💡 Still using the classic Drata experience? Refer to Understanding Evidence Sampling in Drata for the original UI.
Auditors can see only the evidence that falls within the audit date range and has been sampled for the audit. If evidence appears missing, blank, or outdated, it’s usually because of how the audit period or evidence sampling is configured.
This article explains how audit date ranges and evidence sampling work together—and how to fix common issues when auditors can’t see expected evidence.
What controls auditor access to evidence
Auditor access to evidence is controlled by you, not the auditor.
Two things determine what auditors can see:
The audit date range
Evidence sampling
Auditors can access only the evidence that:
Falls within the audit date range you set, and
Is included in an evidence sample created during the audit
What the audit date range means
The audit date range defines the time period being reviewed during the audit. It determines:
Which evidence is eligible for review
What evidence can be included in audit packages
Key rule
Auditors can access only evidence dated within the audit date range.
If evidence falls outside this range, auditors won’t see it—unless the date range is updated.
What evidence sampling means
Within the audit date range, auditors select specific dates to pull evidence. This process is called evidence sampling.
When an auditor creates a sample:
Drata generates an evidence package as a snapshot
The snapshot includes all mapped evidence available at the time the sample is created
If evidence changes after sampling, it won’t appear automatically.
Note: In Download‑only audits the customer may pick sample dates themselves.
Common scenarios and how to fix them
Auditor reports missing or blank evidence
First, check the sampled date:
If the auditor sampled a future date, no automated test evidence will exist yet
Automated tests generate evidence only for current or past dates
What to do
Confirm the sampled date is not in the future
Ask the auditor to re-sample after the date has passed
New evidence uploaded outside the audit date range
If you upload or update evidence outside the original audit date range, auditors won’t see it automatically.
What to do
Update the audit date range to include the new evidence date
Notify the auditor that the range has been updated
The auditor must re-sample the evidence package
Example
Original audit date range: July 1, 2023 – December 3, 2023
New evidence uploaded: April 10, 2024
Result:
The auditor won’t see the April 10 evidence
To resolve this:
Update the audit date range to include April 10, 2024
Ask the auditor to re-sample the evidence package
Updating the audit date range
You can update the audit date range if the audit scope changes or new evidence needs to be reviewed.
Open the Audit page.
Select the edit icon next to the audit period.
Update the start or end date as needed.
Save your changes.
Important: Updating the audit date range does not automatically update existing evidence samples. Auditors must re-sample to pull new evidence.
Why this matters
Understanding audit date ranges and evidence sampling helps you:
Avoid “missing evidence” confusion
Prevent delays during audits
Ensure auditors review the correct data
Reduce back-and-forth with auditors and support