A footage access register is a simple log. It records every time someone reviews recorded footage for a purpose. It also records every copy that is made or handed over. It can be a bound paper book or a spreadsheet. This guide shows what to write and how to keep it.
Before you start
- Decide where the register will live: a bound paper book, or a spreadsheet that IT protects.
- Agree who fills it in and who checks it.
- Read the CCTV access policy guide. It says who may approve reviews and copies.
Why keep a register
- Accountability. Everyone knows their access is written down.
- Answers. You can say who saw a recording, when, and why.
- Evidence. It supports the chain of custody when footage goes to the police or a court.
- Learning. It shows how often footage helps, and where cameras are missing.
System audit logs are not among SSMS's confirmed capabilities. So keep your own register. If you need system logs, ask Skyline to confirm in writing whether your deployment covers them.
What to record
Use one row for each review or copy. These columns cover what you need.
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Entry date and time | When you write the entry. |
| Requester | Who asked, and their department or organisation. |
| Reason or reference | Why they asked. Add the incident number if there is one. |
| Approved by | The supervisor or manager who approved it. |
| Site and camera | Where the footage comes from. |
| Footage time range | The date, and the start and end time of the footage. |
| Reviewed by | Who watched it. |
| Copy made | Yes or no. If yes, the label or ID of the storage media. |
| Checksum | If a copy was made, the checksum that IT recorded. A checksum is a digital fingerprint that shows a file has not changed. |
| Handed to | Name and organisation, if the copy left your team. |
| Signature | The signature of the person who wrote the entry. |
A filled-in example
Here is one complete entry. The names are examples only.
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Entry date and time | 14 March, 09:10 |
| Requester | A. Ali, warehouse manager |
| Reason or reference | Missing stock, incident INC-2026-014 |
| Approved by | S. Omar, security supervisor |
| Site and camera | Warehouse, WH-Dock-02 |
| Footage time range | 13 March, 18:00 to 20:00 |
| Reviewed by | R. Saleh, operator |
| Copy made | Yes, USB-0031 |
| Checksum | Recorded by IT on 14 March |
| Handed to | Police officer, name and station as on the receipt |
| Signature | R. Saleh |
For how to make, label and hand over that copy, see handing over footage safely.
Rules for keeping the register
- Write the entry at the time. Do not fill it in later from memory.
- Write one entry for each review or copy.
- Never erase anything. On paper, strike through a mistake with one line and add your initials. In a spreadsheet, add a correction entry instead of changing an old one.
- On paper, never leave blank lines between entries.
- Keep the register secure. Use a locked drawer, or a protected file that only named people can open.
- Keep the register itself for as long as your policy says.
The monthly review
Once a month, a manager reads the new entries. They check that:
- every entry has an approver;
- every copy has a signed handover receipt;
- every reason makes sense;
- nobody reviews footage often without a clear reason.
The manager then signs and dates the page. In a spreadsheet, they add a review entry with their name and the date. Problems go to the person who owns the access policy.
How the register fits with other guides
- The access policy says who may approve a review or a copy.
- Handing over footage safely explains labels, checksums and receipts.
- Incident response explains the chain of custody for evidence.
Quick checklist
- The register exists, as a bound book or a protected spreadsheet.
- Every review and every copy has its own entry.
- Entries are written at the time, never erased.
- Every entry names an approver.
- Copies show a media ID, a checksum and who received them.
- A manager reviews and signs the register every month.
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