How to enable field history tracking on Salesforce

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Field history tracking in Salesforce allows you to monitor changes to specific fields on standard and custom objects. Enable it through Setup by navigating to Object Manager, selecting your object, and configuring Set History Tracking with up to 20 fields per object.

Try Salesforce Full Salesforce Review

Prerequisites

System Administrator or equivalent permissions
Access to Setup menu in Salesforce
Understanding of object and field structure
Knowledge of which fields need tracking

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access Salesforce Setup

Log into your Salesforce org and click the Setup gear icon in the top-right corner. Select Setup from the dropdown menu to access the administration interface.

Ensure you have System Administrator permissions before proceeding

Navigate to Object Manager

In the Setup menu, locate and click on Object Manager in the left navigation panel. This will display a list of all standard and custom objects in your org.

Select the Target Object

Find and click on the object for which you want to enable field history tracking (e.g., Account, Contact, Opportunity, or a custom object). This will open the object's detail page with various configuration options.

Use the search box to quickly find specific objects in large orgs

Access Set History Tracking

On the object detail page, scroll down to find the Features section in the left sidebar. Click on Set History Tracking to open the field history tracking configuration page.

Enable History Tracking

On the Set History Tracking page, check the Enable [Object Name] History checkbox at the top of the page. This activates history tracking for the entire object and reveals the field selection options below.

Remember that enabling history tracking will consume additional storage space

Select Fields to Track

Review the list of available fields and check the boxes next to the fields you want to track. You can select up to 20 fields per object. Consider tracking critical fields like:

Amount (for Opportunities)
Stage (for Opportunities)
Status fields
Owner changes
Key custom fields

Prioritize fields that change frequently and are business-critical

Save Configuration

After selecting your desired fields, click the Save button at the bottom of the page. Salesforce will process your changes and display a confirmation message when field history tracking is successfully enabled.

History tracking only captures changes made after enabling - it's not retroactive

Verify History Tracking

Navigate to a record of the object you configured and make a test change to one of the tracked fields. Save the record, then scroll down to find the [Object Name] History related list to verify that the change was captured with timestamp, field name, old value, new value, and user information.

Add the History related list to page layouts if it's not visible by default

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Set History Tracking option is missing

Verify you have System Administrator or Customize Application permissions. Some standard objects may not support history tracking, and the feature might be restricted in certain Salesforce editions.

Cannot select more than 20 fields

Salesforce limits field history tracking to 20 fields per object. Prioritize the most critical fields or consider using Audit Trail or Event Monitoring for comprehensive tracking needs.

History related list not showing on record pages

Edit the page layout for the object and add the [Object] History related list. Go to Setup > Object Manager > [Object] > Page Layouts and drag the History related list to the desired section.

No historical data showing for existing records

Field history tracking is not retroactive - it only captures changes made after enabling the feature. Historical changes made before activation will not be visible in the history tracking.

Prices mentioned in this guide are pulled from current plan data and may change. Always verify on the official Salesforce website before purchasing.

Visit Salesforce View Salesforce Pricing