1. Home
  2. GST
  3. Audit trail
Every change, on record

An audit trail that remembers every change and who made it

Bills get edited, rates get corrected and entries get deleted. That is normal. What matters is that each change is recorded. Milaan ERP logs every change with the old value, the new value, the user and the time, and the log cannot be turned off.

  • No credit card needed
  • Cannot be switched off
  • Search by bill or user
Edit log · INV-2611 Sharma Traders · 3 changes
Edit log
ChangeByWhen
Bill created, ₹28,792Counter 1 Ravi 10:42 am
Rate of office chair: ₹1,600 → ₹1,500Price correction Ravi 10:51 am
Discount added: ₹500Above Ravi’s limitApproved by owner Owner 11:05 am
Old values keptYes
Log can be switched offNo
Final bill value₹27,820.00
User recorded Time recorded Cannot be edited
Why it matters

Mistakes are normal. Hidden changes are not.

In any business, bills get corrected. A rate was typed wrongly, a customer asked for a discount, or the wrong item was picked. The question an auditor or a tax officer asks is not “was anything changed?” but “what was changed, by whom and when?”

Since 1 April 2023, companies in India that keep their books in software must use software with an audit trail (edit log) that records every change and cannot be disabled. For GST, every registered business must keep its records for 72 months from the due date of the annual return for that year.

Milaan ERP records every change automatically. When a bill, purchase, voucher or item is created, edited or deleted, the software saves the old and new values, the user and the time. The log can be read and searched, but not edited or switched off.

For owners, it is also simple protection: you can see exactly what happened to any bill, even if you weren’t there.

Common problems

What goes wrong without an audit trail, and how we fix it

These are the situations owners and auditors describe most often.

  • Bills changed after printing

    The printed copy and the saved bill don’t match, and nobody knows why.

    Every edit logged

    Each change shows the old value, the new value, who changed it and when.

  • Deleted bills leave gaps

    A bill number is missing and no one can explain where it went.

    Deletions on record

    Deleted bills stay in the log with their details and the user who deleted them.

  • Unapproved discounts

    Staff give discounts beyond what you allow and adjust bills later.

    Limits and approvals

    Set discount limits by user. Changes above the limit need approval and are logged.

  • Audit questions take days

    The auditor asks about a change, and the team searches emails and registers.

    Search the log

    Search by bill, user or date and show the auditor the full history in minutes.

Features

Audit trail features that run in the background

Nothing to remember. Every change is recorded.

Complete edit log

Every create, edit and delete.

  • Old and new values
  • User and time
  • All bills and vouchers

Cannot be disabled

The log stays on, always.

  • No switch to turn it off
  • Entries cannot be edited
  • Kept with your data

Search and filter

Find any change quickly.

  • By bill or voucher
  • By user
  • By date range

User roles

Control who can change what.

  • Role-wise rights
  • Discount and rate limits
  • Approval for big changes

Number series control

No silent gaps in bill numbers.

  • Numbers in sequence
  • Cancelled bills kept
  • Document summary for GSTR-1

Long-term records

Keep the history as long as the law needs.

  • Year-wise data
  • Export for auditors
  • Backups included on cloud
How it works

What the log records in a normal day

You don’t do anything different. The trail builds itself.

  1. Bill created 10:42 am

    Ravi makes a bill at the counter. The log records the bill, its value and Ravi as the user.

  2. Rate corrected 10:51 am

    Ravi notices a wrong rate and corrects it. The log keeps both the old and new rate.

  3. Discount approved 11:05 am

    The customer wants a discount above Ravi’s limit. The owner approves it, and the approval is logged.

  4. Months later Audit day

    The auditor asks about the bill. You open its edit log and show every change in seconds.

What the law asks

Record-keeping rules in brief

Under the Companies (Accounts) Rules, from 1 April 2023 every company that keeps its books in software must use software that records an audit trail of each transaction, creating an edit log of every change, and the audit trail must not be disabled. Auditors report on whether this was followed.

Under GST, every registered business must keep its books and records for 72 months from the due date of the annual return for the year they relate to. Partnerships and proprietors are not covered by the Companies Act rule, but an audit trail is just as useful for their GST records.

Tip: GST rules change from time to time. This page explains them in simple words; for advice on your own case, please speak to your CA.

  • Edit log of every changeFor companies, since April 2023.
  • Cannot be disabledRequired by the rule.
  • 72 months of GST recordsFrom the annual return due date.
  • Search for auditorsBy bill, user or date.
  • Useful for all businessesNot only companies.
Pricing

Two simple ways to get started

GST billing and return reports are in every plan; e-invoicing, e-way bills and some advanced features are in the higher plans. Choose cloud to work from anywhere, or offline to keep everything on your own computer.

Offline desktop

from ₹8,999 one-time

Installed on your computer. Works without internet.

  • Four plans, single PC to unlimited LAN users
  • Data stays on your PC
  • Optional yearly support & updates
See offline ERP
Most businesses pick this

Online cloud

from ₹12,999 per year

Use it on any computer or phone. Updates and backups included.

  • Three plans, from 2 to 10 users
  • Mobile app and daily cloud backup
  • 14-day free trial
Start free trial

Prices are before 18% GST. Barcode billing, batch tracking, e-invoicing and multi-location features are in the higher plans. Need several users or GSTINs? Ask us for a quote. Compare all plans.

FAQ

Questions about the audit trail, answered.

Can’t find your question here? Message us and a real person will reply.

Talk to our team

Ask us to show your auditor how the edit log works before your audit.

What does the audit trail record?

Every creation, edit and deletion of bills, purchases, vouchers and masters, with the old and new values, the user and the date and time.

Can the audit trail be switched off?

No. It is always on, and its entries cannot be edited, as the rule for companies requires.

Is an audit trail compulsory?

For companies that keep books in software, yes, since 1 April 2023 under the Companies (Accounts) Rules. For other businesses it is not compulsory but is very useful for GST records and audits.

How long must GST records be kept?

For 72 months from the due date of the annual return for the year the records relate to.

Can I see what one staff member changed?

Yes. Filter the log by user and date to see every change they made.

Does it stop staff from changing bills?

You can limit what each user can change and require approval for bigger changes. Every change, approved or not, stays in the log.

How much does Milaan ERP cost?

The offline desktop plan starts at ₹8,999 as a one-time payment and online cloud plans start at ₹12,999 per year, both before 18% GST. Features such as barcode billing, batch tracking, e-invoicing and multi-location are in the higher plans, so tell us what you need and we’ll suggest the right one. The cloud plans come with a free 14-day trial.

Can I export the log for my auditor?

Yes. Export the log for any period, or give your auditor a read-only login.

Every change on record, without anyone remembering

Try Milaan ERP for 14 days and see the edit log on your own bills.