diff --git a/app/Enums/ActionType.php b/app/Enums/ActionType.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6798a6b78eee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Enums/ActionType.php
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Enums;
+enum ActionType: string
+{
+    // General
+    case Create = 'create';
+    case Update = 'update';
+    case Delete = 'delete';
+    case Restore = 'restore';
+
+    // Assets/Accessories/Components/Licenses/Consumables
+    case Checkout = 'checkout';
+    case CheckinFrom = 'checkin from';
+    case Requested = 'requested';
+    case RequestCanceled = 'request canceled';
+    case Accepted = 'accepted';
+    case Declined = 'declined';
+    case Audit = 'audit';
+    case NoteAdded = 'note added';
+
+    // Users
+    case TwoFactorReset = '2FA reset';
+    case Merged = 'merged';
+
+    // Licenses
+    case DeleteSeats = 'delete seats';
+    case AddSeats = 'add seats';
+
+    // File Uploads
+    case Uploaded = 'uploaded';
+    case UploadDeleted = 'upload deleted';
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/LocationsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/LocationsController.php
index 3457e115f921..eacf8d149ec8 100755
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/LocationsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/LocationsController.php
@@ -335,13 +335,7 @@ public function postRestore($id) : RedirectResponse
             }
 
             if ($location->restore()) {
-                $logaction = new Actionlog();
-                $logaction->item_type = Location::class;
-                $logaction->item_id = $location->id;
-                $logaction->created_at = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
-                $logaction->created_by = auth()->id();
-                $logaction->logaction('restore');
-
+                //Note - the LogsChanges trait on Locations will automatically do a 'restore' action in the action_log when this fires
                 return redirect()->route('locations.index')->with('success', trans('admin/locations/message.restore.success'));
             }
 
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/ViewAssetsController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/ViewAssetsController.php
index 2b767650ade3..06a9d0ce4182 100755
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/ViewAssetsController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/ViewAssetsController.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use App\Actions\CheckoutRequests\CancelCheckoutRequestAction;
 use App\Actions\CheckoutRequests\CreateCheckoutRequestAction;
+use App\Enums\ActionType;
 use App\Exceptions\AssetNotRequestable;
 use App\Models\Actionlog;
 use App\Models\Asset;
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ public function getRequestItem(Request $request, $itemType, $itemId = null, $can
         if (($item_request = $item->isRequestedBy($user)) || $cancel_by_admin) {
             $item->cancelRequest($requestingUser);
             $data['item_quantity'] = ($item_request) ? $item_request->qty : 1;
-            $logaction->logaction('request_canceled');
+            $logaction->logaction(ActionType::RequestCanceled);
 
             if (($settings->alert_email != '') && ($settings->alerts_enabled == '1') && (! config('app.lock_passwords'))) {
                 $settings->notify(new RequestAssetCancelation($data));
diff --git a/app/Models/Actionlog.php b/app/Models/Actionlog.php
index 786246778cd6..4a12835a9df2 100755
--- a/app/Models/Actionlog.php
+++ b/app/Models/Actionlog.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\SoftDeletes;
 use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use App\Enums\ActionType;
 
 /**
  * Model for the Actionlog (the table that keeps a historical log of
@@ -335,9 +336,12 @@ public function get_src($type = 'assets', $fieldname = 'filename')
      * @since  [v3.0]
      * @return bool
      */
-    public function logaction($actiontype)
+    public function logaction(string|ActionType $actiontype)
     {
-        $this->action_type = $actiontype;
+        if (is_string($actiontype)) {
+            $actiontype = ActionType::from($actiontype);
+        }
+        $this->action_type = $actiontype->value;
         $this->remote_ip =  request()->ip();
         $this->user_agent = request()->header('User-Agent');
         $this->action_source = $this->determineActionSource();
diff --git a/app/Models/Category.php b/app/Models/Category.php
index c3b6080c1e97..aaaaeca9776f 100755
--- a/app/Models/Category.php
+++ b/app/Models/Category.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 use Watson\Validating\ValidatingTrait;
 use App\Helpers\Helper;
 use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 
 /**
  * Model for Categories. Categories are a higher-level group
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ class Category extends SnipeModel
     protected $presenter = \App\Presenters\CategoryPresenter::class;
     use Presentable;
     use SoftDeletes;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $table = 'categories';
     protected $hidden = ['created_by', 'deleted_at'];
diff --git a/app/Models/CustomField.php b/app/Models/CustomField.php
index 0e8845cfb39f..be6f02f719e0 100644
--- a/app/Models/CustomField.php
+++ b/app/Models/CustomField.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Models;
 
 use App\Http\Traits\UniqueUndeletedTrait;
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use EasySlugger\Utf8Slugger;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ class CustomField extends Model
     use HasFactory;
     use ValidatingTrait,
         UniqueUndeletedTrait;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     /**
      *
diff --git a/app/Models/CustomFieldset.php b/app/Models/CustomFieldset.php
index f27b8386479c..3396275ff506 100644
--- a/app/Models/CustomFieldset.php
+++ b/app/Models/CustomFieldset.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Rules\AlphaEncrypted;
 use App\Rules\BooleanEncrypted;
 use App\Rules\DateEncrypted;
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ class CustomFieldset extends Model
 {
     use HasFactory;
     use ValidatingTrait;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $guarded = ['id'];
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Department.php b/app/Models/Department.php
index 1569081fdd7b..e22da53a14bf 100644
--- a/app/Models/Department.php
+++ b/app/Models/Department.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 use App\Http\Traits\UniqueUndeletedTrait;
 use App\Models\Traits\CompanyableTrait;
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Watson\Validating\ValidatingTrait;
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ class Department extends SnipeModel
      */
     protected $injectUniqueIdentifier = true;
 
-    use ValidatingTrait, UniqueUndeletedTrait;
+    use ValidatingTrait, UniqueUndeletedTrait, LogsChanges;
 
     protected $casts = [
         'manager_id'   => 'integer',
diff --git a/app/Models/Depreciation.php b/app/Models/Depreciation.php
index 6e01c6d78221..7e57eb8df948 100755
--- a/app/Models/Depreciation.php
+++ b/app/Models/Depreciation.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use App\Presenters\Presentable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
 class Depreciation extends SnipeModel
 {
     use HasFactory;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $presenter = \App\Presenters\DepreciationPresenter::class;
     use Presentable;
diff --git a/app/Models/Group.php b/app/Models/Group.php
index 9f4f2e2e5677..947216a87229 100755
--- a/app/Models/Group.php
+++ b/app/Models/Group.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Watson\Validating\ValidatingTrait;
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 class Group extends SnipeModel
 {
     use HasFactory;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $table = 'permission_groups';
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Location.php b/app/Models/Location.php
index b8729a8e94ab..788fcbf3f0dd 100755
--- a/app/Models/Location.php
+++ b/app/Models/Location.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 use App\Models\Traits\CompanyableTrait;
 use App\Models\Traits\HasUploads;
 use App\Models\Traits\Loggable;
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use App\Presenters\Presentable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ class Location extends SnipeModel
 {
     use HasFactory;
     use CompanyableTrait;
-    use Loggable;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $presenter = \App\Presenters\LocationPresenter::class;
     use Presentable;
diff --git a/app/Models/Manufacturer.php b/app/Models/Manufacturer.php
index 6d7b0106778f..0e73853f1851 100755
--- a/app/Models/Manufacturer.php
+++ b/app/Models/Manufacturer.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use App\Presenters\Presentable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ class Manufacturer extends SnipeModel
     protected $presenter = \App\Presenters\ManufacturerPresenter::class;
     use Presentable;
     use SoftDeletes;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $table = 'manufacturers';
 
diff --git a/app/Models/PredefinedKit.php b/app/Models/PredefinedKit.php
index 2d0c87066e81..854a6577d99d 100644
--- a/app/Models/PredefinedKit.php
+++ b/app/Models/PredefinedKit.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use App\Presenters\Presentable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ class PredefinedKit extends SnipeModel
     protected $presenter = \App\Presenters\PredefinedKitPresenter::class;
     use HasFactory;
     use Presentable;
+    use LogsChanges;
     protected $table = 'kits';
 
     /**
diff --git a/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php b/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php
index 452bd029d7f0..16c0d07f4625 100644
--- a/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php
+++ b/app/Models/ReportTemplate.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ class ReportTemplate extends Model
     use HasFactory;
     use SoftDeletes;
     use ValidatingTrait;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $casts = [
         'options' => 'array',
diff --git a/app/Models/Setting.php b/app/Models/Setting.php
index 4b96230027cd..0b69e635fe6a 100755
--- a/app/Models/Setting.php
+++ b/app/Models/Setting.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use Carbon\Carbon;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@
 class Setting extends Model
 {
     use HasFactory;
-    use Notifiable, ValidatingTrait;
+    use Notifiable, ValidatingTrait, LogsChanges;
 
     /**
      * The cache property so that multiple invocations of this will only load the Settings record from disk only once
diff --git a/app/Models/Statuslabel.php b/app/Models/Statuslabel.php
index bd981d867a80..2dd7e753d341 100755
--- a/app/Models/Statuslabel.php
+++ b/app/Models/Statuslabel.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Models;
 
 use App\Http\Traits\UniqueUndeletedTrait;
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\SoftDeletes;
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ class Statuslabel extends SnipeModel
     use SoftDeletes;
     use ValidatingTrait;
     use UniqueUndeletedTrait;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $injectUniqueIdentifier = true;
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Supplier.php b/app/Models/Supplier.php
index 2c99330604e0..6ec14334303f 100755
--- a/app/Models/Supplier.php
+++ b/app/Models/Supplier.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Models;
 
 use App\Http\Traits\UniqueUndeletedTrait;
+use App\Models\Traits\LogsChanges;
 use App\Models\Traits\Searchable;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\SoftDeletes;
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ class Supplier extends SnipeModel
 {
     use HasFactory;
     use SoftDeletes;
+    use LogsChanges;
 
     protected $table = 'suppliers';
 
diff --git a/app/Models/Traits/LogsChanges.php b/app/Models/Traits/LogsChanges.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e46c8ae0e433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Models/Traits/LogsChanges.php
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Models\Traits;
+
+use App\Enums\ActionType;
+use App\Models\Actionlog;
+
+trait LogsChanges {
+
+    private ?ActionType $action_type = null;
+    private array $meta = [];
+    static function bootLogsChanges() {
+        static::creating(function ($model) {
+            \Log::error("CREATING!");
+            $model->action_type = ActionType::Create;
+        });
+
+        static::updating(function ($model) {
+            \Log::error("UPDATING!");
+            if(!$model->action_type) {
+                \Log::error("No action type - so definitely doing 'update'!");
+                $model->action_type = ActionType::Update;
+            }
+        });
+
+        // The Settings object does not use soft-deletes, so it has no 'restoring' method
+        // so to be generic, we just look for that method existing at all, and don't call
+        // it if it doesn't.
+        if (method_exists(self::class, 'restoring')) {
+            static::restoring(function ($model) {
+                $model->action_type = ActionType::Restore;
+            });
+        }
+
+        /* The main functionality is here: */
+        static::saving(function ($model) {
+            \Log::error("recording changes.......");
+            $model->record_changes();
+        });
+
+        static::saved(function ($model) {
+            \Log::error("SAVED!!!!");
+            $model->add_action_log();
+        });
+
+        static::deleted(function ($model) {
+            $model->action_type = ActionType::Delete;
+            $model->add_action_log();
+            \Log::error("deleted!!!!!!!!!!!");
+        });
+    }
+
+    function record_changes()
+    {
+        $changed = [];
+
+        // something here with custom fields is needed? or will getRawOriginal et al just do that for us?
+        foreach ($this->getRawOriginal() as $key => $value) { //on 'create' this doesn't write down the new attributes
+            if ($this->getRawOriginal()[$key] != $this->getAttributes()[$key]) {
+                $changed[$key]['old'] = $this->getRawOriginal()[$key];
+                $changed[$key]['new'] = $this->getAttributes()[$key];
+
+                if (property_exists($this, 'hidden') && in_array($key, $this->hidden)) {
+                    $changed[$key]['old'] = '*************'; //FIXME deleted_at is hidden?!
+                    $changed[$key]['new'] = '*************';
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        $this->meta = $changed;
+    }
+
+    function add_action_log()
+    {
+        if(!$this->action_type && !$this->meta) {
+            \Log::warning("No action type set, and no changes to record. Not logging.");
+            return;
+        }
+        if($this->action_type == ActionType::Update && !$this->meta) {
+            \Log::warning("An update with no actual changes to record. Not logging");
+            return;
+        }
+        $logAction = new Actionlog();
+        $logAction->action_type = $this->action_type->value;
+        $logAction->item()->associate($this);
+        $logAction->created_at = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
+        $logAction->action_date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s');
+        // target_id and target_type?
+        // need IP and user-agent!!!!!
+        $logAction->created_by = auth()->id();
+        $logAction->log_meta = $this->meta ? json_encode($this->meta) : null; // this gets weird on 'create'
+        if($logAction->save()) {
+            //success! Reset for more actions later...
+            $this->action_type = null;
+            $this->meta = [];
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/Presenters/ActionlogPresenter.php b/app/Presenters/ActionlogPresenter.php
index 0f82d1f66786..a2dc75113d43 100644
--- a/app/Presenters/ActionlogPresenter.php
+++ b/app/Presenters/ActionlogPresenter.php
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public function icon()
             return 'fa-solid fa-rotate-right';
         }
 
-        if ($this->action_type == 'note_added') {
+        if ($this->action_type == 'note added') {
             return 'fas fa-sticky-note';
         }
 
diff --git a/database/migrations/2025_10_22_144927_migrate_incorrect_action_types.php b/database/migrations/2025_10_22_144927_migrate_incorrect_action_types.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b27ed56ef39d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/migrations/2025_10_22_144927_migrate_incorrect_action_types.php
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Database\Schema\Blueprint;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    /**
+     * Run the migrations.
+     */
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+
+        /**
+         * We actually *do* have an index on action_type, so this query shouldn't take too terribly long. I don't know
+         * that we have a ton of people canceling requests (and only certain types of request-cancellation use this
+         * erroneous action_type), so I feel pretty comfortable with this fixup. Fingers crossed!
+         * */
+
+        DB::table('action_logs')->where('action_type', 'request_canceled')->update(['action_type' => 'request canceled']);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Reverse the migrations.
+     */
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        // no down migration for this one
+    }
+};
diff --git a/resources/views/partials/bootstrap-table.blade.php b/resources/views/partials/bootstrap-table.blade.php
index 2fb8edbb7225..1811d0f8fcf6 100644
--- a/resources/views/partials/bootstrap-table.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/partials/bootstrap-table.blade.php
@@ -1081,6 +1081,8 @@ function polymorphicItemFormatter(value) {
 
         var item_destination = '';
         var item_icon;
+        var full_url = '';
+        var url_name = '';
 
         if ((value) && (value.type)) {
 
@@ -1111,13 +1113,29 @@ function polymorphicItemFormatter(value) {
             } else if (value.type == 'model') {
                 item_destination = 'models'
                 item_icon = '';
+            } else if (value.type == 'category') {
+                item_destination = 'categories';
+            } else if (value.type == 'setting') {
+                full_url = 'admin';
+                url_name = '{{ trans('general.settings') }}';
+            } else if (value.type == 'customField' || value.type == 'customFieldset') {
+                full_url = 'fields';
+                url_name = '{{ trans('admin/custom_fields/general.custom_fields') }}'; //doesn't show META - FIXME!!!
+            } else if (value.type == 'predefinedKit') {
+                item_destination = 'kits';
+            } else if (value.type == 'reportTemplate') {
+                item_destination = 'reports/templates';
+            } else {
+                item_destination = value.type + 's'; //dumb pluralization
             }
 
             // display the username if it's checked out to a user, but don't do it if the username's there already
             if (value.username && !value.name.match('\\(') && !value.name.match('\\)')) {
                 value.name = value.name + ' (' + value.username + ')';
             }
-
+            if (full_url && url_name) { // TODO - I don't like how this looks/works
+                return '<nobr><a href="{{ config('app.url') }}/' + full_url + '" data-tooltip="true" title="' + value.type + '"><i class="' + item_icon + ' text-{{ $snipeSettings->skin!='' ? $snipeSettings->skin : 'blue' }} "></i>' + url_name + '</a></nobr>';
+            }
             return '<nobr><a href="{{ config('app.url') }}/' + item_destination +'/' + value.id + '" data-tooltip="true" title="' + value.type + '"><i class="' + item_icon + ' text-{{ $snipeSettings->skin!='' ? $snipeSettings->skin : 'blue' }} "></i> ' + value.name + '</a></nobr>';
 
         } else {