- Successful actions and state changes
- Example: “License created successfully”
Debug (Gray)
- Detailed technical information
- Used for development troubleshooting
- Only visible if debug logging enabled
Common Workflows
Workflow 1: Find Failed License Activation
Steps:
- Go to System Logs
- Click Sort button
- Select Sort By: “Action”
- Filter Level: “Error”
- Search for “activate” in search box
- Review “Details” column for error message
- Check “Time” to see when it happened
- Check “IP Address” to verify request source
Example findings:
- “Invalid HWID format” → Customer device has compatibility issue
- “Rate limit exceeded” → Customer hit activation limit, need to deactivate old device first
- “License expired” → License key is no longer valid
Workflow 2: Investigate Suspicious Admin Activity
Steps:
- Go to System Logs
- Filter Level: “Info” (normal actions leave info logs)
- Search for admin email or IP address
- Review actions performed
- Check timestamps for unusual times
- If suspicious:
- Go to Admin Users and deactivate the account
- Document the incident
- Review password reset logs
Red flags:
- Multiple failed login attempts
- Actions at unusual hours
- Bulk license deletions
- Large exports from system
Workflow 3: Troubleshoot API Integration Issues
Steps:
- Go to System Logs
- Filter Level: “Error”
- Search for relevant API key or customer
- Sort By Time (newest first)
- Review recent API errors
- Check “Details” for specific error message
Common API errors:
- “Invalid API key” → Key is expired or wrong
- “Permission denied” → Key lacks required scope
- “Rate limit exceeded” → Too many requests, implement exponential backoff
- “Invalid request format” → Check API documentation
Workflow 4: Analyze System Performance Issues
Steps:
- Go to System Logs
- Filter Level: “Warning”
- Look for performance-related messages:
- “Slow query detected”
- “High memory usage”
- “Job queue backlog”
- Note the timestamps
- Cross-reference with Telemetry if available
Log Retention
Logs are automatically purged based on retention policies.
Default Retention
- System Logs: 3 months (configurable)
- Job Logs: 1 month
- API Logs: 3 months
To Change Retention
- Go to Settings → Retention Policies
- Select System Logs
- Choose new retention period (1, 3, 6, 9, or 12 months)
- Save
Note About Audit Trails
For permanent, immutable records, see Audit Trails. These cannot be purged and maintain a complete history of all state-changing actions.
Important Distinctions
Logs vs. Audit Trails
| Feature | Logs | Audit Trails |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Operational troubleshooting | Compliance & legal record |
| Retention | Auto-purged per policy | Never deleted |
| Mutability | Immutable once created | Immutable once created |
| Coverage | All system activity | State-changing actions only |
| Searchable | Yes | Yes (different interface) |
| Storage | Database (purgeable) | Database (permanent) |
Troubleshooting
Problem: Logs page is slow or doesn’t load
Solution: Logs table can get large. Try:
- Reduce date range in search
- Apply more specific filters (by level or action)
- Reduce “Per Page” to 10 or 20
- Contact support if consistently slow
Problem: Can’t find specific log entry
Solution:
- Logs are auto-purged after retention period (default 3 months)
- Check retention policy settings
- If older than retention, check Audit Trails instead
- Try broader search terms
Problem: Log details are truncated in table
Solution:
- Hover over the “Details” column to see full message
- Click the log row to expand (if detail view available)
- Adjust browser window width for more horizontal space
Related Pages
- Admin Users — Manage who has admin access
- Settings → Retention Policies — Configure how long logs are kept
- Settings → Audit Trails — View immutable activity records
- Profile — Your admin account settings
- Telemetry — Usage analytics and piracy detection
How to Access
Navigation: Admin Portal → Logs
URL: /admin/logs
Shortcut: Ctrl+K / Cmd+K → type “logs”
Permission Required: Admin or higher role
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