Abstract: A system and method for data record summarization and exception testing is provided in which a data viewer program forms a logical pipe for processing and presenting data records from an input data record source to summarization and exception testing programs. The data viewer program creates a virtual data record stored in the processor memory of the system, which is then presented directly to the summarization and exception testing programs for processing. By providing this logical pipe between the input data record source and the processing programs, the present invention eliminates the need for intermediate storage files on disk memory, and also greatly increases the processing efficiency of the system. The system also includes a summarization program that is capable of directly summarizing the virtual data records piped into it from the data viewer program, thus eliminating the need for a time-consuming sorting process prior to summarization.