Tracking field history in Salesforce allows you to report on the original and new values of a field. This functionality can be very useful when determining who changed a field value and when it happened. This built-in change tracking has some limits:

• Only the following standard objects allow field history tracking: Accounts, Cases, Contacts, Entitlements, Service contracts, Contract line items, Contracts, Leads, Opportunities, and Solutions
• Only 20 fields may be tracked per object
• Not all field types can be tracked

Enable Field History Tracking on a Standard Object

Navigate to the standard object’s field settings.

• Your Name -> Setup -> Customize -> (The Object Name) -> Fields

Click the “Set History Tracking” button to display the enable check-box. A list of fields available for tracking will appear. Then you will be able to select individual fields for tracking.

Enable Field History Tracking on a Custom Object

Enabling field history tracking for custom objects is a little different than a standard object. Navigate to the custom object’s settings.

• Your Name -> Setup -> Create -> Objects
• Click the Object’s label
• Click the “Edit” button to change the ‘”Track Field History” check-box

After enabling History Tracking, a button will appear in the fields section that will allow individual fields to be selected.

Report on Field History Tracking

A new Report Type is created when Field History Tracking is enabled for an object. Use this to see the field’s history of changes.

See the Salesforce.com help for additional information: Tracking Field History