File History in Willow360
What is the File History?
The file history is a chronological log of all activity on a file. It is created automatically from the moment a file enters Willow360 and continues to be updated as the file moves through a workflow. No manual effort is required to maintain it.
The history remains accessible from the File View even after a file has been deleted, providing a permanent record of everything that happened to it.
How to View the File History
Open any file in Willow360 to access the File View. The file history is always displayed on the right side of the screen alongside the file preview. If the file is currently at a manual step such as Supply Information, the form will be shown on the right side instead, but you can switch back to the history at any time using the link below the panel title.
History entries are displayed in chronological order with the most recent at the top, showing the date and time of each action and the user responsible where applicable.
Types of History Entries
The file history records a wide range of events. Common entry types include:
Added to workflow: records when and how the file entered Willow360, whether by web upload, email, scan, or form submission.
Workflow actions: every automatic action applied to the file is recorded, including Convert to PDF, Stamp, Watermark, Redact, Highlight, Rename, Merge, Split, Digital Certificate, and cloud storage uploads. Upload entries include a link to the destination location.
Approve and Reject: records approval decisions including the approver's name and any comments they added.
WillowSign: records each signing event including who signed and when. The completed signing certificate is recorded when all signers have finished.
Simple Sign: records when a signature was applied and by whom.
Supply Information and Fill in a Form: records the data submitted by the user, with field names and values shown in the history entry.
AI Data: records the values extracted from the document for each configured field, and notes whether values were read automatically or supplied manually.
External Data: records the metadata values read from the accompanying XML file.
Custom Task: records when the task was completed and by whom.
Comment: records any comments added to the file by users.
Downloaded: records when the file was downloaded and by whom.
Replaced: when a file is replaced after rejection or during a custom task, the replaced version is recorded and available to download from the history.
Failed action: if a workflow action fails, the failure is recorded with details of what went wrong.
Retried: records when a failed action was retried.
Workflow restarted: if the workflow is edited and files are restarted, a history entry records this event before the file begins processing again from the start.
Workflow disabled: if the workflow is disabled while a file is in progress, a history entry records that processing has been paused.
Deleted by user: records when a file was manually deleted and by whom.
Deleted by Willow: records automatic deletion by Willow360 after the 30-day retention period, or immediately if the workflow has the Delete Completed Files Immediately setting enabled.
Why the File History Matters
Audit trail: the file history provides a complete, tamper-evident record of everything that happened to a document. This is particularly valuable for compliance, regulated processes, and any situation where you need to demonstrate that a document was handled correctly.
Transparency: team members with appropriate access can see exactly who did what and when, removing ambiguity from collaborative workflows.
Troubleshooting: if a file does not behave as expected, the file history is the first place to look. Failed actions, skipped steps, and missing data are all recorded here with enough detail to identify the cause.
Accountability: because every action is tied to a named user or recorded as an automatic system action, there is always a clear record of responsibility for each step in the process.