How to control FortiSIEM's column order across all result pages with Display Fields.

Where can a FortiSIEM administrator set the order for columns across all pages in a results set?

• A. Event Details
• B. Display Fields
• C. Result Settings
• D. Column Configuration

Answer: (B)

The ability to set the order for columns across all pages in a results set is found under the Display Fields setting in FortiSIEM. When an administrator accesses this feature, they can customize which fields are presented in the results and the sequence in which they appear. This is crucial for enhancing the clarity and efficiency of data analysis, allowing administrators to prioritize the most relevant information based on their specific needs. The Display Fields configuration allows for a tailored view, ensuring that users can focus on the data points that matter most to them. Adjusting the column order can lead to improved readability and greater insight when reviewing results, which is essential for effective network security management. Other components, such as Event Details, Result Settings, and Column Configuration, serve different purposes in the FortiSIEM interface and do not provide the same comprehensive capability for managing the overall presentation of data across all result pages in the same way that Display Fields does. Thus, Display Fields stands out as the correct choice for this specific function.

Let’s talk about a small but mighty detail in FortiSIEM that can dramatically sharpen your data view: the order of columns across every page of a results set. If you ever felt overwhelmed by a sea of fields when you’re hunting for indicators of compromise or trying to spot trends, this one setting is a quiet game changer. And here’s the bottom line up front: you, as a FortiSIEM administrator, adjust this across all pages in the results set via the Display Fields.

Display Fields: the control you didn’t know you needed

What exactly is Display Fields? Think of it as the tailor’s needle for your dashboards. It lets you choose which data points (the fields) appear in your results and, crucially, the order they appear in as you flip through pages. The goal is simple: show the most relevant information first and keep the layout consistent from page to page. When you’re triaging an alert, investigating an incident, or simply reviewing a long list of events, consistent column order means you don’t have to relearn the screen every time you move to the next page.

Why the order across all pages matters

Here’s the thing: your brain loves patterns. When the same fields show up in the same places, your eyes can scan faster, and your decisions can be more confident. If the Severity column is always second, and the Source IP sits where you expect it, you’ll catch anomalies quicker and reduce the cognitive load. Across a multi-page results set, this consistency translates into fewer misreads, quicker filtering, and smoother collaboration among SOC analysts, network engineers, and incident responders.

A quick contrast: what Display Fields isn’t

You might wonder how this differs from other settings in FortiSIEM. Other components do different things:

• Event Details: This is where you drill into the specifics of a single event. It provides deep context about one record, but it doesn’t reconfigure the overall column layout across every page.

• Result Settings: This is the broader umbrella for how results are filtered, sorted, or time-benced. It shapes what you see, but not the universal column order across pages.

• Column Configuration: This sounds like it could do the same job, but in FortiSIEM, its focus is more on per-page layouts or individual views, not the global, across-all-pages presentation.

Display Fields, by contrast, is the global editor. It governs the entire results view so that a shared, predictable column order shows up anywhere you browse in the set.

How to set it up (step by step)

If you’re ready to tune Display Fields, here’s a straightforward approach that works on typical FortiSIEM interfaces. If your exact UI looks a little different, the same principles apply—the wording might vary, but the concept is the same.

• Open the results view: Run a search or open a dashboard that presents a results set. You’ll be looking at a table with multiple columns.

• Find Display Fields: Look for a section labeled Display Fields in the results view’s settings or preferences panel. It’s usually near other display or layout options.

• Choose which fields to show: Pick the data points you care about most. Common picks include timestamp, device name, event type, severity, source IP, destination IP, user, policy, and decision.

• Reorder for impact: Use drag-and-drop, or up/down arrows, to place the most critical fields at the top and set the rest in a logical sequence. Remember, this order will apply across all pages, so plan for consistency.

• Apply or save: Confirm your changes. FortiSIEM will refresh the results view so you can verify that the new order is in effect across the entire set.

• Verify across pages: Scroll to subsequent pages in the results. The column order should look the same as the first page. If not, a quick recheck of the saved Display Fields settings usually fixes it.

• Save as a default (if you want a standard view): If you’ve found a layout that you want as the standard across the team or for a particular role, save it as a default or share it with colleagues who rely on the same investigative workflow.

Tips for getting the most out of Display Fields

• Start with the essentials: For most security workflow scenarios, a compact top tier of fields is enough to triage quickly. You can always add more as you gain confidence.

• Customize by role: A SOC analyst might prioritize time, device, and type of event, while a network engineer might care more about IPs and policy decisions. If your FortiSIEM setup supports role-based views, tailor Display Fields accordingly.

• Keep a consensus list: If multiple people use the same results view, agree on a standard column order. It saves time and reduces misinterpretations.

• Test with real datasets: Try your new layout on a representative sample of events. What looks great in theory can sometimes crowd the screen in practice.

• Be mindful of screen real estate: A long column order can force horizontal scrolling, which slows down reading. Balance completeness with readability.

• Consider mobile or smaller screens: If dashboards are accessed on tablets or laptops with narrower viewports, prioritize the most actionable fields so they remain visible without excessive scrolling.

A practical example: speeding up a malware triage

Imagine you’re handling a malware alert with a flood of related events. If Display Fields places Severity, Time, Source IP, Destination IP, and Event Type at the top consistently, you can rapidly:

• Assess urgency (severity first),

• Identify the source of the infection quickly (Source IP),

• See the affected destination and policy context (Destination IP and Event Type),

• Then skim time stamps to understand the sequence.

Because this order appears on every page, your team spends less time reorienting and more time taking decisive action.

A few words about the broader FortiSIEM toolkit

Display Fields is one piece of a larger ecosystem that helps teams stay on top of security operations. FortiSIEM dashboards, correlation rules, and reporting combine to provide a coherent narrative of what’s happening across the network. The clarity you gain from a well-ordered display feeds into faster investigations, better collaboration, and more reliable incident handling.

If you’re curious, you can also tune how results are presented in other ways—like adjusting time ranges, refining search queries, or adding filters, all of which complement a rock-solid Display Fields setup. The right combination yields dashboards that not only look clean but also tell an honest story about the security posture you’re defending.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Overloading the top of the list: It’s tempting to cram every data point into the top few columns, but this can push key signals out of view. Keep it lean; you can always access extra fields on demand.

• Inconsistent defaults across teams: Shared views are powerful, but inconsistent defaults create confusion. Establish a baseline layout and reuse it to maintain cohesion.

• Neglecting changes after field additions: Fortinet devices and sensors evolve, sometimes adding new field types. When a new field lands, revisit Display Fields to decide if it belongs in your standard view.

• Ignoring accessibility concerns: Color coding and clear labeling matter. If a field is important, ensure its column header is readable and contrasts well with the background.

A touch of realism: why people care about presentation

In the day-to-day grind of security operations, data isn’t just data. It’s actionable intelligence. When you present that information in a consistent, thoughtful way, you reduce cognitive load and speed up decision-making. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective. And for teams that handle alerts around the clock, that reliability is priceless.

Connecting the dots to Fortinet’s broader security story

FortiSIEM doesn’t live in a vacuum. It’s part of Fortinet’s Security Fabric, a collection of tools designed to work together to protect networks, endpoints, and clouds. A clean, predictable data view from FortiSIEM complements FortiGate firewalls, FortiEDR endpoints, and FortiSandbox analyses. When you can see the same, well-ordered fields across different parts of the security stack, you gain a more coherent view of threats and your responses. That coherence isn’t just convenient—it’s a practical advantage when you’re coordinating incident response across teams and tools.

Final thoughts: small change, big payoff

If there’s one takeaway about FortiSIEM, it’s this: the way you present data matters as much as the data itself. Display Fields gives you control over the cross-page column order, turning scattered information into a steady, navigable trail. It’s a simple setting with a tangible payoff—faster insights, clearer communication, and more confident actions in the heat of a security incident.

So, next time you’re configuring FortiSIEM, give Display Fields a moment of attention. Decide which fields truly matter, arrange them with intention, and let that layout travel with you through every page of your results. You might be surprised how a small adjustment can make your day-to-day investigations smoother, more precise, and a touch more human. If you’ve experimented with this already, I’d love to hear how a particular column order changed your workflow—what you kept at the top and why it made a difference. After all, good data presentation is as much about human readability as it is about technical accuracy.