Change logs for clear accountability

October 17, 2018

Accountability matters. That’s why we built the Change Log in Console Cloud.

Historically, agency principals had a bit of a time of it trying to identify who made changes to files in their property management system. They had no precise, easy way of knowing if sensitive information had been compromised, or if someone had committed fraud. There was no easily available and unalterable change log to record every action taken on a file. 

 

Historically, property managers also had trouble identifying where errors had been made in the system. Finding a mistake in a file became an exercise in forensic science. 

 

And historically, auditors haven’t had ready access to watertight, dependable records. What they needed was absolute proof of who made changes to critical files. They needed transparency to determine what actions had affected trust accounts, and who took them. The difficulty was, where records existed, auditors couldn't always determine how reliable they were. This created headaches and delays for everyone involved.

The Change Log is an unalterable record of what happened

Now the Change Log is here, and these issues are about to become history. The Change Log is an unalterable record of what happened in Console Cloud. Access it, and you’ll see a record of every action that affected money and trust accounts, who took that action, and when it happened. You’ll see a record of every significant change to any file that was made, who made it, and when it was made.

The Change Log is a point of truth

This new feature is about visibility and accountability. With easy-to-read reports, principals can rely on the Change Log to be a point of truth. Moreover, its presence alone can deter bad behaviour, by making it harder to commit, but easier than ever to spot. 

The same goes for property managers. If something doesn’t add up, PMs no longer need to play detective to get answers. Now, they can check the Change Log to find out what happened. 

And we’ve talked before about how we built Console Cloud in consultation with trust account auditors and specialists. When we set out to make sure it was compliant with trust laws of each state and territory, we also worked with experts to make sure it was audit-friendly. The Change Log delivers on that objective, and makes it easier than ever for your auditors to understand your files. We think that's a win for everyone involved in the business of trust accounting and Property Management.

How to find the Change Log

If you would like to check out this feature in your account, navigate to Reports > Change Log from the main menu. Alternatively, to see the change log for an individual file, click into the record (e.g. Owner, Tenant, Property) and click view changes.  

Want to stay up to date with what's happening in Console Cloud?

Follow the link to see the full list of what's been released each month, or sign up to receive updates below.

What's up next

Join our mailing list to keep up to date with the latest!