---
alias: tutorials-data-collection-basic-dc
tags:
- data collection
timetoread: true
description: "This documentation outlines creating reusable data parameters and associated data collections for measurement tracking"
---

# Basic Data Collection

A **Basic Data Collection** consists of **Parameters** and a **Data Collection**.

In our example of the production of cookies and the capture of their measurement data, we will be using the following **Parameters**:

![Screenshot showing a web page with a form containing input fields.](../images/cookie_param_02.png)

## Parameters

A **Parameter** is an object which is used to define reusable objects for **Data Collection**, **KPI**, **SPC**, **Recipe**, **Product**, and **Product Group**.

A **Parameter** also provides an abstraction to **Resource** specific variable names which have the same meaning at the MES/human level.

For more information, see [[user-guide-create-parameter]] and [[tutorial-datacollection-edc-parameters-returnmultiplevalues]].

Let's begin by creating the two **Parameters** we need because we want to have data on the diameter and thickness of our **Material**:

* Cookie Diameter

  ![Screenshot showing a parameter input with an unclear label.](../images/dc_01.png)

* Cookie Thickness
  
  ![Screenshot showing cookie thickness parameters.](../images/dc_02.png)

Remember that each **Parameter** can be validated against a defined set of limits - [[tutorials-data-collection-dc-with-limit-set]].

!!! note
    The Type for the Parameter is defined in the [[parametertype-lt]] lookup table, and the Units in the [[units-lt]] lookup table.<br>For mass Parameter creation, the suggested approach is through [[master-data-packages-admin]] upload.

## Data Collection

At this point we can create the **Data Collection** and include all the necessary information. As **Data Collections** are versioned objects, we will have to [[user-guide-create-change-set]] or use one we already have.

For more information, see [[user-guide-change-set-index]].

Since we want to explore the Classic and Modern **Data Collection**, we will create two **Data Collections**, which we will later use to post data.

=== "Create Classic Data Collection"

    ![classic](../images/dc_classic_01.png)

=== "Create Modern Data Collection"

    ![modern](../images/dc_modern_01.png)

When creating the **Data Collections**, both Classic and Modern, in the **Parameters** step, the following information was entered:

* Cookie Diameter

![Diagram showing a parameter input for cookie diameter.](../images/dc_cookie_diameter_param.png)

* Cookie Thickness

![Diagram showing a parameter setting for cookie thickness.](../images/dc_cookie_thickness_param.png)

!!! info
    The only difference in the configuration above is that for the Cookie Diameter there is one reading per sample, whereas for the Cookie Thickness there are two readings per sample.

Additionally, for the purpose of this **Data Collection** tutorial, in the Calculation section, we configured it to have an average of all the values for each **Parameter**.​

=== "Classic Parameters"

    ![classic](../images/dc_classic_02.png)

=== "Modern Parameters"

    ![modern](../images/dc_modern_02.png)

Here are the **Details** pages of the created **Data Collections**:

=== "Classic Data Collection Details Page"

    ![classic](../images/dc_classic_03.png)

=== "Modern Data Collection Details Page"

    ![modern](../images/dc_modern_03.png)

For more information, see [[create-data-collection]] and explore the **Optional Features** menu.