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How to Track Salesforce Changes with the Setup Audit Trail

June 3, 2025

“Who broke Salesforce?” A rogue validation rule tanks your flow, or a new required field sparks errors, and no one’s owning up. These glitches can disrupt your Salesforce Sales Cloud or Service Cloud operations. The Salesforce Setup Audit Trail is your tool to track changes and catch the culprit. At Cloud Connects, our remote-first team simplifies Salesforce complexity, and here’s how you can use the Audit Trail in three steps. Watch our tutorial to see it in action:

Why Track Salesforce Changes?

Untracked changes—like new validation rules or required fields—can break processes, frustrate users, and shake confidence in your Salesforce org. Without knowing who did what, you’re stuck guessing, wasting time. The Setup Audit Trail logs six months of changes, helping you:

  • Pinpoint who made updates.
  • Fix errors by tracing their cause.
  • Strengthen change management.

Step 1: Access the Setup Audit Trail

To get the Audit Trail data:

  1. Navigate to Setup in Salesforce.
  2. Search View Setup Audit Trail in the left-hand menu.
  3. Click Download to export a CSV of all changes.

This CSV captures every tweak in your org.

view salesforce audit trail

Step 2: Search for Specific Changes

Open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets, then:

  • Use Ctrl + F (Command + F on Mac) to search for “validation rule” or “field.”
  • Example: Search “validation rules” to find “Alex created a validation rule on Opportunity.”
  • Check for new fields by searching “field” to spot troublemakers.

This method quickly nails the change and its owner.

Step 3: Use AI for Faster Insights

For complex logs, AI speeds things up:

  1. Upload the CSV to an AI tool like ChatGPT.
  2. Ask, “Who changed validation rules in mid-March?”
  3. Get results like “Alex updated validation rules on March 15.”

AI saves time sifting through months of data.

Benefits of the Setup Audit Trail

This tool delivers:

  • Accountability: Know who’s making changes, cutting team friction.
  • Quick Fixes: Trace errors to restore smooth operations.
  • Better Governance: Build robust change management.

Get Salesforce Right with Cloud Connects

Tired of Salesforce surprises? Our Salesforce consulting services untangle complexity and drive results. Try an Audit to spot issues or a Discovery workshop to plan your path forward. Check out how we’ve helped Adobe, Twilio, and more conquer Salesforce challenges.

Ready to take control? Contact us to connect or subscribe to our YouTube channel for more Salesforce tips. 

 

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