The Field Usage report in Snapshot calculates the number of empty, default, and distinct field values for selected objects. You can get to this report but right-clicking on the snapshot icon of the org you want to report on, hover over the Optimize category, and click on 'Field Usage'. You'll come to the first tab, 'Select Objects'. Here you can choose the object(s) you want to report on. You have options for which records you want to pull into the report. You can choose to select all records, records by name, select records with filters, select using SOQL queries, or a random number of records (you'll input what that number is).
You can select multiple objects by choosing any of the options to pull in records, however, the Object you have highlighted at the time will be the only object pulled into the Preview Report tab. The Preview Report tab is very helpful if you not only want to see all of the field usage statistics, but also if you want to see the actual record inputs. Additionally, from the preview report tab, you can edit compliance information on a given field.
If you'd like to report on multiple objects at once, you'll want to choose the objects on the first tab, then navigate to the Display Report tab. This could take some time to load depending on the number of objects/records you are trying to pull. When the report loads you have different options available, like turning on/off color coding, show lightning links, and showing the results as a chart in Dashboards. Additionally, you can 'manage usage' which allows you to customize what percentage of usage corresponds to the red, yellow, green color coding.
This is especially important if you plan to use the Smart Deploy feature on this report. This button will launch our deployment interface with a delete job list of all fields that are colored red.
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The Field Usage Report is a feature of Metazoa Snapshot that allows you to select and analyze the usage of fields in your standard or custom objects in Salesforce. It is an invaluable tool that assists in identifying the usage patterns of various fields in selected objects. It also provides insights that can guide policy changes, clean up efforts, or enhancements to improve the effectiveness of your Salesforce org.
How to use Field Usage Report
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Selecting an Object: In the Field Usage Report dashboard, select your standard or custom objects from the left-hand side of the interface. Upon selecting an object, it will be displayed in bold, indicating that it will be included in the display report.
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Selecting Records: After choosing an object, you can select records for analysis. You can select:
- All Records: Analyze all records associated with the object.
- Records by Name: Specify certain records by name for analysis.
- Records with a Filter: Filter and analyze a specific group of records based on certain criteria.
Note: Objects with no selected records will not be shown as bold.
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Previewing the Report: Click on 'Preview' to review the selected object's report before generating the final version.
The preview displays an analysis for each field in the selected object, showing:
- Total: Total number of records for each field.
- Default: Number of records with the default value for that field.
- Empty: Number of records with an empty value for that field.
- Distinct: Number of records with unique values. This statistic helps identify fields with uniform or distinct value distribution.
- Percentage of Default, Empty, and Distinct: Relative proportions of the above values.
You can sort the preview based on any of these criteria.
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Understanding 'Field not groupable': Some fields, such as 'Last Modified Date,' are marked as 'Field not groupable.' This label indicates that Salesforce does not allow grouping by that characteristic, as each value is expected to be unique.
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Interpreting the Analysis: Click on a field to see a detailed analysis. The report provides a breakdown of Default, Empty, and Distinct values, along with their corresponding percentages.
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Generating the Display Report: Once satisfied with your preview and selected records, click 'Generate Report.' All objects shown in bold on the left side of the interface will be included in the display report.
This report provides a comprehensive view of field usage for your selected standard or custom objects. You can export this report for further analysis or use the 'Schedule Report' feature to automatically send it to designated administrators whenever a new snapshot is available.
Conclusion
The Metazoa Snapshot Field Usage Report provides vital insights into the usage of fields in your Salesforce objects. By making use of this tool, you can ensure your Salesforce org's data is utilized effectively and inform any necessary changes or cleanup efforts.