> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-xcor.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Shape your log data

> Learn how to use different tools in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XCOR to shape your log data and help control costs.

After creating, monitoring, and adjusting [budgets](/control/consumption/budgeting)
for your log data, you can use tools in Palo Alto Networks Cortex XCOR to
transform, reshape, retain, or exclude data. Managing the data you persist can reduce
your overall consumption, provide predictability in generated log data, and result in
more performant queries when searching through logs.

After sending data to Cortex XCOR, apply logic to parse, normalize,
control, and format your logs before persisting the data to the database. Parsing
logic and field normalization are applied before any optimization rules run.

```mermaid actions={false} theme={null}
flowchart LR
Send["Send data"]
subgraph OP["Cortex XCOR"]
  Parse[Parse data]
  Normalize[Normalize data]
  Optimize[Optimize data]
  Format[Format data]
  Store[Store data]
end

Send --> Parse --> Normalize --> Optimize --> Format --> Store

click Parse "/control/shaping/shape-logs/parse-logs"
click Normalize "/control/shaping/shape-logs/normalize-logs"
click Optimize "/control/shaping/shape-logs/control-logs"
click Format "/control/shaping/shape-logs/lookup-logs/"

classDef stages fill:#2fbf71,stroke-width:2px,stroke:#2fbf71,color:#FFFFFF;
class Parse,Normalize,Optimize,Format stages
```

* **Parse**: To create structured logs from plaintext logs, and parse individual fields to
  extract meaningful data without changing your instrumentation, use
  [parsing](/control/shaping/shape-logs/parse-logs).
* **Normalize**: To apply custom field mappings to normalize log data, use
  [field normalization](/control/shaping/shape-logs/normalize-logs).
* **Optimize**: To drop entire logs, drop individual fields, or sample a percentage of
  your log data, create [optimization rules](/control/shaping/shape-logs/control-logs).
* **Format**: To add context and enrich logging queries with static values, use
  [lookup tables](/control/shaping/shape-logs/lookup-logs).


## Related topics

- [Parse your log data](/control/shaping/shape-logs/parse-logs.md)
- [Controlling Logs](/academy/courses/controlling-logs.md)
- [Shape and sample your data](/control/shaping.md)
- [Optimize your log data](/control/shaping/shape-logs/control-logs.md)
- [Normalize your log data](/control/shaping/shape-logs/normalize-logs.md)


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