Overview
Formstack Documents for Salesforce includes a built-in diagnostic logging feature called LogEvent. When enabled, the app writes structured log records directly into your Salesforce org as document merges run. These records are stored as Formstack Log Events (LogEvent__c) and are visible through a pre-built dashboard, reports, and a dedicated list tab — no third-party tools or external services required.
Logging is off by default. It is an opt-in feature that you control from Setup at any time.
Why Turn It On?
With LogEvent enabled you can answer questions like:
- Why did a document not generate? — Find the exact error message, the mapping it came from, and related HTTP status details in the log message.
- Which mappings are failing most often? — Rank document mappings by error count over the last 30 days.
- Is the integration healthy today? — See at a glance how many errors and callout failures occurred today.
- Is there a pattern over time? — Spot spikes or a gradual increase in errors before they become customer-facing issues.
- Did authentication to Formstack Documents succeed? — Confirm that API credentials are working when the app connects.
Logging is especially useful when:
- You are onboarding a new document mapping and want to validate it end-to-end.
- A user reports that a document "didn't generate" and you need a quick root cause.
- You want to monitor document generation health without waiting for user complaints.
- Formstack Support asks for diagnostic information to help troubleshoot an issue.
How to Enable Logging
Logging is controlled by a Custom Setting in your org. A Salesforce Administrator can toggle it in a few clicks.
- Go to Setup → search for Custom Settings → open Custom Settings.
- Find Formstack Enable LogEvent in the list and click Manage.
- Click Edit next to the existing record (or New if no record exists).
- Check the Enable LogEvent checkbox.
- Click Save.
Logging is now active. New Formstack Log Event records will be created as document merges run.
To turn logging off, follow the same steps and uncheck the Enable LogEvent checkbox. All existing log records are preserved; no new ones will be created.
Note: Enabling logging does not change the behavior of document generation. Merges continue to work exactly as before — the only difference is that diagnostic records are written alongside the normal process.
Where to View Logs
Formstack Log Events tab
The Formstack Log Events tab is available in the package but is not added to the Formstack Documents app navigation by default (so it does not appear next to Documents / Mappings / Settings out of the box).
To open it:
- Click the App Launcher (waffle icon).
- Search for Formstack Log Events.
- Open the tab and use the All list view.
Admins who want it in the Formstack Documents nav can add it via Setup → App Manager → Formstack Documents → Edit → Navigation Items.
Use the All list view to see:
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Created Date | When the log was written |
| Severity | DEBUG, INFO, WARN, or ERROR |
| Mapping | Which document mapping triggered it |
| Correlation Id | Groups related log entries from the same operation |
| Log Data | Full log / error message |
Filter by Mapping and/or Severity to focus on a specific problem. Pin All if you prefer that over Salesforce’s default Recently Viewed list.
If the tab is missing from App Launcher, ask an admin to assign the Formstack Document permission set (or set tab visibility for Formstack Log Events on your profile).
Reports & Dashboards
Reports are in the Formstack Docs for Salesforce Reports folder. The monitoring dashboard is in the Formstack Docs for Salesforce Dashboards folder. Users need standard Salesforce report/dashboard access (for example Run Reports and View Dashboards in Public Folders).
Data Retention
Formstack Log Event records accumulate over time and consume Salesforce data storage. That is why logging is off by default: orgs only start writing records when an admin deliberately enables it, so storage impact stays under your control.
Once logging is on, we recommend setting up a Scheduled Apex job or a Flow to delete records older than your desired retention window (e.g. 90 days). This keeps storage usage in check and queries fast. Contact Formstack Support if you need help setting this up.
Pre-built Reports
The following reports are installed with the app in the Formstack Documents for Salesforce Reports folder. All reports can be cloned and customized for your own needs.
LogEvent Errors – Last 24 Hours
What it shows: A count of ERROR-severity log entries created today, grouped by severity. This powers the Errors – Last 24h metric on the dashboard.
Why it's useful: Quick daily health check of how many hard failures occurred today. For individual error messages, use LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h or the Formstack Log Events tab.
LogEvent Callout Failures – 24h
What it shows: A count of WARN and ERROR entries from today, grouped by severity. This powers the Callout Failures – Last 24h metric on the dashboard. WARN typically indicates a 4xx-style API problem; ERROR typically indicates a 5xx failure, timeout, or no response.
Why it's useful: Separates overall failure volume (WARN + ERROR) from ERROR-only. Open LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h when you need the actual messages.
LogEvent Daily Trend – Last 30 Days
What it shows: A daily count of all log entries over the past 30 days, grouped by day.
Why it's useful: Spot trends over time. A sudden jump in log volume on a specific day can correlate with a Salesforce release, a mapping change, or increased document generation load.
LogEvent Volume by Severity – 30d
What it shows: Total log entry counts broken down by severity (DEBUG, INFO, WARN, ERROR) over the last 30 days.
Why it's useful: A proportional view of log health. A healthy org is usually dominated by INFO. A growing share of ERROR or WARN signals that something needs attention.
LogEvent Errors by Mapping – 30d
What it shows: Error-severity log entries grouped by document mapping, over the last 30 days.
Why it's useful: Identifies your highest-risk mappings. If one mapping drives most errors, start troubleshooting there.
LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h
What it shows: Individual ERROR and WARN records from today — one row per log entry — with Created Date, Severity, Mapping, Correlation Id, and Log Data (full message). Sorted most-recent first.
Why it's useful: This is the report for investigating a failure. Dashboard metric panels only show counts; this report shows the raw detail.
Pre-built Dashboard: Docs for Salesforce Operations – LogEvent Monitoring
The Docs for Salesforce Operations – LogEvent Monitoring dashboard is a high-level health view for customers and support. It is installed in the Formstack Documents for Salesforce Dashboards folder.
| Panel | Source Report | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Errors – Last 24h (metric) | LogEvent Errors – Last 24 Hours | Count of ERROR entries today |
| Callout Failures – Last 24h (metric) | LogEvent Callout Failures – 24h | Count of WARN + ERROR entries today |
| Log Severity Distribution (donut) | LogEvent Volume by Severity – 30d | Proportion of each severity over 30 days |
| Daily Error Trend (line) | LogEvent Daily Trend – Last 30 Days | Day-by-day log volume over 30 days |
| Top Mappings by Error Count (bar) | LogEvent Errors by Mapping – 30d | Top mappings ranked by error count (30 days) |
To open it, go to the Dashboards tab and search for Docs for Salesforce Operations.
Important: Clicking View Report on the Errors or Callout Failures panels opens the count report (grouped by severity). That is intentional — those reports power the big numbers. They do not show individual messages or Correlation Ids. Use LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h or the Formstack Log Events tab for that.
How to Investigate a Specific Error
- Spot the problem on the dashboard — elevated Errors / Callout Failures, a spike on Daily Error Trend, or a hot mapping on Top Mappings by Error Count.
- Open the detail — either:
- Reports → Formstack Docs for Salesforce Reports → LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h, or
- Formstack Log Events tab (filter by Mapping and/or Severity = ERROR)
- Follow one failure — copy the Correlation Id, then filter the list (or a cloned report) by that Correlation Id to see every related log line from the same operation.
- Focus on one mapping — filter Mapping to the mapping that is failing; optionally add Severity = ERROR.
When contacting Formstack Support, include the Correlation Id, mapping name, and log message (or an export of LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does enabling logging slow down document generation? No. Log records are collected in memory during the merge process and written to the database in a single bulk operation at the end of each transaction. The impact on performance is negligible.
Will logging cause me to hit Salesforce governor limits? The LogEvent feature is designed to be governor-limit safe. It performs at most one SOQL query per transaction to check whether logging is enabled (this result is cached for the lifetime of the transaction). If your org is near DML or storage limits, keep the retention window short.
Who can see LogEvent records? Access follows your org’s profile and permission set configuration. The Formstack Document permission set includes object access and tab visibility for Formstack Log Events. System Administrators typically have full access. Grant Read (and tab visibility) to other users who need to investigate logs.
Can I build my own reports on top of LogEvent data? Yes. Formstack Log Event is a Salesforce custom object. You can create reports or list views using the Log Events report type, like any other object in your org.
Can I set up email alerts when errors spike? Yes. Subscribe to a pre-built report (for example LogEvent Errors – Last 24 Hours) and configure a schedule and threshold under Subscribe.
Support
If you encounter issues with document generation and have logging enabled, please include a link to (or export of) LogEvent Error Detail – Last 24h, plus any relevant Correlation Ids, when contacting Formstack Support. This significantly reduces the time needed to diagnose and resolve the issue.