Adding History Log Fields

History Log fields allow users to track field-level changes for individual records in applications.

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Task 1: Create the field

  1. From your application, go to Designer tab > Layout tab > Objects panel > click Add new.
  2. Select a field type from the drop-down list, enter a name for the field, and click OK.

    3. Field name guidelines:

    • If possible, keep names under 20 characters. For example, use Description instead of Description of the Asset.
    • Capitalize the first letter of each word in the field name. For example, use Predicted Impact instead of Predicted impact.
    • Avoid redundant wording in field names. For example, using the word Asset is unnecessary in the following series of fields: Asset Name, Asset Type and Asset Value.
    • Use noun-based field names whenever possible. Avoid verb-based field names, for example, Set Asset Name.
    • Do not use the names: Version, Level ID, or Content ID for fields that you add to an application or questionnaire. Field do not display properly with these names.
  3. In the General Information section, enter a description.

    4. Note: When you save the field, the system strips any HTML tags <xml>, <form>, <textarea>, <option>, <select>, <meta>, and <body> that you may have inserted in the description because they may constitute vulnerabilities in the system. The following example shows how you can correct the cascading style sheet (CSS) syntax for the <body> tag so that it will function correctly:

    <html>
    <head>
    <style type="text/css">.c0 { font-family: 'Arial' } .c1 { margin: 0px; background-color: #ffe4e1 } </style>
    </head>
    <body class="c0">
    <p class="c1">This is a text field.</p>
    </body>
    </html>

    Note: Do not use absolute positioning in HTML content.

Task 2: Determine how the field displays

In the Display Control section, select how you want the field to display in the record.

Option

Description

Grid

Displays historical information in a fixed-width table.

Link

Generates a hyperlink for displaying historical information in a separate window.

Task 3: Configure options

In the Options section, select all of the following options that apply to this field.

Option

Description

Make this a searchable field

Makes this field available for display in all search results.

Display this field in global search results

Makes this field available for display in global search results. This option is only available if this field is set as searchable.

Enable keyword searching into contents of the history log field

Allows users to use this field in a keyword search to find documents attached to the field.

File types supported for document searching include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PDF, Text, and .CSV. If a user does not have access to the field but the field is configured to allow keyword searching, the field is still searched but not included in the search results.

When an attachment field is encrypted, keyword search is not supported.

Display only user driven history log entries

Determines whether to include only the activity entered by a user when a field is added or updated.

History is displayed for general, administrator, and data feed users.

Task 4: Set configuration options

In the Configuration section, set the following options:

Option

Description

Enable signature auditing in the history log field

Allows users to track content record signatures using Advanced Workflow.

For more information on configuring electronic signatures, see Building Advanced Workflows.

Enable Advanced Workflow auditing in the history log field

Records Advanced Workflow field values in the History Log according to the retention policy configured in the Advanced Workflow designer.

You can set the retention policy for Advanced Workflow auditing in the Workflow Designer. For more information, see Building Advanced Workflows.

If this option is selected, but Enable Workflow Auditing in the Advanced Workflow builder is not selected, the History Log field does not display advanced workflow audit information.

Enable field value change auditing in the history log field

Allows users to track field value changes.

Select options to set the number of days or entries to retain historical data and the fields to track.

Option

Description

Retention Policy

The Retention Policy specifies whether the history log field is retained for a specified number of days or entries.

  • By Days. Enter the number of days that the history log tracks and retains the fields.
  • By Entries. Enter the number of entries that the history log tracks and retains the fields.

A history log field is also created when a work flow is created. By default, this field is configured to retain all history for all fields indefinitely.

As records move through content review stages, a detailed history of all content modifications is electronically maintained by person, date and time. If this history log is configured to purge its contents, the work flow information could be lost along with other historical information. An application can include other history log fields.

If an application has multiple history log fields, the history log with the longest retention period takes precedent over the other. For example:

The following table describes a scenario in which both history log fields are configured by days.

Scenario 1

History log fields 1 and 2 are both configured by days.

1 has a retention period of 7 days.

2 has a retention period of 14 days.

Results

Records are retained 14 days.

 

The following table describes a scenario in which both history log fields are configured by entries.

Scenario 2

History log fields 1 and 2 are both configured by entries.

1 has a retention period of 10 entries.

2 has a retention period of 20 entries.

Results

The 20 most recent entries are retained.

 

The following table describes a scenario in which one history log field is configured by days and the other history log field is configured by entries.

Scenario 3

History log field 1 is configured by days and History log field 2 is configured by entries.

1 has a retention period of 7 days.

2 has a retention period of 20 entries.

Results

The 20 most recent records are retained regardless of their age, and all entries younger than 7 days are retained regardless of the count.

Field Tracking

Determines which fields are tracked for history logging:

  • All. Select this option for the history log to track all fields in the application. In addition to all current fields, the history log automatically includes fields added in the future to the tracked fields list.
  • Selected. Select this option to specify one or more fields for the history log to track. To include a field, click the field from the Available list. You must select at least one field for the history log to track.

When you enable Field Tracking, the Selected option is selected by default and automatically populates the Selected field pane with your application key field.

After selecting the field, specify which format edits to the field are displayed in detail, record version, or both.

To move the fields in the order you want the fields displayed, use up and down arrows at the bottom of the Selected list.

The following list provides a set of field types that the history log cannot include.

  • Cross-Application Status Tracking
  • First Published Date
  • Last Updated Date
  • Multiple Reference Display Control
  • Record Status
  • Scheduler
  • Sub-Form
  • Tracking ID
  • Voting
  • Record Permissions configured with the Inherited Permissions option
  • "Other Text" values associated with a Values List field

Task 5: Configure help text

Field-level help provides additional guidelines and instructions to ensure users enter appropriate information in the field. This Help text displays for users when they add, edit, and view records in the application where the field resides.

Consider the following general guidelines when writing field-level Help:

  • Use short, concise instructions that direct the user to take a specific action. For example, "Enter your name" is preferable to "This field is used to enter your name."
  • Use complete sentences whenever possible.
  • Avoid jargon (unless terms are critical and are familiar to your users).
  • Consider the technical aptitude of your audience, and author your help text at a corresponding level.
  • Use “you” and “your” as if you are speaking directly to the user.
  • Consider posing Help text in the form of a question, for example, "What is your level of interest?"

In the Help text section, do the following:

  1. Select a display option for both edit and view modes.
    2. Option

    Description

    None

    Help text does not display.

    Tooltip Icon

    Help icon displays beside the field in edit and view modes. Click this icon to display the field Help. The application dynamically sizes of the Help box based on the number of characters in the text.

    Field information on help icon hover

    Below

    Help displays below the field in edit and view modes.

    Field information below field

  2. If you are using help text, use the Rich Text Editor to format the text as needed.

Task 6: Configure field access

Access rights determine whether all users or only select users or groups have access to the field.

In the Access section, do the following:

  1. Select Public or Private.

    2. Note: Key fields must be public.

  2. If you selected Private, maximize the pane and click Add to select the users and groups to whom you want to grant access.