Overview

Accounting Seed uses Salesforce's native Field History Tracking to log changes made to the record fields you choose to monitor, so you can see who changed a tracked value, when, and what it changed from and to. This article explains how to turn on tracking for the fields you want to audit and how to review that history on a record, including the difference between header-level and line-level changes. The steps below use Purchase Order as an example, but they work the same way on any Accounting Seed or Salesforce object, such as Cash Receipt.

In this article

• Header Records vs. Line Records
• Before You Begin
• Step 1: Enable Field History Tracking
• Step 2: Select Fields to Track
• Step 3: View Field History on a Record
• Best Practices
• Frequently Asked Questions

Header Records vs. Line Records

Which object you track depends on what you want to audit.

What you want to audit	Object to track	Example fields
Status changes, approvals, vendor, or other high-level edits	Header object (for example, Purchase Order)	Status, Vendor
Quantity, price, or other line-level edits	Line object (for example, Purchase Order Line)	Quantity, Unit Price, Product

Before You Begin

• You need Setup access, specifically Customize Application permission, to enable Field History Tracking. Viewing history on a record (Step 3) doesn't require Setup access. Any user with access to the record and field-level read access to a tracked field can see its history.
• Field History Tracking is not retroactive. Only changes made after you enable tracking on a field are logged; changes made before enablement are not captured.
• Salesforce allows tracking on a maximum of 20 fields per object. Decide which fields matter most for your audit and compliance needs before you begin. A field that isn't selected has no change history if it's edited later.
• Confirm the history related list is on the record's page layout before you begin. If it isn't, a Salesforce Administrator needs to add it first. See Step 3 for details.

Step 1: Enable Field History Tracking

These steps work the same way on any object. This example uses Purchase Order; the same steps also work on Cash Receipt.

1. Click the Gear icon (top right) and select Setup.
2. Click the Object Manager tab.
3. In the Quick Find search box, enter the name of the object you want to track, such as Purchase Order, and click the object hyperlink.
4. Click Edit.
5. Scroll to the Optional Features section and select the checkbox for Track Field History.
6. Click Save.

Step 2: Select Fields to Track

1. In the left sidebar, click Fields & Relationships.
2. Click Set History Tracking.
3. Under Track old and new values, select the checkbox next to each field you want to track, such as Status and Vendor. Salesforce allows up to 20 fields per object. Formula, roll-up summary, and auto-number fields can't be tracked and won't appear in this list.
4. Click Save.
5. To track line-level changes such as Quantity and Unit Price, repeat both Step 1 (Enable Field History Tracking) and Step 2 (this step) on the Purchase Order Line object.

Step 3: View Field History on a Record

1. Navigate to the record you want to audit, such as a specific Purchase Order.
2. Click the Related tab and locate the Review History related list.
3. Review the Date, User, Field, Old Value, and New Value columns for each tracked change. For fields tracked under Track changes only, the Old Value and New Value columns are blank; only Date, User, and Field are populated.

Best Practices

• Enable tracking before go-live or before a process change so changes are captured from day one.
• Track both header and line objects for other transactional records, such as Cash Receipt, Payable, and Journal Entry, and their corresponding line objects.
• Prioritize high-impact fields. With the 20-field limit, focus on the fields most relevant to your audits, such as Status, Amount, and Date fields.
• Add the Review History related list to page layouts so users and auditors can see the history without needing Setup access.
• Field History Tracking logs changes to field values, not the deletion of a record. If a record or line is deleted, its history is deleted with it. Restrict delete permissions on financial records accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

I enabled tracking but don't see any history on my records.

Field History Tracking is not retroactive, so only changes made after you enabled it are logged. Make a test edit to confirm tracking is working, verify the Review History related list has been added to the Related tab on your page layout, and confirm you have field-level read access to the field in question.

Can I track more than 20 fields on one object?

Not with standard Field History Tracking. This is a Salesforce platform limit. Salesforce Shield Field Audit Trail, a separately licensed add-on, raises the limit to 60 fields per object and extends retention beyond the standard window. Ask your Salesforce Administrator whether Field Audit Trail is available in your org.

Should I track the header object, the line object, or both?

It depends on what you need to audit. Track the header object to see changes like approvals or status updates. Track the line object to see changes to quantities or prices. For full coverage, enable tracking on both.

Why don't I see an entry for a Purchase Order Line that was deleted entirely?

Field History Tracking only logs changes to field values on records that still exist. It doesn't log the deletion of a record. If a line item is missing, ask your Salesforce Administrator to check the Recycle Bin or the Setup Audit Trail for the deletion event.

Related Articles

• Enable/Disable Field History Tracking and Allow Activities

Return to top