AX - Timeline
Overview
AX - Timeline is a Lightning App Builder component that displays your Salesforce records in chronological order on record, app, and home pages.
Use it to track any date-based activity—like case updates, opportunity history, project milestones, customer interactions, or task completion. Users can search and filter entries, click items to navigate to records, and see events organized by time periods. Pull data from any standard or custom object with date fields.
Perfect for activity feeds, audit trails, customer interaction history, project timelines, or anywhere users need to see "what happened when" in a visual, scrollable format.
Use Cases
Account & Contact Management
Visualize interaction history, including calls, emails, and meetings, on Account or Contact page.s
Track relationship development and touchpoint progression over time
Display communication timeline with prospects and customers
Case & Service Management
Show case activity timeline including updates, status changes, and internal comments
Track service request progression from creation to resolution
Display escalation history and resolution milestones
Sales & Opportunity Management
Track key sales milestones, notes, and related tasks across the deal lifecycle
Display opportunity progression with stage changes and important activities
Show competitive activities and strategic decisions over time
Configuration
Object API Name
Text
Yes
API name of the Salesforce object used to retrieve records for the timeline
Event, Case, Task, Custom_Activity__c
Filter
Text
No
SOQL WHERE clause conditions to filter which records appear on the timeline. Supports {{Record.FieldName}} syntax.
Status = 'Open'<br>WhatId = '{{Record.Id}}'<br>Type = 'Milestone'
Order By
Text
No
Field API name used to sort records before rendering. Typically a date field for chronological ordering.
ActivityDate, CreatedDate DESC, Due_Date__c
Maximum Number of Items
Number
No
Maximum number of records to retrieve and display. Prevents performance issues with large datasets.
50, 100, 200
Title Field Name
Text
Yes
Field API name used as the main title for each timeline item
Subject, Name, Title__c, Activity_Name__c
Description Field Name
Text
No
Field API name used as the descriptive text for each timeline item
Description, Summary__c, Details__c, Comments__c
Date Field Name
Text
Yes
Field API name representing the date that determines an item's position in the timeline
ActivityDate, CloseDate, DueDate, Event_Date__c
Field Names
Text
No
Comma-separated list of field API names that display additional details for each timeline item
OwnerId,StageName,Amount<br>Priority__c,Status__c,Type__c
Clickable
Checkbox
No
Makes timeline items clickable links that redirect to the record's detail page
Checked for navigation, Unchecked for display-only
Show Search
Checkbox
No
Displays a search bar above the timeline for keyword searches across configured fields
Checked for searchable timelines, Unchecked for browse-only
Filter Fields
Text
No
Comma-separated list of field API names displayed in the filter panel for user-driven filtering
Status,OwnerId,Type<br>Priority__c,Category__c
Show Pagination
Checkbox
No
Enables pagination controls at the bottom of the timeline for navigating large datasets
Checked for large datasets, Unchecked for smaller lists
Number of Items per Page
Number
No
When pagination is enabled, defines how many records are displayed per page
10, 20, 25
Header Title
Text
No
Main heading displayed above the timeline. Supports {{Record.FieldName}} syntax.
Account Activity Timeline<br>{{Record.Name}} History
Header Caption
Text
No
Subtitle displayed below the header title to provide additional context. Supports {{Record.FieldName}} syntax.
Grouped by Month<br>Last {{Record.Activity_Count__c}} activities
Header Icon Name
Text
No
Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) icon name in format category:icon_name
standard:event, utility:timeline, custom:activity
Display as Card
Checkbox
No
Wraps the timeline inside a styled card container for better visual presentation
Checked for dashboard sections, Unchecked for inline display
Examples
Example 1: Account Activity Timeline
Scenario: Display all activities (events, tasks, calls) related to an account in chronological order with search and filtering capabilities.
Result: A comprehensive activity timeline showing all events related to the account with search, filtering, and navigation capabilities.
Example 2: Case Resolution Timeline
Scenario: Track case updates and resolution progress with status-based filtering and milestone tracking.
Result: A detailed case history timeline showing all status changes, field updates, and modifications with search and filtering.
Example 3: Project Milestone Tracker
Scenario: Display project milestones and key events with team member filtering and completion tracking.
Result: A project milestone timeline with completion tracking, team member filtering, and direct navigation to milestone details.
Best Practices
Data Organization
Choose date fields that provide meaningful chronological context for your business process
Use descriptive title and description fields that give users quick insight into each timeline item
Include relevant additional fields that provide context without cluttering the display
Performance Optimization
Set appropriate maximum item limits to balance completeness with performance
Use specific filters to reduce query scope and improve load times
Enable pagination for timelines with large datasets to maintain responsive performance
User Experience
Enable search functionality for timelines with many items or complex data
Provide meaningful filter fields that align with how users naturally categorize the data
Use clickable items when navigation to detail records adds value to the workflow
Visual Design
Choose header titles and captions that clearly explain what the timeline represents
Select appropriate icons that reinforce the timeline's purpose and content type
Use card display for timelines that need visual separation from surrounding content
Troubleshooting
Timeline Shows No Data
Verify the Object API Name is correct and accessible to users
Check that the filter syntax is valid SOQL and returns results for the current record
Ensure the date field contains valid date/datetime values
Confirm users have permission to view the specified object and fields
Items Appear Out of Order
Verify the Date Field Name points to a valid date or datetime field
Check the Order By configuration includes proper sorting direction (ASC/DESC)
Ensure date field values are populated correctly in the source records
Search Not Working
Confirm Show Search is enabled and searchable fields contain data
Verify users have permission to view the fields being searched
Check that search terms match the data format in the source fields
Pagination Issues
Ensure Number of Items per Page is set to a reasonable value (10-50)
Verify the total record count exceeds the per-page limit
Check that the Maximum Number of Items doesn't conflict with pagination settings
Navigation Problems
Ensure Clickable is enabled for navigation functionality
Verify users have permission to view the target record pages
Check that the records being referenced still exist and aren't deleted
Summary
The Timeline component provides a powerful way to visualize time-based data within Salesforce Lightning pages, offering chronological insights into business processes, relationships, and activities. With comprehensive filtering, search, and navigation capabilities, it enables users to understand historical context and track progress over time quickly. The component's flexibility supports various business scenarios from sales pipeline tracking to compliance auditing, making it a valuable tool for any time-sensitive workflow visualization.
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