---
title: "Create a server audit & database audit specification"
description: Learn to create a SQL Server audit and a database audit specification by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL (T-SQL).
ms.custom: seo-lt-2019
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: security
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: security
ms.topic: conceptual
f1_keywords:
- "sql13.swb.sqlaudit.dbaudit.general.f1"
helpviewer_keywords:
- "audits [SQL Server], creating database specification"
- "database audit [SQL Server]"
ms.assetid: 26ee85de-6e97-4318-b526-900924d96e62
author: VanMSFT
ms.author: vanto
---
# Create a server audit and database audit specification
[!INCLUDE [SQL Server](../../../includes/applies-to-version/sqlserver.md)]
This article describes how to create a server audit and a database audit specification in [!INCLUDE[ssnoversion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] by using [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../../includes/tsql-md.md)].
Auditing an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] or a [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] database involves tracking and logging events that occur on the system. The *SQL Server Audit* object collects a single instance of server-level or database-level actions and groups of actions to monitor. The audit is at the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] instance level. You can have multiple audits per [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] instance. The *Database-Level Audit Specification* object belongs to an audit. You can create one database audit specification per SQL Server database per audit. For more information, see [SQL Server audit (Database Engine)](../../../relational-databases/security/auditing/sql-server-audit-database-engine.md).
## Before you begin
### Limitations and restrictions
Database audit specifications are non-securable objects that reside in a given database. When a database audit specification is created, it's in a disabled state.
When you're creating or modifying a database audit specification in a user database, don't include audit actions on server-scope objects, like the system views. If you include server-scoped objects, the audit will be created. But the server-scoped objects won't be included, and no error will return. To audit server-scoped objects, use a database audit specification in the master database.
Database audit specifications reside in the database where they're created, except for the **TempDB** system database.
### Security
#### Permissions
- Users who have the ALTER ANY DATABASE AUDIT permission can create database audit specifications and bind them to any audit.
- After a database audit specification is created, principals who have CONTROL SERVER or ALTER ANY DATABASE AUDIT permissions can view it. The sysadmin account can also view it.
## Using SQL Server Management Studio
#### To create a server audit
1. In Object Explorer, expand the **Security** folder.
2. Right-click the **Audits** folder and select **New Audit**. For more information, see [Create a server audit and server audit specification](../../../relational-databases/security/auditing/create-a-server-audit-and-server-audit-specification.md).
3. When you finish selecting options, select **OK**.
#### To create a database-level audit specification
1. In Object Explorer, expand the database where you want to create the audit specification.
2. Expand the **Security** folder.
3. Right-click the **Database Audit Specifications** folder and select **New Database Audit Specification**.
These options are available in the **Create Database Audit Specification** dialog box:
**Name**
The name of the database audit specification. A name is generated automatically when you create a server audit specification. The name is editable.
**Audit**
The name of an existing server audit object. Either type in the name of the audit or select it from the list.
**Audit Action Type**
Specifies the database-level audit action groups and audit actions to capture. For a list of database-level audit action groups and audit actions and descriptions of the events they contain, see [SQL Server audit action groups and actions](../../../relational-databases/security/auditing/sql-server-audit-action-groups-and-actions.md).
**Object Schema**
Displays the schema for the specified **Object Name**.
**Object Name**
The name of the object to audit. This option is available only for audit actions. It doesn't apply to audit groups.
**Ellipsis (...)**
Opens the **Select Objects** dialog box so you can browse for and select an available object, based on the specified **Audit Action Type**.
**Principal Name**
The account to filter the audit by for the object being audited.
**Ellipsis (...)**
Opens the **Select Objects** dialog box so you can browse for and select an available object, based on the specified **Object Name**.
4. When you finish selecting options, select **OK**.
## Using Transact-SQL
#### To create a server audit
1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../../includes/ssde-md.md)].
2. On the Standard bar, select **New Query**.
3. Paste the following example into the query window and then select **Execute**.
```
USE master ;
GO
-- Create the server audit.
CREATE SERVER AUDIT Payrole_Security_Audit
TO FILE ( FILEPATH =
'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA' ) ;
GO
-- Enable the server audit.
ALTER SERVER AUDIT Payrole_Security_Audit
WITH (STATE = ON) ;
```
#### To create a database-level audit specification
1. In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of [!INCLUDE[ssDE](../../../includes/ssde-md.md)].
2. On the Standard bar, select **New Query**.
3. Paste the following example into the query window and then select **Execute**. This example creates a database audit specification called `Audit_Pay_Tables`. It audits SELECT and INSERT statements by the `dbo` user for the `HumanResources.EmployeePayHistory` table, based on the server audit defined in the previous section.
```
USE AdventureWorks2012 ;
GO
-- Create the database audit specification.
CREATE DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION Audit_Pay_Tables
FOR SERVER AUDIT Payrole_Security_Audit
ADD (SELECT , INSERT
ON HumanResources.EmployeePayHistory BY dbo )
WITH (STATE = ON) ;
GO
```
For more information, see [CREATE SERVER AUDIT (Transact-SQL)](../../../t-sql/statements/create-server-audit-transact-sql.md) and [CREATE DATABASE AUDIT SPECIFICATION (Transact-SQL)](../../../t-sql/statements/create-database-audit-specification-transact-sql.md).