---
alias: tutorials-data-collection-howto-index
tags:
- data collection
description: "This documentation explains how to configure and manage data collection within the system"
---

# Data Collection: How To

During manufacturing operations, there is a large amount of data that is generated. This data is very valuable, and it is required for the purposes of quality, traceability, monitoring, control, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement. As an integral part of the Manufacturing Execution System (MES), all collected data is highly contextualized, thus enabling all sorts of correlations.

**Data Collection** allows predefined data collections to take place at certain processing points (example: at Track-In or Track-Out) using context resolution. It also supports the capture of data at any time using an ad-hoc data collection. Data can be collected manually or automatically via automation.

## Available guides

<p class="enhance-tutorial-table"></p>
| Module | Title | Guide | PDF |
| ---- | ---- | -- | :-: |
| Data Collection: How To | [How to: Add an Instrument to a Resource](howto_addinstrument.md) | How To | [:fontawesome-solid-file-pdf:](howto_addinstrument/howto_addinstrument.pdf) |
| Data Collection: How To | [How to: Create a Data Collection](howto_createdatacollection.md) | How To | [:fontawesome-solid-file-pdf:](howto_createdatacollection/howto_createdatacollection.pdf) |
| Data Collection: How To | [How to: Create a Data Collection Limit Set](howto_createdatacollectionlimitset.md) | How To | [:fontawesome-solid-file-pdf:](howto_createdatacollectionlimitset/howto_createdatacollectionlimitset.pdf) |
| Data Collection: How To | [How to: Create an Instrument](howto_createinstrument.md) | How To | [:fontawesome-solid-file-pdf:](howto_createinstrument/howto_createinstrument.pdf) |
| Data Collection: How To | [How to: Create a Parameter](howto_createparameter.md) | How To | [:fontawesome-solid-file-pdf:](howto_createparameter/howto_createparameter.pdf) |
| Data Collection: How To | [How to: Perform an Ad-hoc Data Collection](howto_performadhocdatacollection.md) | How To | [:fontawesome-solid-file-pdf:](howto_performadhocdatacollection/howto_performadhocdatacollection.pdf) |

Table: Data Collection: How To guides