How to use Knowledge Base analytics and the action log

The Knowledge Base statistics section has two tabs for different tasks. Usage shows how employees use materials: what they view, download and search for, and the feedback they leave. The Action log helps you check who changed a material, setting or access permission, when they did so and how the action ended.

To check who has confirmed that they have read a document, open the separate Acknowledgements tab.

Who can view these reports?

Administrators see all company data. Managers can view Usage and Acknowledgements only for the departments available to them.

The Action log is available to Administrators with the relevant Knowledge Base permissions. The Manager role does not grant access to this log. An employee's permission to read Knowledge Base materials does not give them access to reports.

How do you select data in Usage?

1. Open Reports and statistics → Knowledge Base statistics and select Usage.

2. Expand Filters. To view data for a particular material, start typing its title and select it from the suggestions.

3. Set the period and any other conditions you need. The report updates automatically when you change a filter.

You can combine filters for the period, material, category, material type, current status, audience and action type. For example, choose the Onboarding category to review how all its materials are used, or select one document to check its downloads.

The page address retains your filter choices. Returning to that link opens the report with the same filters. You will see only the data you have permission to access.

What do the figures mean?

When comparing periods, pay attention to favourites and ratings. These show the current state, so changing the dates does not limit them to actions within that period.

How do you read the materials table?

The table lets you compare figures for individual materials. Interactions shows the number of recorded actions involving a material.

One person may open several materials and count towards Unique users for each of them. Adding those figures across the rows may therefore count the same person more than once. Use the report’s overall Unique users figure for the total number of people.

How can you use searches without results?

The table of searches without results helps you understand what employees could not find. Search query text is kept for up to 90 days, and some of it may be hidden. Text for an older period may no longer be available even if searches took place.

Start with the most frequent queries. Check whether the material exists, whether it is published and whether the employees who need it can access it. Compare the search terms with the material's title, description, category and tags. If a file was added recently, check whether the system has finished preparing it for search (indexing).

Sometimes updating an existing material's title or tags is enough to help employees find it using familiar search terms.

How do you export Usage to Excel?

Check your filters and select Export to Excel. The file includes all records matching those conditions, including data on other pages of the table.

The materials sheet has one row per material. A separate sheet contains the available summaries of searches without results. The sheets may have different row counts because they describe different data.

You can export a period of up to 366 days, with no future dates. The availability of older data depends on how long analytics data is retained.

What do the columns on the materials sheet mean?

What do the columns on the no-result queries sheet mean?

How do you find an event in the Action log?

1. Open Reports and statistics → Knowledge Base statistics and select Action log.

2. Expand Filters and choose the period you want to check.

3. Select an actor, category, event type or result to narrow the search.

4. If you are looking for actions involving a particular material, start typing its title and select it from the suggestions.

Filters apply automatically when you select their values.

How do event filters work together?

Events are arranged in groups: Key changes, Materials, Access, Categories and tags, Uploads and previews, and Exports.

Filters in different fields work together. For example, selecting a material and an event type shows only events of that type for that material. If you select several types in one field, the results include events of any of those types.

To find out who unpublished a document, select the material and the relevant event type. To check an access change, a failed upload or an export request, choose the relevant group, period and result.

How do you understand what happened?

Check the event type and result in each record. The log can contain successful actions, failures and attempts. A record of an attempt does not confirm that the action succeeded.

An operation may have several stages, with a separate event for each. Review records relating to that operation that occurred close together in time. Compare their types and results before treating them as duplicates.

The log has no separate metric cards. The number beside the page controls shows the total number of events matching your filters. Each event counts separately, so this is not the number of different Administrators or materials changed.

How do you export the Action log to Excel?

Check your filters and select Export to Excel. The file includes all matching events, including those beyond the page you have open.

The Action log sheet contains the events. The Parameters sheet lists the period, actor's name, selected event types, result and export time.

A single export can cover up to 366 days and contain no more than 100,000 events. If there are too many records, shorten the period or add filters.

What do the log columns in Excel mean?

On the Parameters sheet, End (exclusive) marks the moment at which the reporting period ends. Events recorded at that exact moment are excluded from the report.

What should you look for during a regular review?

• Review frequent searches without results to find out which materials employees need or struggle to find.

• Compare popular materials with your team's needs. A high view count alone does not explain whether a document is useful.

• Check the content of materials with Not helpful ratings or outdated content reports.

• In the Action log, look for failed operations and access changes whose causes need checking.

• Use Excel for more detailed analysis or to share data with colleagues.

Related LMS platform resources

• How do you check document acknowledgements?

• How do you acknowledge a Knowledge Base document?

• employee training system for organisations

FAQ

Does a view confirm that an employee has acknowledged a material?

No. A view shows that the user opened the material. Check confirmed acknowledgements in the separate Acknowledgements report.

Why do favourites stay the same when you select a different period?

The figure shows the current number of saved favourites, regardless of the dates you choose.

Can a Manager open the Action log?

No. Managers can view Usage and Acknowledgements for their departments. The Action log requires the relevant Knowledge Base administration permissions.

Do several events for one operation mean that records are duplicated?

Not necessarily. The system may record different stages of an operation separately. Compare the event types and results to understand what happened.