Debugging Tools in Salesforce
1. View Setup Audit Trail is used to view list of configuration changes. It is
available in Security Controls menu in the Setup area. Examples of audit
trail are creation of object, adding a new field, changing field type or
setting up a new approval process. By default 20 last configuration changes
are displayed. Changes made in last 180 days can be exported into a csv
file.
2. Field history tracking can be enabled at object level at the time of creation
of objects. Upto 20 fields can be tracked for one object. As an example, any
changes in field values are stored as part of Field history tracking. During
Field history tracking, Time of change, user who made the change, prior
value and new values are stored. For data types Picklist and text area
(long), previous and new values are not saved.
In the Custom Fields and Relationship area of Object configuration, “Set
History Tracking”, is used to enable field level tracking. Review History
related list can then be added to page layout to view changes to fields.
3. Force.com platform provides three main mechanisms for debugging errors.
A. Field history allows developers to track changes to field values of
upto 20 fields for any object.
B. Debug Logs is a persistent store in which logs are stored for
transactions performed by upto 20 users.
C. System Logs allows developers to run apex commands and view the
logs
D. Setup Audit trail allows developers to view all configuration changes
(example creation of object, changing field type, creating a workflow
etc.) made in last 180 days.
4. Setup Audit Trail of Salesforce is used to track configuration changes made.
Example of configuration changes are date of change, description of the
change, user who made the change. Twenty most recent changes are
displayed in the audit trail. Last 180 days changes can be exported into a
csv file. View Setup Audit Trail feature is available via the Security Control
menu.
5. There is a link to System Log at the upper right corner of the page. System
Log allows developers to enter Apex code and see the results of running
this code. System Log display information about workflow rules, validation
rules, debugging information and resource utilization.
6. To control quantum of logging, system log takes two parameters Log
category and Log level. Log categories can take the following values –
o None
o Database
o Workflow
o Validation
o Callout
o Apex code
o Apex profiling
Log level indicates level of detail in the message. It takes the following values
o None
o Error
o Warn
o Info
o Debug
o Fine
o Finer
o Finest
7. Debug log is an organization-wide persistent log. It can store debug log for
transactions performed by specific users. Logs for upto 20 users can be
persisted. Debug Log is available via the Monitoring menu.
8. Salesforce supports history tracking on change in values of fields. This can
be enabled for upto 20 fields in an object. In Custom Fields and
Relationship, set history tracking is enabled for a set of fields. Review
history can be added to page layout. Information stored include – changes
to field values, time of change, user who changed the field. Old and new
values of fields are not stored for multi-select picklist and long text area.
