---
title: Using Events
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: Docs > Event Management > Events Guides > Using Events
---

# Using Events

## Custom metrics{% #custom-metrics %}

[Generate metrics](https://app.datadoghq.com/event/configuration/generate-metrics) with 15-month retention from any event search query to create and monitor historical events and alerts. Events ingested with a timestamp within the past 20 minutes are considered for aggregation. For more information, see [Event Analytics](https://docs.datadoghq.com/events/explorer/analytics).

{% image
   source="https://datadog-docs.imgix.net/images/service_management/events/guides/usage/generate-metrics.bdd22060ad8ec8393be47692b49b4d54.png?auto=format"
   alt="Image of metrics with the events search query." /%}

## Examples of what to do with events{% #examples-of-what-to-do-with-events %}

### Triage features{% #triage-features %}

Use the [Events Explorer](https://docs.datadoghq.com/events/explorer/) to aggregate and view events coming into Datadog. Group or filter events by attribute and graphically represent them with event analytics. Use the query search syntax to filter events using Boolean and wildcard operators.

### Dashboards{% #dashboards %}

{% video
   url="https://datadog-docs.imgix.net/images/service_management/events/guides/usage/events-dashboard.mp4" /%}

You can use events as a data source in [graph widgets](https://docs.datadoghq.com/dashboards/widgets/alert_graph/) to build timeseries, tables, and top list widgets of your event search queries. For example, the [Monitor Notifications Overview](https://app.datadoghq.com/dash/integration/30532/monitor-notifications-overview) dashboard analyzes monitor alert event trends to help you improve your configuration and reduce alert fatigue.

#### Overlays{% #overlays %}

{% image
   source="https://datadog-docs.imgix.net/images/service_management/events/guides/usage/event_overlays.3cd95922b2e1d4026935dc0cce8aa491.png?auto=format"
   alt="Option to view event overlays on an example dashboard" /%}

Overlays visualize corresponding events on top of your graphs. Use the Dashboard [Event Overlays](https://docs.datadoghq.com/dashboards/change_overlays/) feature to identify when a recent change is causing performance issues within your application or services and find the source of the problem.

### Create a monitor{% #create-a-monitor %}

Send monitor alerts and notifications based on significant event queries. To configure an alert, see the [Event Monitor](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/types/event/) documentation.

## Further reading{% #further-reading %}

- [Learn more about processing pipelines](https://docs.datadoghq.com/logs/log_configuration/processors/)
- [Triage events with the Events Explorer](https://docs.datadoghq.com/events/explorer/)