Understanding the activity timeline

Read the activity timeline to see who changed what and when.

Why the Activity Timeline matters

Every document in Laminar—Orders, BOMs, Suppliers, Components, Projects, and (in future releases) Products—generates a series of events over its lifetime. The Activity Timeline captures these events so your team can clearly understand:

  • What happened
  • When it happened
  • Who performed each action
  • How the item evolved over time

It’s your built-in audit trail, presented in a readable, chronological format that helps reduce confusion, resolve questions quickly, and build alignment across teams.

This guide explains how to read the timeline, what types of events you’ll see, and how to use it to stay informed and make better operational decisions.

Where to find the Activity Timeline

You’ll find the timeline in the details view of most items. To access it:

  1. Open an item (e.g., an Order or BOM) from the sidebar, global search, or list view
  2. Scroll down to the Activity or Timeline section
  3. Events appear from newest to oldest unless specified otherwise

Timelines follow the same structure across modules, so once you're familiar with one, you’ll understand them all.

What the timeline shows

The timeline is made up of individual “entries” representing changes or updates to the item. Each entry typically includes:

  • A timestamp
  • The user who performed the action
  • A short event description
  • Additional context when relevant

You’ll often see a vertical line connecting events, making it visually easy to scan down the item’s history.

Types of events you will commonly see

Laminar records many kinds of operational actions. You may see some or all of the following depending on the module:

1. Creation Events

These capture when the item was first created.

Examples:

  • “Order created by Priya”
  • “New BOM created by Arjun”
  • “Supplier added by System Admin”

Creation events form the starting point of every timeline.

2. Status Changes

Status updates appear whenever an item’s workflow state changes.

Examples for orders:

  • “Status changed from Created → In Progress”
  • “Status changed from In Progress → Delivered”

This helps you understand movement across the lifecycle.

3. Field Updates

These record changes made during editing.

Examples:

  • “Updated Expected Delivery Date”
  • “Changed supplier from ‘ABC Metals’ to ‘Vertex Steel’”
  • “Updated project link”

Field updates make it easy to track decisions and corrections.

4. Item Edits

Broad edits—like updating many fields at once—appear as one event.

Examples:

  • “Order details updated”
  • “BOM updated”
  • “Component details changed”

You may click the item to see the updated values.

5. Attachment Events

Events related to document uploads or removals.

Examples:

  • “Added attachment: delivery-note.pdf”
  • “Removed attachment: quote.xlsx”

These events become useful during audits or supplier follow-ups.

6. Linking/Association Changes

Events reflecting relationships to other modules.

Examples:

  • “Linked to Project: Alpha Build Cycle”
  • “Linked to Product: Smart Sensor v2”
  • “Removed link to Project: Internal R&D”

This helps you understand how items shift across initiatives.

7. System or Automated Events

Some actions may be generated automatically by Laminar.

Examples:

  • “System: Initial draft created”
  • “Auto-set Ordered Date”

These ensure visibility even when actions aren’t user-initiated.

How to read the timeline efficiently

The timeline is designed to be scanned quickly. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Start at the top

The newest event shows the latest progress. If you're checking on an order’s delivery or revision status, this often answers your question immediately.

Scan for key event types

Look for:

  • Status changes
  • Date updates
  • Attachments
  • Supplier changes
  • Project/product associations

These typically tell you what's most relevant operationally.

Compare timestamps

If something changed sooner or later than expected, timestamps will tell you exactly when the action happened.

Look for clustering

Several actions recorded close together may indicate:

  • A batch update
  • A correction
  • Finalisation of details
  • Preparation for delivery

Patterns help interpret the story behind the data.

Using the timeline during operations

Here are common ways teams depend on the timeline:

Procurement

  • Confirm when suppliers acknowledged changes
  • Review updated delivery dates
  • Track order progression without asking multiple teammates
  • Verify when attachments (like delivery notes) were added

Project management

  • Understand when materials were ordered
  • Track how delays or updates align with project changes
  • Recognise bottlenecks via status changes

Engineering

  • Check when BOMs were revised
  • See whether edits align with discussions or design reviews

Leadership

  • Get a factual trace of decisions
  • Conduct quick retrospectives
  • Verify how teams follow operational workflows

The timeline eliminates ambiguity and avoids unnecessary back-and-forth.

Best practices for working with timelines

Keep edits meaningful

Use clear titles and clean data in fields so updates make sense when viewed later.

Update statuses promptly

Status entries are some of the most important signals for downstream teams.

Upload supporting documents

Attachments show up immediately in the timeline and make verification easier.

Link items at the right moment

Associations with projects and products become visible in the timeline, providing clear traceability.

Refer back before making changes

If you're unsure why something was updated previously, a quick scroll through the timeline usually clarifies it.

Common questions

“Why does the timeline show multiple events for one edit?”

Some actions generate separate entries—for example, updating a status and changing an expected date.

“Why isn’t my change showing up?”

You may need to refresh the detail page. If the issue persists, check that:

  • You saved the form
  • You have the correct organisation selected
  • The update was permitted based on your role

“Why do some timeline entries say ‘System’?”

These reflect automated actions or default behaviours initiated by Laminar.

“Can I edit or delete timeline events?”

No. The timeline is a source of truth and cannot be modified to ensure audit integrity.

“Why does the timeline show user initials instead of names?”

Your avatar or profile settings may use initials when no profile image is set.

When to rely on the timeline

Use the timeline when you need to:

  • Verify the source of a change
  • Understand order progress
  • Track BOM revisions
  • Check supplier updates
  • Confirm delivery timing
  • Review a project’s evolution
  • Perform audits or retrospective reviews

The timeline quickly answers “what happened?” without requiring anyone to remember or explain everything manually.

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