# What filters do

Filters allow you to efficiently manage the large amounts of data that the system generates. Filters select entries by comparing values defined in the Filter to each data entry included in the filtering operation. The operation can use the filter to either include or exclude matching data.

You can use filters for selecting data in the following tasks:

- Browsing logs, alerts, and audit data.
- Browsing in all session monitoring views.
- Creating reports.
- Selecting which logs administrators who have restricted accounts or Web Portal User accounts are allowed to view.
- Defining how logs are highlighted in the Logs view.
- Forwarding logs to external third-party devices.
- Forwarding audit data to external third-party devices.
- Browsing which IP addresses, ports, and protocols are on the engines’ block lists.
- Pruning log data.
- Exporting and deleting log data and alerts.
- Creating Correlation Situations to analyze engine and Log Server events.