Action manager and viewing action history logs

Summary

This article explains how to use the Action Manager (a central feature within the Assure platform that provides a unified interface for creating, viewing, editing, assigning, filtering, and managing actions) and how to view the Change History Log (a log that records and displays details of changes made to specific fields within an action). It covers all capabilities available in Action Manager, including creating Free Standing Actions (actions created independently that are not linked to any specific module record), editing actions, filtering, generating reports, and accessing action history logs. Users with the role permission View Tasks for Other People (a role permission that allows users to view tasks that are not their own, including Actions, Reviews and Approvals) will see actions assigned to other users in addition to their own.

Prerequisites

To access and use Action Manager:

• Read permission to the Action Manager module (via your assigned role)

To create Free Standing Actions:

• Supervisor Privilege: Create Free Standing Actions must be set to Allow

To view actions assigned to other users:

• Role Permission: View Tasks for Other People

To view Change History Logs:

• Role Permission: View Audit Trail Log

To edit, complete, reassign, or delete actions:

• Appropriate role permissions: Override Actions, Reassign Action, Delete Actions depending on the task

Problem / Intent

Users need a centralized location to view and manage all actions assigned to them or created for others. Without Action Manager, actions scattered across multiple module records and My Tasks (a dedicated area within the Assure platform where users can view, manage, and track all tasks assigned to them) would be difficult to track, prioritize, and complete. Additionally, users need to trace the history of changes made to actions for accountability, compliance, and to understand the original context before updates were applied. This article solves the problem of how to efficiently manage all actions in one place and how to review detailed change logs for transparency and audit purposes.

Steps

Access Action Manager

1.1. Log in to Assure.
1.2. From the left-hand navigation panel, click Tasks.
1.3. Select Action Manager from the list.
1.4. The Action Manager screen displays all actions you have access to based on your role permissions.
1.5. If you have the View Tasks for Other People permission, you will also see actions created for or assigned to other users.

Create a Free-Standing Action

2.1. In the Action Manager screen, click the + New Record button in the top right corner.
2.2. Complete the action form fields:

• Action For: Select the user to whom the action is assigned.
• Action Title: Enter a brief descriptive title.
• Description: Provide detailed instructions or context.
• Priority: Choose Low, Medium, or High.
• Due Date: Select the deadline for completion.
• Organisational Unit: Select the relevant Org Unit (a shorthand for Organisational Unit within the Assure platform).
  2.3. Click Save and Close or Save and Publish (if creating a Draft Action which can be published later).
  2.4. The new Free Standing Action now appears in the Action Manager list.

Edit an Existing Action

3.1. In the Action Manager list, locate the action you want to edit.
3.2. Click the cog wheel icon (also known as the Cog Wheel Menu) in the Actions column for that record.
3.3. Select Edit from the menu.

3.4. Update the required fields (e.g., priority, due date, assigned user, description).
3.5. Click Save and Close.

Complete an Action

4.1. Locate the action in the Action Manager list.
4.2. Click the cog wheel icon for the action.
4.3. Select Complete from the menu.

4.4. A Complete Action form will open.
4.5. Add any completion notes or comments (optional).
4.6. Click Save to mark the action as complete.

Note: Completed actions will no longer appear in the default view unless you apply a filter to show closed actions.

Assign an Action to Another User

5.1. Locate the action in the Action Manager list.
5.2. Click the cog wheel icon.
5.3. Select Reassign from the menu (requires Reassign Action permission).

5.4. Choose the new user from the Action For dropdown.

5.5. Optionally update the due date.
5.6. Click Save and Close.

Delete an Action

6.1. Locate the action in the Action Manager list.
6.2. Click the cog wheel icon.
6.3. Select Delete from the menu (requires Delete Actions permission).
6.4. Confirm deletion in the Delete Confirmation Box that appears.

Warning: Deleted actions cannot be recovered. Consider completing or archiving instead.

View the Detail View of an Action

7.1. Locate the action in the Action Manager list.
7.2. Click the cog wheel icon.
7.3. Select Details from the menu.
7.4. The Detail View (a page or screen that shows all the details of a specific record) opens, displaying all action information in read-only format.
7.5. From this view, you can print the action using the Print Icon or click Edit if you have edit permissions.

View the Change History Log for an Action

8.1. Locate the action in the Action Manager, My Tasks, or within a module record (for record and IQ actions).
8.2. Click the cog wheel icon for the action.

8.3. Select Logs from the menu (requires View Audit Trail Log role permission).
8.4. The Actions Log page opens, showing:

• Changes made to certain fields in the action.
• The user who made each change.
• The date and time of each change.
  8.5. If there are many field changes, hover over the highlighted text to view a tooltip listing all affected fields.

Filter the Actions Log

9.1. On the Actions Log page, use the filter options at the top of the page.
9.2. Apply filters by:

• Fields Affected: Select specific fields to view changes only for those fields.
• Changed By User: Select a specific user to see changes they made.
• Action Type: Filter by Module Action, IQ Action, or Free Standing Action.
• Date Range: Enter start and end dates to view changes made between specific dates.
  9.3. Click Apply Filter to refresh the log display.
  9.4. Click Clear Filter to reset the view.

View Detailed Change Information (Old vs New Values)

10.1. On the Actions Log page, locate the amendment you want to review.
10.2. Click the View Details icon (eye or detail icon) next to the user's amendment.
10.3. The Action Log Details screen opens, highlighting:

• Old value (before the edit).
• New value (after the edit).
  10.4. Review the changes and close the detail window.

Run a Quick Report on Actions

11.1. In the Action Manager, click the Reports dropdown in the top toolbar.
11.2. Select Quick Report from the list.
11.3. The Quick Report (a feature within the Assure platform that allows users to quickly generate customizable reports or data extracts for modules) displays action data in a table within the webpage.
11.4. Click Export to download the report in CSV, Excel, or PDF format.

Navigate to the Related Record

12.1. Locate the action in the Action Manager list.
12.2. Click the cog wheel icon.
12.3. Select Go to Record from the menu.
12.4. The system navigates to the module record (e.g., Incident Record, Risk Assessment) that the action is linked to.

Note: This option is only available for actions linked to module or IQ records, not for Free Standing Actions.

Run a Filter on All Actions

13.1. In the Action Manager, click the Filters dropdown in the top toolbar.
13.2. Select an existing filter from the list (e.g., Outstanding Actions, High Priority Actions, Overdue Actions).
13.3. The list refreshes to show only actions that match the filter criteria.
13.4. To manage or create custom filters, click Manage Filters from the Filters dropdown.
13.5. Click + New to create a new Private Filter or Global Filter (if you have Manage Global Filters Permission).

Show Closed and Removed Actions

14.1. At the top of the Action Manager list, locate the checkbox labelled Show Closed and Removed Actions.
14.2. Tick the checkbox.
14.3. The list refreshes to include completed, removed, and closed actions.
14.4. To hide these actions again, untick the checkbox.

Show Free Standing Actions Only

15.1. At the top of the Action Manager list, locate the checkbox labelled Show Free Standing Actions.
15.2. Tick the checkbox.
15.3. The list refreshes to display only Free Standing Actions (not linked to any module or IQ record).
15.4. Untick the checkbox to view all action types again.

Notes & Warnings

Note: The Change History Log stores details of changes made to certain fields only, not all fields. It is useful for checking the original information before a user made an update.

Note: The Quick Report option on the Actions Log displays the log within the webpage for easy export.

Warning: If you delete an action, it is permanently removed from the system. Consider marking it as complete or removed instead to retain history.

Note: If no View Audit Trail Log permission is granted, the Logs option will not appear in the cog wheel menu.

Note: Free Standing Actions do not link to any module record. To create an action linked to a specific record, open the record and create the action from within that module.

Examples

Example 1: Creating a Free-Standing Action for Monthly H&S Audit
A Health & Safety Manager needs to create a monthly audit task not linked to any specific incident or risk assessment.

1. Navigate to Tasks > Action Manager.
2. Click + New Record.
3. Enter:
   • Action For: John Doe
   • Title: Complete monthly H&S audit
   • Priority: High
   • Due Date: 30/04/2026
   • Org Unit: Health & Safety Department
4. Click Save and Close.
5. The action now appears in Action Manager and in John Doe's My Tasks list.

Example 2: Viewing Change History for an Action
A user wants to see who changed the due date of an action and when.

1. Open Action Manager.
2. Locate the action titled "Add asset O1113 to PPM schedule".
3. Click the cog wheel icon and select Logs.
4. The Actions Log page opens showing:
   • Field: Due Date
   • Changed by: Admin User
   • Date: 10/03/2026 14:32
5. Click the View Details icon to see:
   • Old Value: 15/03/2026
   • New Value: 20/03/2026

Example 3: Filtering Actions by Priority
A manager wants to view only high-priority actions.

1. Open Action Manager.
2. Click Filters.
3. Select High Priority Actions from the dropdown.
4. The list refreshes to show only actions with High priority.

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Q1: What is the difference between Action Manager and My Tasks?
A: My Tasks shows only actions, reviews, and approvals assigned to you. Action Manager shows all actions you can access based on your permissions, including those assigned to others if you have the View Tasks for Other People permission.

Q2: Can I create an action that is linked to a specific incident or risk assessment?
A: Yes, but you cannot do this from Action Manager directly. To create a Module Action (an action linked to a specific module or record), open the relevant module record (e.g., Incident Record) and create the action from within that record.

Q3: How do I view only my own actions in Action Manager?
A: Use the Filters dropdown and select a filter such as "Outstanding Actions" or create a custom filter where Action For equals your username.

Q4: What does "Removed Actions" mean?
A: Removed Actions are actions that have had their status changed to 'Removed', typically as a result of auto-archiving related training or TNA records. These actions become inactive but remain viewable in the Action Manager if the Show Closed and Removed Actions checkbox is ticked.

Q5: Can I export the Actions Log for compliance or reporting purposes?
A: Yes. On the Actions Log page, click the Quick Report option. The log will display within the webpage in a format that can be exported to CSV, Excel, or PDF.

Related Articles

• Getting Started with Assure: Login, Navigation, and Basic Operations
  This article provides foundational guidance on using the Assure platform, including navigating modules, managing records, and running reports—all of which complement action management workflows.
  https://shesoftware.zendesk.com/hc/articles/360013576339
• Role Permissions
  This article explains all role permissions in detail, including View Audit Trail Log, View Tasks for Other People, Reassign Action, Override Actions, and Delete Actions, which directly affect your ability to manage actions and view logs.
  https://shesoftware.zendesk.com/hc/articles/5370596602130
• Automate Training Management for Leavers
  This article describes the Action Manager dashboard features such as filtering, report generation, navigation, and status tracking for actions, providing additional context on action management capabilities.
  https://shesoftware.zendesk.com/hc/articles/13910157611548
• Overview of the Data Extraction APIs
  This article explains how to extract action and audit trail data from Assure using the Data Extraction API, including available datasets, field mappings, and export formats for programmatic access to action history logs.
  https://shesoftware.zendesk.com/hc/articles/10685235521308

AI Metadata

Product Area: Task Management (Action Manager), Audit and Compliance (Change History Logs)

User Role: End User, Health and Safety Manager, Compliance Officer, System Administrator

Tags: #ActionManager #Actions #FreeStandingActions #ChangeHistoryLog #AuditTrailLog #MyTasks #TaskManagement #ViewTasksForOtherPeople #Reassign #DeleteActions #Logs #Filters #QuickReport

Version/Region: All Assure versions, All regions

Important Synonyms: Action Manager (Task Management), Change History Log (Audit Trail Log, Action History Log), Free Standing Action (Standalone Action), My Tasks (Task List), View Tasks for Other People (View Others' Tasks)

Suggested Embedding Keywords: action manager, view actions, create free standing action, action history log, change history log, audit trail log, reassign action, delete action, complete action, view tasks for other people, action manager filter, action manager report, action log details, my tasks, task management assure

Relevant Modules: Action Manager, My Tasks, All modules (actions can be created against any module record: Incident Record, Risk Assessment, Audit, Equipment Register, etc.)

Cross-Module Implications: Actions can be created from or linked to records in any module. The Action Manager provides a unified view across all modules. When viewing logs, you can access change history for Module Actions, IQ Actions, and Free Standing Actions. The My Tasks area aggregates actions, reviews, and approvals from all modules in a centralized view.