topic Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access in ArcGIS Online Questions

Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

JorgeKappa — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:10:12 GMT

Hi,

How do you access this hosted feature layer change log?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

JoelHearne — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 15:46:34 GMT

I second that motion. I want access to the content of the log and information about the storage usage that the log might be contributing to. I do not see it referenced in the feature item report.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

PaulGiroux1 — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:30:08 GMT

+1! ... and so funny, I had just taken the exact same screen shot/highlighted in yellow and was about to post the same question when I found yours.

We have a huge need to audit and track all changes. Having just create and last update doesn't cut the mustard so being able to "View change log" is important (not just "Manage change log"). If only we could see the table, then we could go back and look at what happened in a workflow after several changes to the one record. If this is not available, Esri has to hurry and add this feature pronto (unless it's already available but not obvious - I even poked at the REST and didn't see a function so I'm at a loss).

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

JorgeKappa — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:15:04 GMT

I contacted Support. There is no log as you and I think there is. Creator, CratedDate, Editor, EditDate, etc. is what they call the log.

I got around it by using Attribute Rules, but it doesn't work in ArcGIS Online--I found out the hard way.

I have the solution expression here somewhere if you need it. It writes every edit to every field to a table. You edit a record 10 times, you get 10 entries in the table.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

PaulGiroux1 — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 13:45:51 GMT

I would love to get my hands on your expression if/when possible but no rush as I can't implement right away.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

paigenicole214 — Thu, 12 May 2022 16:53:08 GMT

I would also like the expression! Thank you.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

Terralytics — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 12:01:45 GMT

@JorgeKappa I'm also really interested in your solution. Is it possible to share it with us?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

AndrewRitchie_CoL — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 04:19:28 GMT

I don't think the info in the previous responses is correct.

From Manage hosted feature layer editing—ArcGIS Online Help | Documentation

The Keep track of changes to the data (add, update, delete features) option allows custom applications to identify which features have been added, updated, or deleted.

To access the change log, it looks like you need to use the service call:

Extract Changes (Feature Service)—ArcGIS REST APIs | ArcGIS Developers

The extractChanges operation can be used to retrieve changes made to a service with the ChangeTracking capability enabled.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

TBibby — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 19:59:44 GMT

There's a youtube video outlining the steps to access the changelog here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q60UDhpgBs0

or search youtube for "How to view and export the Change Log from AGO"

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

Terralytics — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:00:11 GMT

Perfect, thanks for this solution!

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

PaulGiroux1 — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:44:08 GMT

Fantastic. I figured there had to be a way. Thanks for showing us how.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

SuzanneBergman13 — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:17:29 GMT

This video doesn't exist anymore. Any other place I can get it?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

JohannesPetrone — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:59:41 GMT

The video has been removed. You wouldn't happen to have any notes or any solution in extracting the log?

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

MasaakiKurokawa — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 14:49:40 GMT

i made the manual for getting change log from arcgis online and made it translated by chatGPT

---------------------------------------------------

# Download Change Logs from ArcGIS Online Portal

The following steps outline how to download a change log (JSON) from ArcGIS Online using a browser.

### Steps

1. **Sign in to ArcGIS Online**
- Open your browser and go to [ArcGIS Online](https://www.arcgis.com).
- Sign in with your username and password.

2. **Find the Target Feature Layer**
- After signing in, click the "Content" tab at the top.
- Find and click on the feature layer for which you want to obtain the change log.

3. **Open the Item Details Page**
- Navigate to the item details page.
- Here you can review the item's information.

4. **Access the Change Log Page**
- On the item details page, click "Settings" in the upper right corner.
- Check the box for "Record data changes (additions, updates, deletions) to features" under Feature Layer (Hosted) > Editing.
- Click "Manage Change Logs". A window for setting the retention period and data deletion will be displayed.

5. **Obtain the Server Generation**
- Open the [Overview] page of the feature layer.
- Click "View" next to [URL] at the bottom right of the window.
- The ArcGIS REST Services Directory screen will open.
- Click "Admin" at the top of the screen to open the Admin screen.
- Click "Update Definition" under [Supported Operations] at the bottom of the screen. The Update Service Definition screen will open.
- Copy the data from ["layerServerGens"] in the JSON data under "Update Service Definition:".

6. **Extract the Change Log**
- Click "REST" in the ArcGIS REST Services Directory. The REST screen will open.
- Click "Extract Changes" under [Supported Operations] at the bottom of the screen. The Extract Changes screen will open.
- Set the following:
- Enter the layer numbers.
Layers: 0, 1, 2, ...N
- Enter the Layer Server Gens.
```
[
{
"id": 0,
"minServerGen": 3671691,
"serverGen": 3671691
},
{
"id": 1,
"minServerGen": 3671691,
"serverGen": 3671691
},
{
"id": 2,
"minServerGen": 3671691,
"serverGen": 3671691
},
{
"id": 3,
"minServerGen": 3671691,
"serverGen": 3671691
},
{
"id": 4,
"minServerGen": 3671691,
"serverGen": 3671691
}
]
```
- Click the [Extract Changes] button. A [statusURL] will appear below the button; click on it.
- The Extract Changes Status screen will show [Status] as Pending.
- Click the [Check] button in Check Extract Changes Status.
- When the change log data is ready for download, [Status] will change to Completed.
- Click the URL displayed in [Result Url] to start downloading the file.

For more details, refer to the source:
https://developers.arcgis.com/rest/services-reference/enterprise/extract-changes-feature-service/

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

Andy_Landclan — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 17:19:27 GMT

Is it weird that the log is in JSON, but not in Esri JSON? It would be good to use it directly in a layer.

Re: Hosted Feature Layer Change Log Access

LukeGilner1 — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:10:41 GMT

@MasaakiKurokawa thanks for those steps. Are you able to help decipher what the log shows? I'm trying to determine if/when a bunch of features were accidentally deleted, and by what user.