# How to keep an audit trail for purchase invoice records in Sage 50

Attach the source invoice to every purchase invoice in Sage 50. Record who approved and when, keep reasons for rejections and changes and test the trail on five bills.

An AP audit trail is the record of who received, coded, approved and paid each bill and what was checked.

## The Sage 50 way

Where to find it: US: Reports > Company > Audit Trail. UK: Tools > Event Log and the Transactions audit trail

1. US: set up user records, then run the Audit Trail report and filter by date range, sorted by Date/Time or User Name.
2. UK: use Tools > Event Log (turn on more events) to see the user and time of each event; transactions list the Audit Trail postings.

## Limits in Sage 50

- US: Audit Trail report is in Sage 50 Premium Accounting and higher.
- UK: Event Log is not retrospective and does not list what changed.

## Good to know in Sage 50

- US audit trail records date, time, user, add/change/delete, window, transaction ID, reference and amount.

## The Pulsify way

1. Forward the invoice to Pulsify. The original file is kept with the bill.
2. Set approval rules by supplier, amount or account. Add steps and a review step if needed.
3. Rejections and approvals are recorded with the person and date. Rejections can carry a reason.
4. On approval, the purchase invoice is created in Sage 50 with the file attached.

Pulsify connects to Sage 50. We set up the connection for you.

What Pulsify does not do here:

- Pulsify does not replace the record-keeping duties of your business.

## Common mistakes

- Expecting the UK Event Log to show changes made before you switched on more events.
- Running the US Audit Trail report in an edition below Premium Accounting.

## Common questions

### What is the UK audit trail in Sage 50?

Use Tools > Event Log, turning on more events, to see the event, user, computer and time. Transactions list the Audit Trail postings. The Event Log is not retrospective and does not list what changed.

### Is there a US audit trail report?

Yes. In Sage 50 (US) run Reports > Company > Audit Trail, from Premium Accounting up. It records date, time, user, add/change/delete, window, transaction ID, reference and amount.

### How do the editions differ?

The UK uses the Event Log and the Transactions audit trail. The US runs the Audit Trail report after you set up user records.

### Does Pulsify record approvals?

Yes. Approvals and rejections are recorded with the person and date.

## Sources

- https://help-sage50.na.sage.com/en-us/2021/Content/Reports_Forms/Company/Audit_Trail_report.htm
- https://help-sage50.na.sage.com/en-us/2020/Content/Reports_Forms/What_Audit_Trail_Tracks.htm
- https://communityhub.sage.com/gb/sage-50-accounts/f/general-discussion-uk/204343/supplier-bank-details

Source: https://www.pulsify.tech/how-to/keep-an-audit-trail-for-ap-in-sage-50/ (last checked 2026-10-19)