There are numerous tools available to you within your Slate database that can help you troubleshoot behaviors and better understand Slate.
Rules
Rules Health
When to use
Your rules run slowly or not at all.
What it does
Shows how long it takes batches of rules to run through each pass.
Where it is
Database → Rules → Rules Health
Further reading
Read more about rule passes.
Check Rules
When to use
When auditing by taking a broad look at rule performance and duration times. You can also use to help identify groups of rules most likely to be contributing to a timeout.
What it does
Determines how long each rule takes to run on records. Ensures rules are not producing errors and can run efficiently.
Where it is
Database → Rules → Check Rules
Further reading
Read more about the check rules tool.
Preview Actions
When to use
You find that a lower-level rule in an exclusivity group is not acting on a record.
What it does
Simulate an action on a record as a result of a rule.
Where it is
Database → Rules → Preview Actions
Further reading
Read more about the preview action tool.
Rule Log
When to use
Rules are executing with errors.
What it does
Lists errors returned by rules that have executed and failed.
Where it is
Database → Rules → Rule Log
Further reading
Read more about the rule log.
Imports and Exports
Job Activity Monitor
When to use
Exports are failing.
What it does
Displays the history and results of all query and report runs, including scheduled exports. Click any row marked Failure for more details.
Where it is
Database → Job Activity Monitor
Further reading
Learn more about scheduling exports.
Import Fails
When to use
Imports are failing.
What it does
Lists rows of data within a file that were not able to import into Slate.
Where it is
Within a Source Format → Click on a source → Import Fails
Further reading
Imports sometimes fail because of Source Format settings such as Update Only, which prevent new records from being created. Read more about troubleshooting Upload Dataset.
SFTP Connection Validation
When to use
You're experiencing difficulty connecting to the SFTP server.
What it does
Tests SFTP connections. Enter the connection settings associated with your SFTP account to validate your connection.
Where it is
Database → SFTP Connection Validation
Further reading
Read more about SFTP connection validation.
System Dashboard
When to use
Processes like imports are halting or slowing down.
What it does
Displays live data about your database, including overall status, batch requests per second, unhandled exceptions, and more.
Where it is
Database → System Dashboard
Querying
Configurable Joins Base Explorer
When to use
When creating queries using Configurable Joins.
What it does
See which data tables are connected to each other. A useful starting point to explore the tables you could join to (and what type of join it would be) when querying.
Where it is
Database → Configurable Joins Base Explorer
Further reading
Read more about joins.
Email and Communications
Communication History
When to use
Use this tool to check what messages/emails have been sent to a specific email address.
What it does
Enter an email address into Communication History search box to see all correspondence sent to that address, which might exist on multiple records. The status of message will also be displayed.
Where it is
Database → Communication History
Recipient Deliverability
When to use
Messages are not being sent to a specific email address.
What it does
Shows a log of message attempts to a particular email address and any suppression lists that email address is on. Allows for removal from those supression lists.
Where it is
Database → Recipient Deliverability
Further reading
Read more about the recipient deliverability tool.
DKIM Configuration
When to use
Emails getting caught in spam filters.
What it does
DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) authenticates outgoing emails by associating your institution with Slate.
Where it is
Database → DKIM Configuration
Further reading
Read more about DKIM configuration.
Delivery and Tracking Reports
What they do
Completed mailings include two reports: Delivery Report and Tracking Report.
Delivery Report lists all sent messages from the mailing. It creates a quick query on the Configurable Joins - Message base, filters on the selected mailing, and includes all exports on that table.
Tracking Report lists all opens and clicks on messages sent from this mailing. It creates a quick query on the Configurable Joins - Message Track base, filters on the selected mailing, and includes all exports on that table.
Where they are
Deliver → Click on a mailing → Delivery Report or Tracking Report
Database-wide tools
Check Logic
When to use
Before sending a mailing, running a query, or activating a rule.
What it does
In a Deliver mailing: Tests whether a particular record qualifies for a recipient list.
In a query or rule: Test whether a person, dataset, or application record meets the filter criteria for that query or rule.
Where it is
Deliver → Edit Recipient Lists → Click on a mailing → Click on a recipient list → Edit Query → Check Logic
Queries and Rules → Click on a query or rule → Edit Query or Edit Rule → Check Logic
Further reading
Read more about check logic in Deliver.
Read more about using the check logic tool to improve rule efficiency.
Database Activity Monitor
When to use
For advanced users, this tool can be useful for identifying the probable causes of system strain (users experiencing slowness, frequent timeouts, rule backups).
What it does
Displays information about various processes running in Slate in real time. Use your browser’s refresh button to refresh the view, and click into any row to display details regarding the indicated process (SQL of a given query, rule, or back-end process running at that time).
Where it is
Database → Database Activity Monitor
Further reading
Read about Troubleshooting Rules Backups using the Database Activity Monitor.
Data Cleanup
When to use
Sparingly, and only if you need to immediately force certain data clean up processes.
What it does
Force the immediate execution of data cleanup scripts that would otherwise run overnight, like Scrub Address Records.
Where it is
Database → Cleanup/ Scrub Address Records
Further reading
Read more about the data cleanup tool.
Read more about nightly data cleanup scripts.
Snapshots
When to use
You want to see when certain types of objects were edited, and by whom.
What it does
Displays a particular communication or source format at a point in time.
Where it is
Deliver → Click on a Mailing → Edit (down arrow) → Snapshots
Upload Dataset → Click on a Source Format → Edit (down arrow) → Snapshots
Time Warp
When to use
You want to look across multiple objects in Slate as they were, or you want to examine the prior state of an object that does not support Snapshots.
What it does
Time Warp is a copy of your production instance at a particular point in time within the past 90 days. Use Time Warp to help diagnose behaviors that may be attributed to past set up.
Where it is
Database → Test & Other Environments → Time Warp (Provision)
Further reading
Read more about Time Warp environments..
Timeline
What it does
Provides a chronological history of interaction events (such as form submissions, message history, and payment history) that have taken place on a record.
Note: Messages can be hidden from the Timeline.
Where it is
After clicking on a Person or Dataset Record → Timeline
Audit Log
When to use
You're seeing data values being set (or not set) on a record and you are unsure how or why.
What it does
A log of manual or automated events (posts, updates, or deletions) on a record.
Where it is
(After clicking on a Person or Dataset Record) → Timeline → Audit Log
Deletion Log
What it does
Lets you track and restore dataset records and applications that were manually deleted from your database.
Where it is
Database → Deletion Log
Further reading
Read more about the Deletion Log.
Error Log
What it does
If processes are halted or stop running, they may return errors. Navigate to the Error Log to see details about these errors.
Where it is
Database → Error Log
Further reading
Consult the Definition of Common Errors article to better understand these errors.
Access Log
When to use
To investigate who accessed a particular resource or record within a given period of time.
What it does
Returns a list of web requests (GET or POST) accessing pages or resources within Slate, both internal and external. Use the date picker to select a timeframe to search. Apply filters to narrow results further, for instance: filter by URI (Uniform Resource Identifier, akin to URL) to return only access logs for a specific Slate page.
Where it is
Database → Access Log
Payment History
What it does
Logs payments made online through Slate. Filter by payment account, deposit account, and other filter criteria (like a particular user).
Where it is
Database → Payment History
Further reading
Read more about the payment history tool.
Impersonate → Applications or Impersonate → Status Page
What it does
Impersonate (Applicant) allows users with the Administrator (All Access) role to impersonate an applicant and see their application from their point of view.
Impersonate (Status Page) allows users with the Administrator (All Access) role to impersonate the status page affiliated with the round of that application.
Where it is
On a person or dataset record, click the Application tab, then click Impersonate → Applications or Impersonate → Status Page.
Further reading
Read more about impersonating applicants' applications.
Read more about impersonating applicants' status pages.
Impersonate (User)
When to use
Unsure what a particular user can or cannot see based on their permissions, roles, or realms.
What it does
Impersonate (User) allows users with the Security Administrator permission to see Slate from another user's perspective.
Where it is
Database → User Permissions → click on a user → Impersonate
Further reading
Read more about Security Administrator permission.
Field Search
When to use
The Field Search is used to determine potential sources of data entered into a field in Slate. Useful when searching for the source of updated fields on a record.
What it does
See where any custom field with stored data is used in a form, source format, import, or rule in your database.
Where it is
Database → Field Search
GUID Search
When to use
Determining the scope of an unknown GUID or the tables on which data associated with a specific GUID are stored.
What it does
Every object in Slate has a 36 character unique identifier, or GUID. The GUID for an object is in its URL and is stored throughout the database. Use GUID Search to determine what object in Slate a GUID may be associated with. GUID Search requires familiarity with the structure of Slate and an understanding of SQL and is best used by advanced Slate users.
Where it is
Database → GUID Search
Resource Auditor
What it does
Displays objects in your database and when they were last active. Can help you determine whether objects in your database should be inactivated or archived.
Where it is
Database → Resource Auditor
Further reading
Read more about Resource Auditor.
Unused Resources
When to use
Use this for auditing purposes of removing clutter for objects that have not been used within your database by setting these items to ‘Inactive’.
What it does
Unused Resources displays interaction codes, fields, prompts, and decision codes that have not been used within the past 365 days.
Where it is
Database → Unused Resources
Standard Query Library
What it does
Provides more than 30 pre-built queries that allow you to access information about your Slate database. Queries that are especially helpful include Slate Data Dictionary (a list of all standard fields in your database) and Field Configuration Review (fields that may not have been set up properly).
Where it is
Database → Standard Query Library
Further reading
Read more about Slate Data Dictionary.
Read more about Field Configuration Review.