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## Understanding Data Views

A data view is a table consisting of clusters of related data cells. Data views provide the foundation on which users perform Ad Hoc Queries to the Control Manager database.
Control Manager allows direct queries to the Control Manager database. Data views are available to Control Manager 5 report templates and to Ad Hoc Query requests.
Data views are tables filled with information. Each heading in a data view acts as a column in a table. For example, the Virus/Malware Action/Result Summary data view has the following headings:

- Action Result
- Action Taken
- Unique Endpoints
- Unique Sources
- Detections

As a table, a data view takes the following form with potential subheadings under each heading:

#### Sample Data View

Action Result | Action Taken | Unique Endpoints | Unique Sources | Detections
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---

This information is important to remember when specifying how data displays in a report template.
Control Manager separates data views into two major categories: Product Information and Security Threat Information. See the appendix for more information about data views. The major categories separate further into several subcategories, with the subcategories separated into summary information and detailed information.