Date Last Used

Date Last Used (DLU) captures changes triggered by users or other customizations. Specifically, the last date the Customization, or the data it contains, was created, changed, accessed, processed or used.The DLU value indicates that the customization was used at least as late as the DLU. It does not indicate if it was used earlier. If DLU is blank, it indicates there in no verified date.

DLU CustomField Details

Setting the DLU Expiration

DLU Metadata Types

Excluded Metadata Extended Types

DLU Scheduler

DLU CustomField Details

CustomField usage data improves the accuracy and usefulness of the Date Last Used, enabling you to make better decisions about the value of maintaining specific CustomFields. Usage data includes:

• how often the field has data (frequency)
• how recently the field has been used (recency)

DLU analysis should only be performed in Production orgs. Sandbox orgs do not reflect actual usage.

Usage data fields:

• % Populated displays the percentage of Records with the field populated (not blank). Fields with low usage are clean up candidates. For example, if the field appears on 1000 records, but there is only data on 400 of the records, it is 40% populated.
• DLU is now defined to be the last time the field was updated with Field History Tracking enabled. Field History Tracking ensures the DLU is accurate. If Field History Tracking is later disabled, the DLU no longer updates and the data may not be accurate. The new Date DLU Analyzed and DLU Status provide additional insight.
• Date DLU Analyzed displays the last time the scanner was run with Field History Tracking enabled.
• Parent Last Update Date is set to the CreatedDate of the most-recently-created Record with the CustomField populated. This provides usage recency information when Field History Tracking is disabled. CreatedDate is more accurate for the CustomField than the LastModifiedDate for the record.
• DLU Status displays the current status:
  | DLU Status | DLU | Field History Tracking | Date DLU Analyzed | Parent Last Update Date | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Unavailable | Blank | Never enabled for this field. | Blank | Populated | | Pending | Blank | Enabled. Waiting for the scanner to run. | Blank | Populated | | Current | Populated | Enabled. DLU is current and accurate using automated nightly scans. | Today | Blank | | Recent | Populated, May be stale | Disabled. Last scan when enabled was within the past three months. Three months is the default time period. See Setting the DLU Expiration. | Within set time period | Populated | | Expired | Populated, May be stale | Disabled. Last scan when enabled was longer than three months ago. Three months is the default time period. See Setting the DLU Expiration. | Older than set time period | Populated |

If Field History Tracking is enabled for a CustomField with a DLU Status of either Recent or Expired, the status is changed to Pending. Here is an example:

Notes

• When Field History Tracking is enabled, the DLU is accurate, and the Parent Last Update Date is blank.
• If Field History Tracking has never been enabled, only Parent Last Update Date has a value. Use Parent Last Update Dateand % Populated together to get a sense of the usage.
• If Field History Tracking was enabled and later disabled, there are values in DLU and Parent Last Update Date. Generally, you would use the most recent of the two together with % Populated to get a sense of usage. If DLU Status is Expired, it is probably safe to ignore DLU.

Setting the DLU Expiration

The DLU Parameters specify the number of months to wait before changing the DLU Status from Recent to Expired for a CustomField. This only applies to a CustomField where Field Tracking History has been disabled. To change the time period:

1. Open Setup

2. Expand Custom Code

3. Select Custom Metadata Types

   

4. Click Manage Records by Strongpoint DLU Parameter

   

5. Click Edit by DLU Expiration

   

6. Set the DLU Expiration (Months). The default is three.

7. Click Save.

DLU Metadata Types

Metadata types marked with an * must have the Event Logs enabled to gather DLU information. DLU can be used for the following metadata types:

Salesforce Family Types & Joins	Metadata Types	DLU
Workflow	Workflow Rule	Date workflow rule was last run.
Workflow Approva lProcess Flow Validation Rule	Last date base record updated, if enabled
Scripts	Apex Class***** Apex Trigger***** Apex Component***** Lightning Component Lightning Web Component	The last date the code was triggered by any script based on the log of the last time it was run.
Forms	Layout Compact Layout	If assigned to a profile, it is the date the last record that belongs to the layout was updated .
Apex Page*****	The last date the page was accessed (the code was triggered).
Reports	Report	Last date report was run.
Dashboard	Last date dashboard report was run.
Report Type	Last date report using the report type was run.
Analytic Snapshot	Last date a dashboard it is on or dependent script was run.
List View	Last date the List View was accessed.
Data Sources	Standard Field	Last date the value changed.
Standard Object Custom Object	Last date a record was saved.
Custom Field	Last date the value changed or if formula field, the maximum last date of the fields in the formula.
Dependent Fields	Custom Field Lookup	Minimum of the DLU of the record it exists on and the DLU of the source field.
Profiles and Roles	User	Last login by the user.
Role	Calculated based on the last time someone logged in with that role.
Profile	Calculated based on the last time someone logged in with that profile.
Permission Set	Calculated based on the last time someone logged in with that permission set.
Package	Text that displays the name of the package	Maximum DLU of object in the package.
Extended Types (Other)	App Menu	DLU of the parent Custom Application.
Assignment Rules	Date rule was last run.
Auto Response Rules	Date Auto Response rule was last run.
Call Center
Connected App	Date App was last run.
Custom Application	Maximum DLU of customizations belonging to the application.
Criteria Based Sharing Rule	Maximum of related Sharing Rules.
Custom Application Component	Maximum DLU from parent applications.
Custom Label	Maximum DLU of related field.
Custom Metadata	Date modified of the object that has the value in the metadata.
Custom Object Translation	DLU of the parent object.
Custom Page Web Link	DLU of the APEX page.
Custom Permission	DLU of a profile that has the custom permission.
Custom Tab	DLU of the parent Custom Application.
Document	Last time the file was opened or accessed by the system.
Email Template	Date Template was last used to send emails.
Escalation Rules	Date rule was last run.
Field Set	Last date a field value changed.
Flow Definition	Date flow last accessed.
Global Picklist	Maximum DLU of fields that use the picklist.
Group	Last time someone from the group accessed the system (always employees).
Installed Package	Maximum DLU of component of the package
Letterhead	Last date template accessed.
Matching Rule	Date rule was last run.
Post Template	Date Template was last used to send emails.
Queue	Maximum DLU of code / workflow run on the Queue.
Record Type	Maximum DLU of fields that use the record type.
Sharing Rules	Date rule was last run.
Static Resource	Max of last access date (document) or DLU code referencing it.
Synonym Dictionary	Maximum DLU of related fields.
Territory2	Date Territory2 rule was last run.
Territory2 Model	Date Territory2 rule was last run.
Territory2 Rule	Date rule was last run.
Territory2 Type	Date Territory2 rule was last run.
Translations	Maximum DLU of related fields.

Excluded Metadata Extended Types

DLU is not used for the following metadata Extended Types:

Action Link Group Template	Aura Definition Bundle
Auth Provider	Business Process
Certificate	Cors Whitelist Origin
Custom Feed Filter	Custom Site
Data Category Group	Delegate Group
Embedded Service Config	Event Delivery
Event Subscription	External Data Source
Flexi Page	Home Page Component
Home Page Layout	Named Credential
Path Assistant	Platform Cache Partition
Portal	Quick Action
Remote Site Setting	Saml Sso Config
S control	Sharing Reason
Sharing Set	Site Dot Com
Transaction Security Policy	Web Link

DLU Scheduler

The Scheduler is where you can add frequency, day and time for processes to run. Under Field Usage and DLU, you can set up the scheduler to update the last used date field on customizations with the date the metadata was last used. It populates information for field usage on custom fields and custom objects and catch any permission set assignments related to users.

Once the scheduler has been set up, you can view the DLU under the Metadata tab on the customization record.