---
title: Log your own events
description: Record events from your own plugin or theme with pastmark_log_event().
url: "https://docs.prefixwp.com/docs/pastmark/pastmark-developers/log-your-own-events/"
updated: "2026-11-10"
category: Developers
---

# Log your own events

Developers can add their own events to the Pastmark log with one function. The events show in the log like normal Pastmark events.

## The function

```
pastmark_log_event( $event_type, $action, $args );
```

| Parameter | Required | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `$event_type` | Yes | The group of the event, for example `my_plugin_sync`. |
| `$action` | Yes | The action, for example `completed`. |
| `$args` | No | An array with more data. See below. |

The function returns the new event ID. It returns `false` if the event type or action is empty, if the site's exclusions block the event, or if saving fails.

## The $args array

| Key | What it is |
| --- | --- |
| `message` | The text shown in the log. |
| `object_type` | The type of the item, for example `sync_job`. |
| `object_id` | The ID of the item. |
| `severity` | `info`, `warning`, `error`, `critical` or `debug`. The default is `info`. |
| `context` | An array with any extra data. |
| `before_data` | The value before the change. |
| `after_data` | The value after the change. |
| `integration` | The source label. The default is `custom`. |
| `user_id` | The user who did it. The default is the current user. |

## Example

```
add_action( 'my_plugin_sync_done', function ( $count ) {
    if ( function_exists( 'pastmark_log_event' ) ) {
        pastmark_log_event( 'my_plugin_sync', 'completed', array(
            'message'  => sprintf( 'Synced %d records from Acme CRM.', $count ),
            'severity' => 'info',
            'context'  => array( 'records' => $count ),
        ) );
    }
} );
```

## Good to know

- Call the function on `init` or later. Pastmark adds it on the `plugins_loaded` hook, so it does not exist before that.
- Always check `function_exists( 'pastmark_log_event' )`. Then your code keeps working when Pastmark is not active.
- Your events follow the site's exclusions, for example excluded users and IP addresses.
- Your events are always recorded. They do not have an on/off switch in `User Activity → Events`.
- Pastmark hides passwords, tokens and keys in `context`, `before_data` and `after_data`. It does not change your `message`, so do not put secrets in the message.

## REST API

You can also add an event with a `POST` request to `/wp-json/pastmark/v1/logs`. The user must be able to manage options (an administrator).