What is the FieldHistoryArchive Big Object?
The FieldHistoryArchive is a standard Big Object provided by Salesforce. It is designed to store historical field changes for records that have been archived from standard field history tracking tables due to data retention limits.
Why does this exist?
Salesforce allows field history tracking for up to 18 months in the standard FieldHistory tables. After that, older field history data is automatically moved to the FieldHistoryArchive Big Object to keep your org running efficiently without hitting storage limits.
When Does Salesforce Add Data to It?
Salesforce automatically archives field history data when:
- After 18 months in production orgs and after 1 month in sandbox orgs.
- Field History Retention policies are enabled (typically part of Salesforce Shield or similar data retention setups).
The archival process is not instant; it occurs periodically via background jobs handled by Salesforce.
Once archived, these records are no longer available in the FieldHistory related list or via standard queries — unless you retrieve them from the FieldHistoryArchive Big Object.
How Big Object Utility Helps
Accessing data in Big Objects like FieldHistoryArchive is not possible through standard Salesforce UI tools such as reports or list views. That’s where our app, Big Object Utility, comes in.
What Big Object Utility Can Do?
- 🔍 Query Archived Field History Data
Use filters and list views to search throughFieldHistoryArchivejust like a normal object. - 🧭 Create Custom Tabs & List Views
Add a Lightning tab specifically for Field History Archive. Build custom views to navigate thousands (or millions) of records. - 📄 Export Archived Data
Need that audit trail exported for compliance or reporting? With a few clicks, export selected data to CSV. - 📌 Attach to Parent Records
Use drag-and-drop to showFieldHistoryArchiveas a related list on parent records, giving context right on the Lightning record page.
No Apex, No Hassle
Traditionally, accessing this data required complex SOQL-for-Big-Objects or external integrations. Big Object Utility brings point-and-click accessibility to Field History Archive data — no code required.
Who Needs This?
If your organization is:
- Auditing field changes for compliance
- Investigating changes beyond 18 months
- Using Salesforce Shield or custom field history policies
…then retrieving data fromFieldHistoryArchiveis essential — and Big Object Utility makes that possible.
Get Started Today
Don’t let valuable historical data go unused. Unlock insights from FieldHistoryArchive using Big Object Utility.
👉 Try Big Object Utility on AppExchange
👉 Learn more at CloudBat