IssueRegister: Free Desktop Tool for Organisational Issue Tracking

Direct download or GitHub folder with all the releases

If you manage compliance, risk, operations, or any function that involves tracking organisational issues, you know the challenge: problems get identified in meetings, logged in emails, tracked in spreadsheets — and then lost in the noise. When audit time comes, piecing together what happened, when, and who was responsible becomes a project of its own.

Spreadsheets work until they don't. Version control becomes impossible. Audit trails are non-existent. And getting a clear picture of what's actually open, overdue, or resolved requires manual effort every single time.

I built Issue Register to solve exactly this problem. It's a free, open-source desktop application that helps you track issues systematically without the complexity of enterprise software. It runs offline on your computer or company server, and your IT team can verify the code before deployment.

What Does This Tool Do?

Think of it as a specialised database designed specifically for organisational issue tracking. Instead of maintaining complex spreadsheets and trying to remember who owns what, you get:

• A complete register of all your issues with full lifecycle management
• Status workflow from Draft → Open → In Progress → Remediated → Closed
• Role-based access control so the right people can see and edit the right things
• File attachments linked directly to issues
• Dashboard analytics showing your issue landscape at a glance
• Complete audit trail of every change for compliance
• Excel exports for reporting and backup
• Team collaboration via shared database

Everything runs on your own computer. No cloud services, no subscriptions, no data leaving your organisation.

Who Built This and Why Share It for Free?

I am a Risk Manager working in Luxembourg's financial sector with no coding background. IddiLabs is not a software company, not a VAT registered individual, not a team of developers — it is my AI Learning Project.

I believe we're at the beginning of a shift where domain expertise becomes the differentiator as technical implementation becomes increasingly automated. A risk manager who effectively uses AI will be more valuable than one who does not.

I'm sharing projects, AI workflows, and guides publicly for my upskilling and career development.

Important: Understanding This Tool

Before you download and start using this application, let's be clear about what it is and what it isn't.

What This Tool Is:

• A desktop application that helps you track organisational issues more effectively than spreadsheets
• A system with proper workflow states, ownership tracking, and audit logging
• A free, open-source project built by someone who works in risk/compliance and understands the pain points

What This Tool Isn't:

• An enterprise software solution with SOC 1 or SOC 2 certification
• A product from a registered software company with formal support contracts
• A replacement for your official compliance processes

Practical Usage Recommendations:

Use this tool internally as your working environment — the place where you:

• Track issues across departments
• Assign ownership and due dates
• Monitor progress and overdue items
• Maintain a complete audit trail
• Generate reports for management

When dealing with external parties (regulators, auditors, external consultants):

• Export the data to Excel
• Share these professional-looking reports
• Treat the application as your internal tracking tool, not as your system of record

Think of it this way: you wouldn't show auditors your messy tracking spreadsheet with all your notes and draft calculations. You'd clean up the data and present it professionally. This tool helps you do exactly that — organise everything internally, then export polished reports for external use.

About Compliance and Certification:

This application is not certified for any compliance framework. It's an offline tool that never sends your data anywhere, never connects to the cloud, and stores everything locally. While it follows security best practices (password hashing with bcrypt, role-based access controls, database integrity), it hasn't undergone formal certification processes (SOC1/SOC2).

If auditors or regulators ask about your tracking tools, focus the conversation on the outputs (the Excel exports and audit logs) rather than the application itself. The tool is simply how you organise the data before creating those reports.

Installing the Application

For Windows Users

1. Download the installer

• Get the file named IssueRegister.exe
• It's a single executable — no installation required
• Direct download or GitHub folder with all the releases

2. Run the application

• Double-click the downloaded file
• Windows might show a security warning saying "Windows protected your PC"
• This is normal for free software that hasn't been code-signed
• Click "More info" then "Run anyway"

3. First launch setup

• The application will ask you to select or create a database location
• Choose where to store your data (your Documents folder works fine for personal use)
• For team use, select a shared network folder

4. Start tracking

• Log in with default credentials (username: admin, password: admin)
• Important: Change these credentials immediately in Settings

Getting Started: Your First Issue

When you first open the application, you'll see a clean interface with three main areas:

The Issue Register

This is your main workspace — a table showing all your issues. Key columns include:

• ID — Unique reference number
• Title — Brief description of the issue
• Status — Draft, Open, In Progress, Remediated, or Closed
• Topic — Category for grouping related issues
• Owner — Person responsible for resolution
• Risk Level — None, Low, Medium, or High
• Due Date — Target resolution date

Double-click any row to see full details and make edits.

Adding a New Issue

Click the "+" button to create a new issue. The form guides you through the key information:

• Title and Description — What's the issue?
• Identification Details — Who found it, when, in which department?
• Ownership — Who's responsible for fixing it?
• Risk Assessment — How serious is this?
• Timeline — Due date and follow-up schedule
• Supporting Documents — Attach relevant files

You can save partially complete issues as drafts. The system tracks what's missing and lets you come back later.

Understanding the Dashboard

The Dashboard tab gives you an instant overview:

KPI Cards showing:

• Total issues in the system
• Active issues (Open + In Progress + Remediated)
• High priority items requiring attention
• Overdue issues past their due date
• Overall resolution rate

Visual Charts including:

• Status distribution (how many in each state)
• Risk level breakdown
• Issues by department
• Issues by topic
• Progress indicators

All these numbers update automatically as you add and edit issues. No manual calculations needed.

Key Features Explained

Issue Lifecycle Management

The tool enforces a clear workflow:

Draft → Open → In Progress → Remediated → Closed

• Draft: Issue created but not yet submitted (useful for preparation)
• Open: Formally submitted and acknowledged, awaiting action
• In Progress: Active remediation work underway
• Remediated: Corrective actions completed, awaiting review
• Closed: Issue resolved and verified

Status transitions can be controlled by role — for example, only administrators can move issues to Closed.

Role-Based Access Control

Four user roles with different permissions:

• Administrator: Full access to everything including user management
• Editor: Can create and modify issues, optionally restricted by department
• Restricted: Limited to assigned departments, can update status but not create new issues
• Viewer: Read-only access for monitoring and reporting

This means you can give department heads full access to their area while limiting visibility elsewhere.

File Attachments

Attach supporting documents directly to issues:

• Add evidence, reports, screenshots, or any relevant files
• Files are stored locally alongside your database
• Open attachments directly from the issue detail view
• Soft delete with recovery option

Complete Audit Trail

Every significant action is logged:

• Issue created, updated, deleted
• Status changes
• User logins and logouts
• Settings modifications
• Who did what, and when

Audit logs cannot be modified or deleted — only exported. Perfect for compliance requirements.

Filtering and Search

Need to find all high-risk issues? All items owned by a specific person? Everything due this month?

Use the collapsible filter panel to combine multiple criteria:

• Filter by status, owner, department, risk level
• Date range filtering for identification and due dates
• Multiple selections within each filter (OR logic)
• Combined filters (AND logic between categories)

Your search terms get highlighted in the results.

Export Capabilities

Generate professional reports:

• Excel exports — Full issue list with all details
• Audit log exports — Complete change history
• User list exports — Current access roster

All exports respect your current filters, so you can create targeted reports for specific departments or time periods.

Setting Up for Team Use

One of the most powerful features is multi-user access. Here's how to set it up:

The Concept

The application stores all data in a single SQLite database file. By default, this file lives on your computer and only you can access it. But you can place that database on a shared network location so multiple people can access the same data.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Prepare a shared network folder

• Your IT department should create a folder on your network (like \\CompanyServer\IssueRegister\)
• Make sure all team members have read/write access to this folder

2. Configure the first user (Admin setup)

• Launch the application
• When prompted for database location, select "Create New Database"
• Navigate to the shared network folder
• Create the database there

3. Configure additional users

• Each team member launches the application on their computer
• When prompted, they select "Open Existing Database"
• They browse to the same network path
• They connect to the shared database

Now everyone is working with the same issue register. Changes made by one person appear for everyone else.

Adding User Accounts

Once team access is configured:

1. Log in as administrator
2. Go to Settings → User Management
3. Enable authentication (this activates login requirements)
4. Create accounts for team members with appropriate roles
5. Assign department restrictions if needed

Important Notes for Teams

• User Management: Only administrators can create/modify accounts
• Database Design: Suitable for teams up to 10 concurrent users
• Changes Save Immediately: No sync button to remember
• Network Required: Users need access to the shared folder to use the application

Protecting Your Data

Creating a Backup

Regular backups are essential:

1. Go to Settings → Data Management
2. Click "Export Backup"
3. Choose where to save (USB drive, external hard drive, secure location)
4. The export creates an Excel file with all your issues

Restoring from Backup

If something goes wrong:

1. Go to Settings → Data Management
2. Click "Import Backup" (Administrator only)
3. Select your backup file
4. Confirm the restore

Warning: Importing overwrites existing data.

Backup Best Practices

• Regular schedule: Create backups weekly, or before major changes
• Multiple locations: Keep backups in different places
• Test restores: Occasionally verify your backups work
• Before updates: Always backup before updating to a new version

Understanding the Interface

The Header

Shows:

• Current view (Register, Dashboard, Settings)
• Your username and role (if authentication is enabled)
• Logout button

The Main Views

Issue Register: Your working view. Filter, search, add, edit, or delete issues here.

Dashboard: Analytics and status overview. Great for management reporting and spotting trends.

Settings: Configure database location, manage users, export data, and configure authentication.

Tips for Daily Use

Starting Your Day

1. Open the Dashboard to see any overdue items
2. Check high-priority issues requiring attention
3. Review your assigned issues in the Register

Processing a New Issue

1. Click "+" to add a new issue
2. Fill in what you know — title, description, who identified it
3. Assign an owner and due date
4. Set risk level based on impact
5. Attach any supporting documents
6. Save and set status to Open when ready

Regular Maintenance

• Weekly: Review and update issue statuses
• Monthly: Export a backup, review dashboard metrics
• Quarterly: Clean up resolved issues, review access permissions
• Before Audits: Export full register and audit log

Common Questions

Do I need to be online to use this? No. The application works completely offline. Your data stays on your computer (or your company's network if you're using team access).

What if I delete an issue by mistake? Deleted issues are logged in the audit trail. You can restore from a backup if you have one.

Can I import data from Excel? Yes, administrators can use the bulk import feature. There's a downloadable template to ensure correct formatting.

What happens to my data when I uninstall? The database file remains where you saved it, even after removing the application. To completely remove your data, delete the database file manually.

Is my data secure? Your data never leaves your organisation. The application doesn't connect to the internet or send data anywhere. Password hashing uses bcrypt, and role-based access controls who can see and edit what.

What if I find a bug or need help? The project is open source on GitHub. You can report issues there, check the documentation, or contact me directly.

System Requirements

Windows:

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
• 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended)
• 100MB free disk space
• Network access (only for multi-user setup)

Final Thoughts

Issue tracking doesn't have to be complicated. This tool handles the workflow, permissions, and audit trail so you can focus on actually resolving problems.

It's designed to grow with your needs:

• Start simple with just yourself
• Add team access when you need it
• Enable authentication for access control
• Export data for reporting and compliance

The best part? It's completely free and open source. No licensing fees, no per-user costs, no surprise charges.

Download it, try it out, and see if it makes your issue tracking a little bit easier.

License: MIT (Free for commercial and personal use)

Built by a compliance professional, for compliance professionals. Questions? Issues? Suggestions? Send me an email to contact@iddi-labs.com or contact me on LinkedIn.