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Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Attributes (20) Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Activities (13) Extraction Guides (3)

Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

This template provides a comprehensive overview of the essential data attributes and activities required to effectively analyze your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing process. It outlines the specific information to collect for your event log, along with practical guidance on extracting this data. Use this resource to streamline your process mining initiatives and gain valuable insights.

Recommended attributes to collect
Key activities to track
Extraction guidance

New to event logs? Learn how to create a process mining event log.

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Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Attributes

These are the recommended data fields to include in your event log for comprehensive Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing analysis, ensuring all critical information is captured.

3 Required 5 Recommended 12 Optional

	Name	Description
	Activity Name ActivityName	The name of the specific business event that occurred in the billing process.
Description This attribute describes the step or milestone that has been reached within the invoice lifecycle, such as 'Invoice Generated' or 'Payment Received'. These activities form the nodes in the process map. Analysis of the Activity Name sequence is fundamental to process mining. It reveals the actual process flow, allowing for comparison against the designed process. It is used to identify deviations, bottlenecks between specific steps, and rework loops, directly supporting dashboards like 'Billing Process Rework & Errors' and 'Billing Compliance Violation Report'. Why it matters It defines the steps of the process, forming the backbone of the process map and enabling analysis of workflow, bottlenecks, and deviations. Where to get This is typically derived from changes to the Status field on the Invoice object or from records in related objects like Task or Event, which track specific actions. Examples Invoice GeneratedInvoice ApprovedInvoice Sent to CustomerPayment Received
	Event Time EventTime	The timestamp indicating when a specific activity occurred.
Description This attribute provides the date and time for each activity, which is crucial for chronological ordering and performance analysis. The timestamps establish the sequence of events and enable the calculation of durations between them. In process analysis, Event Time is used to calculate all time-based metrics, including cycle times, wait times, and durations of specific activities. It is the foundation for KPIs like 'Average Invoice Cycle Time' and 'DSO', and it powers dashboards such as 'Invoice Approval Cycle Time' and 'Payment Reconciliation Performance'. Why it matters This timestamp is critical for sequencing events correctly and calculating all performance metrics, such as cycle times and durations, which are key to identifying delays. Where to get This data often comes from system-generated timestamp fields like `CreatedDate` or `LastModifiedDate` on the Invoice object or related Task/Event records. Examples 2023-04-15T10:00:00Z2023-04-16T14:30:00Z2023-05-20T09:05:12Z
	Invoice Number InvoiceNumber	The unique identifier for each invoice, serving as the primary case identifier for the billing process.
Description The Invoice Number is the central attribute that groups all related billing activities into a single case. Each number represents a distinct billing document sent to a customer. In process mining analysis, this attribute allows for the end-to-end tracking of an invoice's lifecycle, from its generation to final payment and closure. It is essential for constructing the process map and calculating case-level KPIs like 'Average Invoice Cycle Time' and 'Days Sales Outstanding'. Analyzing processes by Invoice Number helps to identify bottlenecks, rework loops, and compliance deviations for individual billing instances. Why it matters This is the essential key to link all related billing events together, enabling a complete, end-to-end view of the invoicing process for each unique transaction. Where to get This is typically the primary key of the Invoice object in Salesforce Sales Cloud, often represented by the `InvoiceNumber` or a similar unique ID field. Examples INV-00582INV-01934INV-10345
	Billing Department BillingDepartment	The department or team responsible for the billing activity.
Description This attribute specifies the functional group, such as 'Accounts Receivable' or 'Sales Operations', that the responsible user belongs to. This is typically derived from the user's profile or role in Salesforce. Analyzing performance by department is crucial for understanding process ownership and identifying systemic issues within specific teams. It is used in the 'Payment Reconciliation Performance' and 'Billing Team Workload & Performance' dashboards to compare efficiency and resource utilization across different functional areas. Why it matters This allows for performance analysis at a team or department level, helping to identify group-specific bottlenecks, resource constraints, or training gaps. Where to get This information is usually stored on the User object in Salesforce, in fields like `Department` or `Role.Name`. Examples Accounts ReceivableFinance OperationsCollections Team
	Invoice Status InvoiceStatus	The current status of the invoice in its lifecycle.
Description This attribute reflects the present state of the invoice, for example 'Draft', 'Awaiting Approval', 'Sent', 'Paid', or 'Void'. It provides a snapshot of where the invoice is in the process at any given time. Invoice Status is a critical dimension for filtering and segmentation. It allows analysts to focus on specific cohorts of invoices, such as all invoices currently awaiting payment or all invoices that were rejected. This helps in prioritizing work and analyzing the characteristics of invoices that get stuck in certain stages. Why it matters It provides a clear snapshot of an invoice's current state, enabling filtering and analysis of open, closed, or problematic cases. Where to get This is typically a standard picklist field named `Status` on the Invoice object in Salesforce. Examples Awaiting ApprovalApprovedSent to CustomerPaidWritten Off
	Invoice Total Amount InvoiceTotalAmount	The total monetary value of the invoice.
Description This attribute represents the total amount due from the customer for the goods or services rendered. It is a key financial metric associated with each invoice case. Analyzing Invoice Total Amount helps in prioritizing high-value invoices and understanding how process performance differs for small versus large transactions. It can be used to segment analysis in dashboards, for example, to see if higher value invoices have longer approval times or are paid later. This is important for managing financial risk and focusing collection efforts effectively. Why it matters This allows for financial impact analysis, helping to prioritize high-value invoices and understand how monetary value affects process behavior, such as approval times or payment delays. Where to get This would likely be a standard currency field on the Invoice object, possibly named `GrandTotal` or a similar summary field. Examples 5400.5012500.00850.75
	Payment Due Date PaymentDueDate	The date by which the customer is required to pay the invoice.
Description This attribute specifies the deadline for payment, as stated on the invoice. It is calculated based on the invoice date and the agreed-upon payment terms. The Payment Due Date is a critical data point for financial planning and collections management. It is the baseline against which actual payment performance is measured. It is essential for calculating the 'On-Time Payment Rate' KPI and for dashboards that track payment timeliness, such as 'Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) Trend'. Why it matters This is the benchmark for measuring payment performance, calculating DSO, and triggering collection activities like payment reminders. Where to get This is a standard date field on the Salesforce Invoice object, often named `DueDate`. Examples 2023-05-152023-06-302023-07-01
	User Responsible UserResponsible	The user or agent who performed the activity.
Description This attribute identifies the specific Salesforce user responsible for a given activity, such as approving an invoice or posting a payment. It is often linked to the user who last modified the record or owns the task. Analyzing the process by User Responsible is key to understanding team performance, workload distribution, and identifying training needs. It directly supports the 'Billing Team Workload & Performance' dashboard by allowing performance comparisons and resource allocation analysis. It also helps in root cause analysis when investigating delays or errors. Why it matters It enables analysis of individual and team performance, workload balancing, and helps identify top performers or users needing additional training. Where to get This can be found in fields like `LastModifiedById` on the Invoice object or `OwnerId` on related Task or custom objects. These IDs would need to be joined with the User object to get the user's name. Examples Alice JohnsonBob WilliamsCharlie Brown
	Account Owner AccountOwner	The sales representative or account manager responsible for the customer account.
Description This attribute identifies the internal owner of the customer relationship. This is typically the salesperson or account manager assigned to the Account in Salesforce. While not directly involved in billing, the Account Owner can be a relevant dimension for analysis. Issues in the billing process can impact the customer relationship, and this attribute helps to connect process performance data back to the commercial side of the business. It can be used to see if accounts managed by certain owners experience more billing issues. Why it matters Links billing process performance to the commercial relationship owner, helping to understand the business impact of invoicing errors or delays. Where to get This is the `Owner.Name` field from the Account object, which is related to the Invoice. Examples David MillerSophia GarciaJames Wilson
	Billing Country BillingCountry	The country specified in the invoice's billing address.
Description This attribute captures the country of the customer's billing address. It is a key geographical dimension for segmenting the process data. Analyzing the billing process by country is essential for identifying regional variations in performance, compliance, and customer behavior. It can reveal if certain countries have longer payment cycles, different rework rates, or specific regulatory requirements that impact the process. This supports global process harmonization and localized optimization efforts. Why it matters Enables geographical analysis to identify regional variations in performance, compliance requirements, and payment behaviors. Where to get This is part of the standard address compound field on the Invoice object, typically `BillingCountry`. Examples USAGermanyJapanBrazil
	Customer Name CustomerName	The name of the customer or account being billed.
Description This attribute identifies the client or company to whom the invoice is issued. It is typically linked from the associated Account record in Salesforce. Analyzing the process by customer is essential for understanding client-specific behaviors and identifying issues that may be affecting key accounts. It can reveal if certain customers consistently pay late, require more rework, or have complex approval cycles. This insight helps in managing customer relationships and tailoring collection strategies. Why it matters Enables customer-centric analysis to identify patterns, such as which customers frequently pay late or require more invoice corrections, improving customer relationship management. Where to get This is sourced from the `Account.Name` field, linked via a lookup relationship from the Invoice object to the Account object. Examples ABC CorporationGlobal Tech Inc.Innovate Solutions LLC
	Days Sales Outstanding DaysSalesOutstanding	The number of days from when the invoice was sent until payment was received.
Description Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) is a critical financial metric that measures the average number of days it takes for a company to collect payment after a sale has been made. It is calculated as the time between the 'Invoice Sent to Customer' event and the 'Customer Payment Received' event. This KPI is a primary focus of the Order to Cash process, and this attribute makes it available for every single invoice. It directly supports the 'Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) Trend' dashboard and is essential for monitoring and improving cash flow. Why it matters This is a crucial KPI for measuring the effectiveness of the collections process and its direct impact on the company's cash flow. Where to get This is a calculated attribute. The calculation is `(Timestamp('Customer Payment Received') - Timestamp('Invoice Sent to Customer'))`. Examples 32 days58 days29 days
	Event End Time EventEndTime	The timestamp indicating when an activity was completed.
Description This attribute records the completion time of an activity. While many activities in billing are instantaneous events where Start Time equals End Time, some, like an approval step, might have a measurable duration. Having an End Time allows for the precise calculation of activity processing time, which is the duration an agent or system actively works on a task. It helps differentiate between active work time and waiting time, providing a more detailed view of process efficiency. Why it matters It enables the calculation of precise activity processing times, distinguishing active work from idle waiting time for more accurate efficiency analysis. Where to get This is often not a standard field. It may need to be derived by taking the StartTime of the subsequent activity in the case, or captured in a custom field. Examples 2023-04-15T10:05:00Z2023-04-16T14:32:10Z2023-05-20T09:05:12Z
	Invoice Currency InvoiceCurrency	The currency code for the invoice amount, such as USD or EUR.
Description This attribute indicates the currency in which the invoice is denominated. It is particularly important for organizations that operate in multiple countries. This field provides essential context for any financial analysis. It allows for correct aggregation of monetary values and enables comparison of process metrics across different currency zones. It is a necessary filter when analyzing financial KPIs to avoid mixing different currencies. Why it matters Provides necessary context for all monetary values, ensuring accurate financial analysis and reporting, especially in multi-national operations. Where to get This is typically the standard `CurrencyIsoCode` field, available in Salesforce instances with multi-currency enabled. Examples USDEURGBPJPY
	Invoice Cycle Time InvoiceCycleTime	The total time elapsed from invoice generation to its closure.
Description This calculated metric measures the full duration of the billing process for a single invoice. It is typically calculated as the time difference between the 'Invoice Generated' event and the 'Invoice Closed' or 'Payment Reconciled' event. This is a primary KPI for measuring the overall efficiency of the billing process. It is used in the 'Average Invoice Cycle Time' KPI and the 'End-to-End Billing Cycle Overview' dashboard to monitor and benchmark process performance over time. Reducing this cycle time can lead to faster cash conversion. Why it matters This is a key performance indicator that measures the end-to-end efficiency of the billing process, directly impacting the cash conversion cycle. Where to get This metric is not in the source system. It is calculated by the process mining tool by subtracting the timestamp of the first event from the timestamp of the last event for each case. Examples 25 days 4 hours45 days 12 hours60 days 2 hours
	Is Late Payment IsLatePayment	A calculated flag indicating if the payment was received after the due date.
Description This boolean attribute is derived by comparing the 'Customer Payment Received' timestamp with the 'Payment Due Date'. It is true if the payment was late and false otherwise. This flag simplifies the analysis of payment behavior and the effectiveness of collections. It is the basis for the 'On-Time Payment Rate' KPI and helps in segmenting customers into on-time and late payers for further analysis. It provides a clear, binary outcome for payment performance on each invoice. Why it matters This provides a clear success metric for collections, directly supporting the 'On-Time Payment Rate' KPI and enabling analysis of factors contributing to late payments. Where to get This attribute is not in the source system. It is calculated in the ETL layer or process mining tool by comparing the payment date to the `PaymentDueDate` field. Examples truefalse
	Is Rework IsRework	A calculated flag that indicates if an invoice has undergone a rework loop.
Description This boolean attribute is derived during data processing. It is set to true if an invoice's activity sequence shows evidence of rework, such as returning to an earlier stage after passing it (e.g., 'Invoice Corrected' after 'Invoice Approved'). This flag is critical for quickly identifying and quantifying process inefficiencies. It directly powers the 'Invoice Rework Rate' KPI and the 'Billing Process Rework & Errors' dashboard, allowing analysts to isolate and examine cases with costly and time-consuming rework loops. Why it matters This flag directly quantifies process inefficiency by identifying cases with correction loops, helping to pinpoint sources of errors and calculate the cost of poor quality. Where to get This attribute is not in the source system. It is calculated by the process mining tool or in the ETL layer based on the sequence of activities for each case. Examples truefalse
	Last Data Update LastDataUpdate	Timestamp of the last data refresh from the source system.
Description This attribute indicates when the data for the process mining analysis was last extracted from Salesforce Sales Cloud. It is a metadata field applied to the entire dataset during each refresh. This timestamp is vital for users to understand the freshness of the analysis. It helps them know if the dashboards and KPIs they are viewing are up-to-date, which is critical for making timely and informed business decisions based on the process insights. Why it matters Informs users about the timeliness of the data, ensuring that decisions are based on a current and relevant view of the process. Where to get This value is generated and stamped onto the dataset by the ETL tool or data pipeline during each execution. Examples 2023-10-27T02:00:00Z2023-10-28T02:00:00Z
	Payment Terms PaymentTerms	The agreed-upon conditions for invoice payment, such as 'Net 30' or 'Due on Receipt'.
Description This attribute defines the rules governing when and how an invoice should be paid. It often dictates the calculation of the Payment Due Date and may include provisions for early payment discounts. Analyzing by Payment Terms helps to understand how different agreements affect payment behavior. It is crucial for the 'Early Payment Discount Utilization' dashboard, which compares payment dates against terms to identify missed financial opportunities. It also provides context for why some invoices have longer or shorter payment cycles. Why it matters It provides context for payment deadlines and is essential for analyzing payment behavior, DSO, and the effectiveness of early payment discount programs. Where to get This information is likely stored in a picklist or text field on the Invoice or associated Account object in Salesforce. Examples Net 30Net 602% 10, Net 30Due on Receipt
	Source System SourceSystem	Identifies the system from which the data originated.
Description This attribute specifies the source application where the event data was generated. For this process, it will typically be 'Salesforce Sales Cloud'. In environments with multiple integrated systems, this field is crucial for data lineage and troubleshooting. It helps in understanding the context of the data and ensuring that events from different systems are correctly merged and interpreted within the process mining tool. Why it matters It provides crucial context about data origin, which is essential for data governance, validation, and analysis in multi-system environments. Where to get This is typically a static value added during the data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) process to label the dataset's origin. Examples Salesforce Sales CloudSFSC

Required Recommended Optional

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Activities

These are the key process steps and milestones to capture in your event log for accurate process discovery and performance evaluation.

5 Recommended 8 Optional

	Activity	Description
	Customer Payment Received	The customer has made a payment against the invoice, and the funds have been received. This is typically recorded by creating a related 'Payment' record and linking it to the invoice.
Why it matters This is the most important milestone in the cash collection part of the process. It is the end point for the DSO calculation and signifies the successful receipt of revenue. Where to get Captured from the creation date of a 'Payment' custom object record that is related to the Invoice object. It could also be inferred from an invoice status change to 'Paid'. Capture Creation of a related Payment record. Event type explicit
	Invoice Approved	An authorized user has reviewed and approved the invoice, confirming its accuracy and readiness to be sent to the customer. This event is usually captured when the invoice status is changed to 'Approved'.
Why it matters This is a key milestone that gates the rest of the billing process. Delays here create significant bottlenecks, impacting DSO and overall cycle times, which is measured by the 'Invoice Approval Cycle Time' dashboard. Where to get Inferred from a status field on the Invoice object changing to 'Approved'. If Salesforce Approval Processes are used, this can be explicitly captured from the ProcessInstance object history. Capture Change in invoice status field to 'Approved' or completion of a formal approval process step. Event type inferred
	Invoice Closed	The invoice lifecycle is complete, as it has been fully paid and reconciled. This is the final activity for a successfully processed invoice and is typically recorded by a status update.
Why it matters This activity serves as the primary end point for the process, allowing for accurate end-to-end cycle time calculation. It provides a clear definition of completion for process analysis. Where to get Inferred from the timestamp when the Invoice object's status field is updated to 'Closed', 'Paid in Full', or a similar terminal state. Capture Change in invoice status field to a final 'Closed' value. Event type inferred
	Invoice Generated	This activity marks the creation of a new invoice record within Salesforce. It is the official start of the billing process for a specific transaction and is typically triggered after an order is fulfilled or a contract milestone is met. The event is captured from the creation timestamp of the invoice record.
Why it matters This is the primary start event for the billing process. Analyzing the time from this point to payment helps measure the overall Order-to-Cash cycle time and identify initial data entry delays. Where to get This event is captured from the creation date (CreatedDate field) of the Invoice custom object or a similar object representing the invoice in Salesforce. Capture Record creation timestamp of the invoice object. Event type explicit
	Invoice Sent to Customer	The approved invoice has been officially delivered to the customer via email, mail, or a portal. This event is often captured by a 'Sent Date' field being populated or a status change to 'Sent'.
Why it matters This marks the start of the payment collection period and is the starting point for calculating Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). It is a critical milestone for tracking customer communication and payment timelines. Where to get Inferred from the population of a 'Sent Date' field on the Invoice object or a status update to 'Sent'. It could also be an explicit event logged in Activity History if sent via an integrated email tool. Capture Timestamp when a 'Sent_Date__c' field is populated. Event type inferred
	Cash Applied/Reconciled	The received payment has been fully matched and applied against the specific invoice in the system, closing out the receivable. This is captured by a final status change on the payment or invoice record.
Why it matters This marks the final step in the cash conversion cycle. The 'Payment Reconciliation Performance' dashboard relies on this activity to measure the efficiency of the finance team in applying cash. Where to get Inferred from a status change on the Invoice or a related Payment object to a terminal status like 'Reconciled' or 'Applied'. Capture Change in invoice or payment status to 'Reconciled'. Event type inferred
	Invoice Corrected	Represents a manual correction or update to an invoice after it was rejected or found to have an error. This is often inferred when an invoice's status reverts to a previous state, such as from 'Rejected' back to 'Draft'.
Why it matters Identifying correction loops is crucial for measuring the 'Invoice Rework Rate' KPI. High volumes of corrections indicate problems in the initial invoice generation process that lead to delays. Where to get Inferred from field history tracking by detecting a status change from a later-stage value (e.g., 'Rejected', 'Approved') back to an earlier-stage value (e.g., 'Draft', 'In Progress'). Capture Invoice status moves backward in the process flow. Event type inferred
	Invoice Rejected	An approver has rejected the invoice, usually due to errors or discrepancies, requiring it to be corrected and resubmitted. This is captured by a status change on the invoice record to 'Rejected'.
Why it matters This activity signifies rework and process inefficiency. Analyzing the frequency of rejections helps identify common error sources and supports root cause analysis for the 'Billing Process Rework & Errors' dashboard. Where to get Inferred from a status field on the Invoice object changing to 'Rejected'. This data may also be found in comments within a formal Approval Process history. Capture Change in invoice status field to 'Rejected'. Event type inferred
	Invoice Submitted for Approval	The invoice has been finalized and submitted for internal review before being sent to the customer. This activity is typically captured by a status field change on the invoice record, for example, from 'Draft' to 'Pending Approval'.
Why it matters Tracking this activity helps isolate the time spent in the approval queue. It is a critical first step for calculating the 'Average Invoice Approval Time' KPI. Where to get Inferred from the field history tracking on the Invoice object when a status field is updated to a value like 'Submitted for Approval' or 'In Review'. Capture Change in invoice status field to 'Pending Approval'. Event type inferred
	Invoice Written Off	A decision has been made to cancel the debt, and the invoice is closed without full payment. This represents an alternative, unsuccessful end to the billing process.
Why it matters Tracking write-offs helps quantify revenue loss and identify customers or situations that lead to bad debt. It is a critical exception path to monitor for financial health. Where to get Inferred from the timestamp when the Invoice object's status field is updated to 'Written Off' or 'Canceled - Bad Debt'. Capture Change in invoice status field to 'Written Off'. Event type inferred
	Payment Due Date Reached	This is a calculated event representing the moment in time when the invoice payment becomes due according to its payment terms. It is not a user action but is derived from invoice data.
Why it matters This activity provides a critical benchmark for analyzing payment behavior and measuring the 'On-Time Payment Rate' KPI. It helps differentiate between on-time and late payments. Where to get This is a calculated event. It is derived by comparing the current timestamp with the 'Due Date' field on the Invoice object. It does not exist as a stored event in Salesforce. Capture Calculated by comparing the current date to the invoice's Due Date field. Event type calculated
	Payment Posted to Ledger	The received payment has been formally recorded in the company's financial accounting system or ledger. This may be captured via a status update on the payment or invoice record after an integration runs.
Why it matters This activity separates payment receipt from financial reconciliation. The time between payment receipt and posting can highlight delays in internal accounting processes. Where to get Inferred from a status field change on the Payment or Invoice object to a value like 'Posted' or 'Exported to ERP', often updated via an API integration. Capture Change in payment or invoice status to 'Posted'. Event type inferred
	Payment Reminder Issued	A communication has been sent to the customer to remind them of an upcoming or overdue payment. This is often logged as a specific Activity (Task or Email) record linked to the invoice.
Why it matters Tracking reminders helps evaluate the effectiveness of collection strategies. It is essential for the 'Payment Reminder Effectiveness' dashboard and the 'Payment Reminder Trigger Rate' KPI. Where to get Captured from the creation of an Activity (Task or Email) record related to the Invoice object, where the subject or type indicates it is a payment reminder. Capture Creation of a related Task or Email record with a specific type/subject. Event type explicit

Recommended Optional

Extraction Guides

How to get your data from Salesforce Sales Cloud

Steps

Prerequisites Check: Ensure you have the necessary permissions in Salesforce, including "Run Reports", "Create and Customize Reports", and "Export Reports". Verify that Field History Tracking is enabled for the key status fields on your Invoice and Payment objects. To do this, navigate to Setup > Object Manager, find the relevant object, go to Fields & Relationships, and click "Set History Tracking".
Define Report Strategy: This process requires creating multiple reports because activities originate from different records or events (e.g., invoice creation, status changes, related payments). You will create a separate report for each distinct source and then combine the results externally.
Create Report for Record Creations: Begin with the simplest events. Create a report for 'Invoice Generated' and 'Customer Payment Received'. Navigate to the Reports tab and click "New Report". Choose a report type that includes your Invoice object (e.g., "Invoices") or Payment object. Add columns corresponding to the event log attributes. For the 'Invoice Generated' activity, the CreatedDate of the invoice record will be the EventTime.
Create Report for Field History: To capture status changes like 'Invoice Submitted for Approval', 'Invoice Approved', 'Invoice Rejected', and 'Invoice Corrected', create a report based on the "Invoice History" report type. This special report type exposes changes tracked by Field History Tracking. You will filter this report for changes to the Status field.
Create Report for Date-Based Events: For events like 'Invoice Sent to Customer' or 'Payment Due Date Reached', create a report on the Invoice object. Use the date fields themselves, such as Sent_Date__c or Payment_Due_Date__c, as the EventTime. You must filter for records where these dates are not null.
Create Report for Related Activities: For events like 'Payment Reminder Issued', you need a report that links Activities (Tasks or Events) to Invoices. Use a report type like "Activities with Invoices" or a custom one you create. Filter for activities with a specific subject or type that indicates a reminder.
Add Standard Columns to All Reports: In each report you build, ensure you add columns that can be mapped to the required event log structure: InvoiceNumber, a field for the EventTime (like CreatedDate or the date of the field change), UserResponsible (like LastModifiedById), and other recommended attributes.
Export Reports to CSV: Run each report individually. From the report results screen, use the dropdown menu to select "Export" and choose the "Details Only" format with a .csv extension. Repeat this for all reports you created.
Combine and Transform Data: Open the exported CSV files in a spreadsheet program or use a data preparation tool. For each file, add a new column named ActivityName and populate it with the specific activity it represents (e.g., "Invoice Generated" for all rows from the first report). Map the source columns (e.g., Invoice: Created Date) to the standard event log headers (EventTime).
Create Final Event Log: Consolidate all the transformed data from the individual CSV files into a single master file. Ensure the column headers are exactly InvoiceNumber, ActivityName, EventTime, UserResponsible, etc. This unified file is your final event log.
Final Formatting: Save the consolidated file as a CSV with UTF-8 encoding. The file is now ready to be uploaded to ProcessMind.

Configuration

Report Types: You will likely need multiple custom report types to join parent objects like Account with child and grandchild objects like Invoice, Payment, and Activity. Create these in Setup > Report Types.
Field History Tracking: This is critical. For the Invoice object, enable history tracking for any Status field. Without this, you cannot capture status change activities like 'Approved' or 'Rejected'. History is not tracked retroactively.
Data Filters: Always apply a date filter to your reports to keep the data volume manageable. A good practice is to filter the primary object's creation date for the last 3 to 6 months (e.g., Invoice: Created Date equals LAST 180 DAYS).
Data Export Service: As an alternative to running individual reports, you can use the native Data Export Service (Setup > Data Export). This service exports all of your organization's data on a weekly or monthly basis. This provides a full backup but requires significant post-processing to filter, join, and transform the data into an event log.
User Permissions: The user performing the extraction needs read access to all relevant objects (e.g., Account, Order, Invoice__c, Payment__c, Activity) and fields, in addition to report creation and export permissions.

a Sample Query config

// This is a configuration guide for building multiple Salesforce reports.
// The data from these separate CSV exports must be manually combined and transformed into a single event log.

// Report 1: Invoice Generated
// Report Type: Invoices (or your custom invoice object report type)
// Filters: 
// 1. Created Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 2. Created Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Invoice Generated' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Created Date -> EventTime
// - Created By -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - Status -> InvoiceStatus
// - Total Amount -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - Payment Due Date -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 2: Invoice Status Changes (Submitted, Approved, Rejected, Corrected, Closed, Written Off)
// Report Type: Invoice History (or your custom object's history report type)
// Filters:
// 1. Edit Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 2. Edit Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// 3. Field/Event EQUALS 'Status' (or the name of your status field)
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - New Value (transformed*) -> ActivityName 
// - Edit Date -> EventTime
// - Edited By -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - New Value -> InvoiceStatus
// - [Invoice Total Amount] -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - [Invoice Payment Due Date] -> PaymentDueDate
// *Transformation Logic for ActivityName: 
//   - IF New Value = 'Pending Approval' THEN 'Invoice Submitted for Approval'
//   - IF New Value = 'Approved' THEN 'Invoice Approved'
//   - IF New Value = 'Rejected' THEN 'Invoice Rejected'
//   - IF New Value = 'Draft' AND Old Value = 'Rejected' THEN 'Invoice Corrected'
//   - IF New Value = 'Closed' THEN 'Invoice Closed'
//   - IF New Value = 'Written Off' THEN 'Invoice Written Off'

// Report 3: Invoice Sent to Customer
// Report Type: Invoices
// Filters:
// 1. [Sent Date Field] NOT EQUAL TO "" (not null)
// 2. [Sent Date Field] GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 3. [Sent Date Field] LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Invoice Sent to Customer' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - [Sent Date Field] -> EventTime
// - Last Modified By -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - Status -> InvoiceStatus
// - Total Amount -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - Payment Due Date -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 4: Payment Due Date Reached
// Report Type: Invoices
// Filters:
// 1. Payment Due Date NOT EQUAL TO "" (not null)
// 2. Payment Due Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 3. Payment Due Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Payment Due Date Reached' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Payment Due Date -> EventTime
// - 'System' (static text) -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - Status -> InvoiceStatus
// - Total Amount -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - Payment Due Date -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 5: Payment Reminder Issued
// Report Type: Activities with Invoices (or similar custom report type)
// Filters:
// 1. Task or Event Subject CONTAINS 'Payment Reminder'
// 2. Created Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 3. Created Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice: Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Payment Reminder Issued' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Created Date -> EventTime
// - Assigned To -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - [Invoice Status Field] -> InvoiceStatus
// - [Invoice Total Amount] -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - [Invoice Payment Due Date] -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 6: Customer Payment Received & Status Changes (Posted, Applied)
// Report Type: Payments with Invoices (or similar custom report type)
// This report combines multiple events from the Payment record.
// Filters:
// 1. Payment: Created Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 2. Payment: Created Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Part A: Payment Received
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice: Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Customer Payment Received' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Payment: Created Date -> EventTime
// - Payment: Created By -> UserResponsible
// Part B: Payment Posted and Applied (Requires exporting and transforming multiple rows for the same payment if status changes)
// You may need a separate Payment History Report, similar to Report 2.
// Assuming a simple status field on the Payment for this example:
//   - IF Payment Status = 'Posted' THEN 'Payment Posted to Ledger'
//   - IF Payment Status = 'Applied' THEN 'Cash Applied/Reconciled'

Steps

Prerequisites and Setup: Ensure you have Python 3.6 or newer installed on your system. Install the necessary libraries by running the following command in your terminal: pip install simple-salesforce pandas. You will also need your Salesforce username, password, and security token. To get your security token, log in to Salesforce, go to your personal settings, and find the 'Reset My Security Token' option.
Enable Field History Tracking: Log in to your Salesforce org as an administrator. Navigate to Setup, then Object Manager. Find your primary Invoice object, for example, Invoice__c, and go to 'Fields & Relationships'. Click 'Set History Tracking'. Enable tracking for the field that represents the invoice status, for example, Status__c. Repeat this process for your Payment object, for example, Payment__c, and its corresponding status field.
Download and Configure the Script: Save the provided Python script to a file named extract_invoices.py. Open the file in a text editor and update the placeholder values in the 'Salesforce Credentials and Settings' section. You must provide your SF_USERNAME, SF_PASSWORD, SF_SECURITY_TOKEN, and SF_INSTANCE_URL. Adjust the START_DATE and END_DATE to define the extraction period.
Customize Object and Field Names: Carefully review the SOQL queries within the script. The script uses placeholder names like Invoice__c, Payment__c, Status__c, Total_Amount__c, etc. You must replace these placeholders with the actual API names of the objects and fields used in your Salesforce instance for billing and invoicing.
Execute the Extraction Script: Open a terminal or command prompt, navigate to the directory where you saved the script, and run it using the command: python extract_invoices.py. The script will connect to the Salesforce API, execute the queries, and process the data.
Monitor Script Progress: The script will print status messages to the console as it fetches and processes data for each activity type. Depending on the data volume and your API limits, this may take some time. Watch for any error messages that could indicate incorrect credentials or API names.
Review the Output File: Once the script completes successfully, it will generate a file named salesforce_billing_event_log.csv in the same directory. Open this CSV file with a spreadsheet program to review its contents and verify that it contains the expected data.
Prepare for Upload: The generated CSV file is structured with the required columns: InvoiceNumber, ActivityName, and EventTime, along with other recommended attributes. This file is ready to be uploaded directly to the process mining tool without further formatting.

Configuration

Salesforce Credentials: You must provide your Salesforce username, password, and security token. The security token is required for API access from outside your organization's trusted IP ranges.
Salesforce Instance URL: Specify the domain for your Salesforce instance, such as your_instance.my.salesforce.com. If you are using a sandbox, the URL will be different, for example, test.salesforce.com.
Date Range Filters: The script includes START_DATE and END_DATE variables. It is recommended to start with a smaller date range, such as 3-6 months, to manage the data volume and stay within API limits. These dates filter the initial query for invoice creation dates.
Object and Field API Names: The script is built with placeholder API names for objects and fields, for example, Invoice__c and Status__c. You must replace these with the exact API names from your Salesforce data model. These can be found in Salesforce Setup under Object Manager.
Prerequisites for Tracking: The accuracy of the event log, especially for status changes, depends entirely on Salesforce's Field History Tracking being enabled for the relevant fields before the transactions occurred. If it was not enabled, historical changes will not be captured.
API Call Limits: Salesforce enforces governor limits on the number of API calls you can make in a 24 hour period. For very large datasets, consider running the extraction in smaller date range batches or scheduling it during off peak hours to avoid hitting these limits.

a Sample Query python

import pandas as pd
from simple_salesforce import Salesforce
from datetime import datetime

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Salesforce Credentials and Settings ---
class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># IMPORTANT: Replace all placeholder values with your actual Salesforce information.
SF_USERNAME = class="hl-string">'[your_salesforce_username]'
SF_PASSWORD = class="hl-string">'[your_salesforce_password]'
SF_SECURITY_TOKEN = class="hl-string">'[your_salesforce_security_token]' class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Append this to your password if required
SF_INSTANCE_URL = class="hl-string">'https://[your_instance].my.salesforce.com' class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># e.g., na1.salesforce.com

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Extraction Period ---
START_DATE = class="hl-string">'2023-01-01T00:00:00Z'
END_DATE = class="hl-string">'2023-12-31T23:59:59Z'

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Object and Field API Name Placeholders ---
class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Replace these with the actual API names from your Salesforce org.
INVOICE_OBJECT = class="hl-string">'Invoice__c'
INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD = class="hl-string">'Name'
INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD = class="hl-string">'Status__c'
INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD = class="hl-string">'Total_Amount__c'
INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD = class="hl-string">'Due_Date__c'

PAYMENT_OBJECT = class="hl-string">'Payment__c'
PAYMENT_INVOICE_LOOKUP_FIELD = class="hl-string">'Invoice__c' class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Lookup field from Payment to Invoice
PAYMENT_STATUS_FIELD = class="hl-string">'Status__c'

class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Main Script ---
def main():
    print(class="hl-string">"Connecting to Salesforce...")
    sf = Salesforce(username=SF_USERNAME, password=SF_PASSWORD, security_token=SF_SECURITY_TOKEN, instance_url=SF_INSTANCE_URL)
    print(class="hl-string">"Connection successful.")

    all_events = []

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># 1. Get base Invoice data
    print(class="hl-string">"Fetching base invoice data...")
    soql_invoices = fclass="hl-string">"""
        SELECT Id, {INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD}, CreatedDate, CreatedById, LastModifiedById, 
               {INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD}, {INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD}, {INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD}
        FROM {INVOICE_OBJECT}
        WHERE CreatedDate >= {START_DATE} AND CreatedDate <= {END_DATE}
    """
    invoices_data = sf.query_all(soql_invoices)[class="hl-string">'records']
    df_invoices = pd.DataFrame(invoices_data).drop(columns=[class="hl-string">'attributes'])
    invoice_ids = class="hl-string">"','".join(df_invoices[class="hl-string">'Id'].tolist())

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Activity: Invoice Generated & Payment Due Date Reached
    print(class="hl-string">"Processing 'Invoice Generated' and 'Payment Due Date Reached' events...")
    generated_events = df_invoices.copy()
    generated_events[class="hl-string">'ActivityName'] = class="hl-string">'Invoice Generated'
    generated_events[class="hl-string">'EventTime'] = pd.to_datetime(generated_events[class="hl-string">'CreatedDate']).dt.tz_localize(None)
    generated_events[class="hl-string">'UserResponsible'] = generated_events[class="hl-string">'CreatedById']
    all_events.append(generated_events)

    due_date_events = df_invoices[df_invoices[INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD].notna()].copy()
    due_date_events[class="hl-string">'ActivityName'] = class="hl-string">'Payment Due Date Reached'
    due_date_events[class="hl-string">'EventTime'] = pd.to_datetime(due_date_events[INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD]).dt.tz_localize(None)
    due_date_events[class="hl-string">'UserResponsible'] = None class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># System-generated event
    all_events.append(due_date_events)

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># 2. Get Invoice Status Changes from Field History
    print(class="hl-string">"Fetching invoice status changes...")
    soql_invoice_history = fclass="hl-string">"""
        SELECT ParentId, Field, OldValue, NewValue, CreatedDate, CreatedById
        FROM {INVOICE_OBJECT}History
        WHERE ParentId IN ('{invoice_ids}') AND Field = '{INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD}'
    """
    invoice_history_data = sf.query_all(soql_invoice_history)[class="hl-string">'records']
    if invoice_history_data:
        df_invoice_history = pd.DataFrame(invoice_history_data).drop(columns=[class="hl-string">'attributes'])
        df_invoice_history = df_invoice_history.merge(df_invoices[[class="hl-string">'Id', INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD, INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD, INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD]], left_on=class="hl-string">'ParentId', right_on=class="hl-string">'Id')
        df_invoice_history[class="hl-string">'EventTime'] = pd.to_datetime(df_invoice_history[class="hl-string">'CreatedDate']).dt.tz_localize(None)
        df_invoice_history[class="hl-string">'UserResponsible'] = df_invoice_history[class="hl-string">'CreatedById']

        class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Map status changes to Activity Names
        status_map = {
            (class="hl-string">'Draft', class="hl-string">'Pending Approval'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Submitted for Approval',
            (class="hl-string">'Pending Approval', class="hl-string">'Approved'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Approved',
            (class="hl-string">'Pending Approval', class="hl-string">'Rejected'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Rejected',
            (class="hl-string">'Rejected', class="hl-string">'Draft'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Corrected',
            (class="hl-string">'Approved', class="hl-string">'Sent'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Sent to Customer',
            (class="hl-string">'Approved', class="hl-string">'Closed'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Closed',
            (class="hl-string">'Sent', class="hl-string">'Closed'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Closed',
            (class="hl-string">'Approved', class="hl-string">'Written Off'): class="hl-string">'Invoice Written Off'
        }
        df_invoice_history[class="hl-string">'ActivityName'] = df_invoice_history.apply(lambda row: status_map.get((str(row[class="hl-string">'OldValue']), str(row[class="hl-string">'NewValue']))), axis=1)
        df_invoice_history.rename(columns={class="hl-string">'NewValue': INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD}, inplace=True)
        all_events.append(df_invoice_history.dropna(subset=[class="hl-string">'ActivityName']))

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># 3. Get Payment Reminders from Tasks
    print(class="hl-string">"Fetching payment reminder tasks...")
    soql_tasks = fclass="hl-string">"""
        SELECT WhatId, ActivityDate, CreatedById, CreatedDate
        FROM Task
        WHERE WhatId IN ('{invoice_ids}') AND Subject LIKE '%Payment Reminder%'
    """
    task_data = sf.query_all(soql_tasks)[class="hl-string">'records']
    if task_data:
        df_tasks = pd.DataFrame(task_data).drop(columns=[class="hl-string">'attributes'])
        df_tasks = df_tasks.merge(df_invoices[[class="hl-string">'Id', INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD, INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD, INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD, INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD]], left_on=class="hl-string">'WhatId', right_on=class="hl-string">'Id')
        df_tasks[class="hl-string">'ActivityName'] = class="hl-string">'Payment Reminder Issued'
        df_tasks[class="hl-string">'EventTime'] = pd.to_datetime(df_tasks[class="hl-string">'CreatedDate']).dt.tz_localize(None)
        df_tasks[class="hl-string">'UserResponsible'] = df_tasks[class="hl-string">'CreatedById']
        all_events.append(df_tasks)

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># 4. Get Payment Data
    print(class="hl-string">"Fetching payment data...")
    soql_payments = fclass="hl-string">"""
        SELECT Id, {PAYMENT_INVOICE_LOOKUP_FIELD}, CreatedDate, CreatedById, LastModifiedById, {PAYMENT_STATUS_FIELD}
        FROM {PAYMENT_OBJECT}
        WHERE {PAYMENT_INVOICE_LOOKUP_FIELD} IN ('{invoice_ids}')
    """
    payment_data = sf.query_all(soql_payments)[class="hl-string">'records']
    if payment_data:
        df_payments = pd.DataFrame(payment_data).drop(columns=[class="hl-string">'attributes'])
        df_payments = df_payments.merge(df_invoices[[class="hl-string">'Id', INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD, INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD, INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD]], left_on=PAYMENT_INVOICE_LOOKUP_FIELD, right_on=class="hl-string">'Id', suffixes=(class="hl-string">'_payment', class="hl-string">'_invoice'))
        payment_ids = class="hl-string">"','".join(df_payments[class="hl-string">'Id_payment'].tolist())
        
        class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Activity: Customer Payment Received
        payment_received_events = df_payments.copy()
        payment_received_events[class="hl-string">'ActivityName'] = class="hl-string">'Customer Payment Received'
        payment_received_events[class="hl-string">'EventTime'] = pd.to_datetime(payment_received_events[class="hl-string">'CreatedDate']).dt.tz_localize(None)
        payment_received_events[class="hl-string">'UserResponsible'] = payment_received_events[class="hl-string">'CreatedById']
        all_events.append(payment_received_events)
        
        class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># 5. Get Payment Status Changes
        print(class="hl-string">"Fetching payment status changes...")
        soql_payment_history = fclass="hl-string">"""
            SELECT ParentId, Field, OldValue, NewValue, CreatedDate, CreatedById
            FROM {PAYMENT_OBJECT}History
            WHERE ParentId IN ('{payment_ids}') AND Field = '{PAYMENT_STATUS_FIELD}'
        """
        payment_history_data = sf.query_all(soql_payment_history)[class="hl-string">'records']
        if payment_history_data:
            df_payment_history = pd.DataFrame(payment_history_data).drop(columns=[class="hl-string">'attributes'])
            df_payment_history = df_payment_history.merge(df_payments[[class="hl-string">'Id_payment', INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD, INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD, INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD]], left_on=class="hl-string">'ParentId', right_on=class="hl-string">'Id_payment')
            df_payment_history[class="hl-string">'EventTime'] = pd.to_datetime(df_payment_history[class="hl-string">'CreatedDate']).dt.tz_localize(None)
            df_payment_history[class="hl-string">'UserResponsible'] = df_payment_history[class="hl-string">'CreatedById']

            payment_status_map = {
                (class="hl-string">'Received', class="hl-string">'Posted'): class="hl-string">'Payment Posted to Ledger',
                (class="hl-string">'Posted', class="hl-string">'Reconciled'): class="hl-string">'Cash Applied/Reconciled'
            }
            df_payment_history[class="hl-string">'ActivityName'] = df_payment_history.apply(lambda row: payment_status_map.get((str(row[class="hl-string">'OldValue']), str(row[class="hl-string">'NewValue']))), axis=1)
            df_payment_history.rename(columns={class="hl-string">'NewValue': INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD}, inplace=True)
            all_events.append(df_payment_history.dropna(subset=[class="hl-string">'ActivityName']))

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># --- Final Assembly ---
    print(class="hl-string">"Assembling final event log...")
    final_df = pd.concat(all_events, ignore_index=True)

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Standardize column names
    final_df.rename(columns={
        INVOICE_NUMBER_FIELD: class="hl-string">'InvoiceNumber',
        INVOICE_STATUS_FIELD: class="hl-string">'InvoiceStatus',
        INVOICE_TOTAL_AMOUNT_FIELD: class="hl-string">'InvoiceTotalAmount',
        INVOICE_DUE_DATE_FIELD: class="hl-string">'PaymentDueDate'
    }, inplace=True)

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Select and order columns for the final event log
    required_cols = {
        class="hl-string">'InvoiceNumber': None,
        class="hl-string">'ActivityName': None,
        class="hl-string">'EventTime': None,
        class="hl-string">'UserResponsible': None,
        class="hl-string">'InvoiceStatus': None,
        class="hl-string">'InvoiceTotalAmount': None,
        class="hl-string">'PaymentDueDate': None
    }
    for col in required_cols:
        if col not in final_df.columns:
            final_df[col] = required_cols[col]
    
    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># We cannot extract Billing Department directly from this model, so we will add it as an empty column
    final_df[class="hl-string">'BillingDepartment'] = None

    final_df = final_df[list(required_cols.keys()) + [class="hl-string">'BillingDepartment']]

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Sort by case and event time
    final_df.sort_values(by=[class="hl-string">'InvoiceNumber', class="hl-string">'EventTime'], inplace=True)

    class=class="hl-string">"hl-comment"># Save to CSV
    output_filename = class="hl-string">'salesforce_billing_event_log.csv'
    final_df.to_csv(output_filename, index=False, date_format=class="hl-string">'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f')
    print(fclass="hl-string">"Event log saved to {output_filename}")

if __name__ == class="hl-string">'__main__':
    main()

Steps

Prerequisites Check: Ensure you have the necessary permissions in Salesforce, including "Run Reports", "Create and Customize Reports", and "Export Reports". Verify that Field History Tracking is enabled for the key status fields on your Invoice and Payment objects. To do this, navigate to Setup > Object Manager, find the relevant object, go to Fields & Relationships, and click "Set History Tracking".
Define Report Strategy: This process requires creating multiple reports because activities originate from different records or events (e.g., invoice creation, status changes, related payments). You will create a separate report for each distinct source and then combine the results externally.
Create Report for Record Creations: Begin with the simplest events. Create a report for 'Invoice Generated' and 'Customer Payment Received'. Navigate to the Reports tab and click "New Report". Choose a report type that includes your Invoice object (e.g., "Invoices") or Payment object. Add columns corresponding to the event log attributes. For the 'Invoice Generated' activity, the CreatedDate of the invoice record will be the EventTime.
Create Report for Field History: To capture status changes like 'Invoice Submitted for Approval', 'Invoice Approved', 'Invoice Rejected', and 'Invoice Corrected', create a report based on the "Invoice History" report type. This special report type exposes changes tracked by Field History Tracking. You will filter this report for changes to the Status field.
Create Report for Date-Based Events: For events like 'Invoice Sent to Customer' or 'Payment Due Date Reached', create a report on the Invoice object. Use the date fields themselves, such as Sent_Date__c or Payment_Due_Date__c, as the EventTime. You must filter for records where these dates are not null.
Create Report for Related Activities: For events like 'Payment Reminder Issued', you need a report that links Activities (Tasks or Events) to Invoices. Use a report type like "Activities with Invoices" or a custom one you create. Filter for activities with a specific subject or type that indicates a reminder.
Add Standard Columns to All Reports: In each report you build, ensure you add columns that can be mapped to the required event log structure: InvoiceNumber, a field for the EventTime (like CreatedDate or the date of the field change), UserResponsible (like LastModifiedById), and other recommended attributes.
Export Reports to CSV: Run each report individually. From the report results screen, use the dropdown menu to select "Export" and choose the "Details Only" format with a .csv extension. Repeat this for all reports you created.
Combine and Transform Data: Open the exported CSV files in a spreadsheet program or use a data preparation tool. For each file, add a new column named ActivityName and populate it with the specific activity it represents (e.g., "Invoice Generated" for all rows from the first report). Map the source columns (e.g., Invoice: Created Date) to the standard event log headers (EventTime).
Create Final Event Log: Consolidate all the transformed data from the individual CSV files into a single master file. Ensure the column headers are exactly InvoiceNumber, ActivityName, EventTime, UserResponsible, etc. This unified file is your final event log.
Final Formatting: Save the consolidated file as a CSV with UTF-8 encoding. The file is now ready to be uploaded to ProcessMind.

Configuration

Report Types: You will likely need multiple custom report types to join parent objects like Account with child and grandchild objects like Invoice, Payment, and Activity. Create these in Setup > Report Types.
Field History Tracking: This is critical. For the Invoice object, enable history tracking for any Status field. Without this, you cannot capture status change activities like 'Approved' or 'Rejected'. History is not tracked retroactively.
Data Filters: Always apply a date filter to your reports to keep the data volume manageable. A good practice is to filter the primary object's creation date for the last 3 to 6 months (e.g., Invoice: Created Date equals LAST 180 DAYS).
Data Export Service: As an alternative to running individual reports, you can use the native Data Export Service (Setup > Data Export). This service exports all of your organization's data on a weekly or monthly basis. This provides a full backup but requires significant post-processing to filter, join, and transform the data into an event log.
User Permissions: The user performing the extraction needs read access to all relevant objects (e.g., Account, Order, Invoice__c, Payment__c, Activity) and fields, in addition to report creation and export permissions.

a Sample Query config

// This is a configuration guide for building multiple Salesforce reports.
// The data from these separate CSV exports must be manually combined and transformed into a single event log.

// Report 1: Invoice Generated
// Report Type: Invoices (or your custom invoice object report type)
// Filters: 
// 1. Created Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 2. Created Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Invoice Generated' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Created Date -> EventTime
// - Created By -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - Status -> InvoiceStatus
// - Total Amount -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - Payment Due Date -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 2: Invoice Status Changes (Submitted, Approved, Rejected, Corrected, Closed, Written Off)
// Report Type: Invoice History (or your custom object's history report type)
// Filters:
// 1. Edit Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 2. Edit Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// 3. Field/Event EQUALS 'Status' (or the name of your status field)
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - New Value (transformed*) -> ActivityName 
// - Edit Date -> EventTime
// - Edited By -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - New Value -> InvoiceStatus
// - [Invoice Total Amount] -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - [Invoice Payment Due Date] -> PaymentDueDate
// *Transformation Logic for ActivityName: 
//   - IF New Value = 'Pending Approval' THEN 'Invoice Submitted for Approval'
//   - IF New Value = 'Approved' THEN 'Invoice Approved'
//   - IF New Value = 'Rejected' THEN 'Invoice Rejected'
//   - IF New Value = 'Draft' AND Old Value = 'Rejected' THEN 'Invoice Corrected'
//   - IF New Value = 'Closed' THEN 'Invoice Closed'
//   - IF New Value = 'Written Off' THEN 'Invoice Written Off'

// Report 3: Invoice Sent to Customer
// Report Type: Invoices
// Filters:
// 1. [Sent Date Field] NOT EQUAL TO "" (not null)
// 2. [Sent Date Field] GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 3. [Sent Date Field] LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Invoice Sent to Customer' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - [Sent Date Field] -> EventTime
// - Last Modified By -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - Status -> InvoiceStatus
// - Total Amount -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - Payment Due Date -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 4: Payment Due Date Reached
// Report Type: Invoices
// Filters:
// 1. Payment Due Date NOT EQUAL TO "" (not null)
// 2. Payment Due Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 3. Payment Due Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Payment Due Date Reached' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Payment Due Date -> EventTime
// - 'System' (static text) -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - Status -> InvoiceStatus
// - Total Amount -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - Payment Due Date -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 5: Payment Reminder Issued
// Report Type: Activities with Invoices (or similar custom report type)
// Filters:
// 1. Task or Event Subject CONTAINS 'Payment Reminder'
// 2. Created Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 3. Created Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice: Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Payment Reminder Issued' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Created Date -> EventTime
// - Assigned To -> UserResponsible
// - [Billing Department Field] -> BillingDepartment
// - [Invoice Status Field] -> InvoiceStatus
// - [Invoice Total Amount] -> InvoiceTotalAmount
// - [Invoice Payment Due Date] -> PaymentDueDate

// Report 6: Customer Payment Received & Status Changes (Posted, Applied)
// Report Type: Payments with Invoices (or similar custom report type)
// This report combines multiple events from the Payment record.
// Filters:
// 1. Payment: Created Date GREATER OR EQUAL [Start Date]
// 2. Payment: Created Date LESS OR EQUAL [End Date]
// Part A: Payment Received
// Columns to Export & Map:
// - Invoice: Invoice Number -> InvoiceNumber
// - 'Customer Payment Received' (static text) -> ActivityName
// - Payment: Created Date -> EventTime
// - Payment: Created By -> UserResponsible
// Part B: Payment Posted and Applied (Requires exporting and transforming multiple rows for the same payment if status changes)
// You may need a separate Payment History Report, similar to Report 2.
// Assuming a simple status field on the Payment for this example:
//   - IF Payment Status = 'Posted' THEN 'Payment Posted to Ledger'
//   - IF Payment Status = 'Applied' THEN 'Cash Applied/Reconciled'

Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Attributes

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Activities

Extraction Guides

Salesforce Report Builder and Data Export Service

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query config

Python Script using the Salesforce REST API

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query python

ETL Tool Extraction via Prebuilt Salesforce Connector

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query config

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Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

Your Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Data Template

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Attributes

Order to Cash - Billing & Invoicing Activities

Extraction Guides

Salesforce Report Builder and Data Export Service

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query config

Python Script using the Salesforce REST API

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query python

ETL Tool Extraction via Prebuilt Salesforce Connector

Steps

Configuration

a Sample Query config

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Ready to Get Started?

Faster Payments: Optimize O2C Billing & Invoicing Now