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

# Data Tab

> Reference for the Data tab inside a Visual Layer dataset — setup checklist, media preview, and activity log.

The **Data** tab is the dataset's setup and status surface. It shows how the dataset was configured, the media that was ingested into it, and the history of operations that have run on it. Open the **Data** tab to confirm a dataset is ready, to spot-check what was uploaded, or to review past activity.

## Layout Overview

The Data tab is organized into three areas.

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Region                 | Purpose                                                                                                      |
  | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
  | **Creation Checklist** | The five setup stages the dataset passed through: data source, annotations, index type, upload, and indexing |
  | **Media Preview**      | A grid preview of the media that was uploaded into the dataset                                               |
  | **Activity Log**       | A chronological log of operations on the dataset with timestamps and status                                  |
</div>

## Creation Checklist

The creation checklist displays the five stages that ran when the dataset was created. Each completed stage is marked, so the checklist doubles as a record of how the dataset was configured.

<div className="integrations-table">
  | Stage                     | What It Represents                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
  | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
  | **Select Data Source**    | The data source the media came from (ZIP upload, [Amazon S3](/docs/Integrations/Amazon-s3), [Google Cloud Storage](/docs/Integrations/google-cloud-storage), and so on). See [Create a Dataset](/docs/quick-start/tutorial-create-dataset) for the supported sources. |
  | **Add Annotations**       | Any annotation file attached at creation time. Skipped if the dataset was created without annotations. See [Importing Annotations](/docs/advanced-dataset-management/importing-annotations) for the supported formats.                                                |
  | **Select Index Type**     | The index configuration applied to the dataset at creation.                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
  | **Upload Data**           | The upload step that transferred media into Visual Layer. To add more media after creation, see the [Add Media API](/api-reference/add-media-to-existing-dataset).                                                                                                    |
  | **Visual Layer Indexing** | The embedding and enrichment step that makes the dataset searchable. While this stage runs, the dataset shows an **Indexing** status in the [Dataset Inventory](/docs/quick-start/dataset-inventory-ux).                                                              |
</div>

The checklist reflects the dataset's **status** as shown in the [Dataset Inventory](/docs/quick-start/dataset-inventory-ux). Once all five stages complete, the dataset status changes to **Ready** and its content becomes available in the [Explore tab](/docs/explore-and-search/dataset-interface-explore-tab).

## Media Preview

The media preview is a paginated grid of the images uploaded into the dataset. Each card shows the image, its file name, and an indicator for whether labels were supplied with it.

Use the preview to confirm that the right files landed in the dataset, to sanity-check a sample before running enrichment, or to verify that label files were attached where expected. Clicking into the [Explore tab](/docs/explore-and-search/dataset-interface-explore-tab) gives you the full browsing, search, and filter experience.

## Activity Log

The activity log is the chronological record of operations run on the dataset. Each entry shows the operation type, a timestamp, and a status.

Typical entries include:

| Entry Type                     | Source                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Creation and configuration** | Dataset creation and initial configuration steps                                                                                                            |
| **Upload and indexing**        | Media upload and embedding/indexing runs                                                                                                                    |
| **Enrichment**                 | [Enrichment jobs](/docs/advanced-dataset-management/enrich-overview) triggered from the [Enrich tab](/docs/explore-and-search/dataset-interface-enrich-tab) |
| **Export and share**           | [Export](/docs/advanced-dataset-management/export-dataset) and [share](/docs/collab-and-downstream/share-dataset) actions                                   |

The activity log is a quick answer to "what happened to this dataset and when?" For long-running operations still in flight, the [Task Manager](/docs/advanced-features/task-manager) shows live status across every dataset. For a point-in-time copy of the dataset, see [Dataset Snapshots](/docs/advanced-dataset-management/dataset-snapshots).

## Related Resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Dataset Interface Reference" icon="layout-dashboard" href="/docs/explore-and-search/dataset-interface-reference">
    Overview of the full dataset workspace and the four tabs
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create a Dataset" icon="database" href="/docs/quick-start/tutorial-create-dataset">
    Walk through the creation flow that produces the Data tab state
  </Card>

  <Card title="Explore Tab" icon="search" href="/docs/explore-and-search/dataset-interface-explore-tab">
    The workspace for viewing and analyzing dataset content
  </Card>

  <Card title="Task Manager" icon="list-checks" href="/docs/advanced-features/task-manager">
    Monitor in-flight operations across all datasets
  </Card>
</CardGroup>