Your Audit Log is where you record and track the social compliance audits you've conducted as you work toward the 20-day experience requirement.
This article explains what you'll see on your Audit Log screen and what each element means.
Looking for how to submit an audit log record? See How to Submit an Audit Log Record.
Your Audit Log screen has two main sections:
- Audit Log Summary — An overview at the top of the screen showing your portfolio status, progress toward 20 days, and action buttons.
-
Audit Log Activities — A table of every audit you've submitted,
including:
- Status — Whether APSCA has accepted the audit as counting toward your log.
- Firm Verification Status — Whether your firm (or external approver) has verified the audit.
For a quick visual overview, explore the interactive screen guide.
Audit Log Summary
The top of your screen shows an overview of your audit log, including your current portfolio status, your progress toward the 20-day target, and the actions available to you.
Portfolio Status Badge
In the top-left corner, a badge shows the current overall status of your audit log (e.g. "In Progress"). This changes as your log moves through the review and verification process. See Portfolio Status for a full explanation of each status.
Audit Log Progress Bar
The progress bar tracks how many days of audit experience you've accumulated toward the 20-day target. It is colour-coded:
| Teal | Days approved by APSCA that count toward your target. Displayed as a percentage of the 20-day requirement (e.g. "50%" = 10 approved days). |
| Gold | Days from audits still pending review by APSCA — not yet confirmed. Displayed as an additional percentage showing how much these would add if approved (e.g. "+10%"). |
| Grey | Remaining days needed to reach 20. |
Note: If any audits have been rejected, those days do not appear on the progress bar at all.
Hover for more detail: Hovering over the progress bar reveals a summary breakdown including:
| Audits Submitted | Completion percentage, approved days out of 20, days pending review, days rejected, and second party days. |
| Program Types | Percentage breakdown by program type — Multi-Stakeholder Initiative/Industry Program, Brand/Retailer, and Audit Firm. |
| Locations | Number of different cities and firms across your log. |
What are Second Party Days?
If you record an audit under a Brand/Retailer/Buyer/Sourcing Agent program, you'll be asked whether you conducted it on behalf of an audit firm (a third party audit) or on behalf of the brand itself (a second party audit). Second party days count toward your log, but are capped at 10 of the required 20 days — the remaining days must come from third party audits.
Action Buttons
| Add Audit Log | Add a new audit record to your log. See How to Submit an Audit Log Record. |
| Submit For Verification | Once you reach 20 approved days, this button becomes active. Use it to submit your log for firm verification, or to nominate an external approver if you are not linked with a firm. |
Audit Log Activities
Below the summary is the Audit Log Activities table — a record of every audit you've added to your log. Each row shows the submission date, location, standard type, days submitted, and approved days, along with two key status columns explained below.
Status
When you add an audit to your log, APSCA reviews it against the APSCA definition of a social compliance audit to determine whether it qualifies. Some audit types are automatically approved, while others require a manual review.
| Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Pending Review | Your audit is awaiting review by APSCA. No action is required from you. |
| Approved | The audit meets APSCA's requirements and counts toward your 20-day target. |
| Rejected | The audit does not meet the requirements. If you believe this is an error, contact dataadministrator@theapsca.org. |
Firm Verification Status
Once you reach 20 approved days, you can submit your log for verification — either to your firm, or to an external approver if you are not currently linked with a firm. The Firm Verification Status column tracks this process for each individual audit.
| Firm Verification Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Needs Verification | Your log has not yet been submitted for verification. This is the default status. |
| Awaiting Verification | Your log has been submitted and this audit is with your firm or external approver for review. |
| Verified | Your firm or approver has confirmed you performed this audit as recorded. |
| Unable to Verify | Your firm or approver was unable to confirm this audit. Contact your firm for more information as to why they were unable to verify. |
Portfolio Status
The portfolio status badge at the top of your screen (shown in the Audit Log Summary above) reflects the overall status of your entire audit log. Here's what each status means:
| Portfolio Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| In Progress | You are still adding audits to your log. Your log has not yet been submitted for verification. |
| Pending Firm Approval | You have submitted your log to your firm and it is currently with them for review. |
| Pending Admin Review | You have nominated an external approver and APSCA is reviewing their details before allowing them to act as your approver. See What Is an External Approver? below. |
| Pending External Approval | Your external approver has been accepted by APSCA and your log is now with them for verification. |
| Rejected | Your nominated external approver was not accepted by APSCA. You will need to nominate a different person. |
| Approved | All audits in your log have been verified. Your audit log is complete. |
What Is an External Approver?
If you are not currently linked with a firm — for example, if you are between roles or working independently — you won't be able to submit your log to a firm for verification. Instead, you can nominate an external approver: someone at the organization or firm where you previously conducted the audits who can confirm your experience.
When you nominate an external approver, APSCA will first review the details you've provided to confirm the person is appropriate (Pending Admin Review). Once accepted, your log moves to Pending External Approval and your nominated approver can verify your audits. If the person is not accepted, your portfolio status will show as Rejected and you'll need to nominate someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does APSCA's review of individual audits take?
Some audit types are automatically approved. Others that require manual
review are typically processed within 10 business days. APSCA will notify
you by email if an audit is not approved.
You can monitor the status of your audits in your online account as they are reviewed. APSCA will email you once you reach 20 approved audit days and are ready to submit to your firm for verification.
What should I do if an audit is rejected?
If an audit is rejected, you will receive an email explaining the reason.
If the audit does not meet APSCA's definition of a social compliance
audit, it cannot be counted toward your audit log.
If you believe the audit was rejected in error, please contact dataadministrator@theapsca.org.
Can I keep adding audits after I've submitted my log for verification?
No. Once you submit your audit log for verification, it is locked and
you cannot add any further entries.
After your firm completes its review, if any audits are marked as Unable to Verify and you fall short of the required 20 days, you will then be able to submit additional audit entries to meet the requirement.
What if my firm marks an audit as "Unable to Verify"?
If your audit is marked as Unable to Verify, contact your firm
or the assigned approver to confirm why.
If the issue relates to incorrect details (for example, audit dates, audit type, or location), you cannot edit the original submission. You will need to:
- Create a new audit log entry with the correct information, and
- Resubmit it to your firm for verification.
You may delete the previous entry if it is no longer required.
Need help?
If you have questions or run into an issue, contact APSCA at dataadministrator@theapsca.org or submit a support ticket through the Help Centre.