> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://community-test.logicnets.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://community-test.logicnets.com/release-9/platform-documentation/process-node-parts/create-collection.md).
# Create Collection
## Description
This part is accessible from the *Collections* menu in a process node and can be used with applications based on frameworks or those created without frameworks to initialize a collection from manually input values, collections, tables or external sources.
## Use
In general, this part is used to create an initial collection where your modeled logic requires a collection to have an initial/starting value.
Typically this part is placed in an "onstart" folder, so it runs only once at project start up.
The most commonly used configurations in the part editor are very similar to the radio/checklist part. Enter at least one value (and caption if required) and a data object name as the minimum required inputs. The result is a complex collection as shown in the screenshot below.
## Editor Fields
| Field Name | Description/Use | Type/ Options | Optional/ Mandatory | | | |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------- | -------------- | ----------------------- | --------- |
| Data object | This is the name of the collection that this part will generate. | Text | Mandatory | | | |
| GUID | Specify any GUID to be associated with this collection. | Checkbox | Optional | | | |
| Caption | This is the text attached to the collection and displayed in a form part. | Text | Optional | | | |
| Data location | Manual
- Use the PLUS icon to add options manually
Collection
- Specify the names of pre-existing collections that contains the captions (optional) and values (mandatory)
Table data
- Add a data source, any selection criteria and other table parameters
External source (only visible with system configuration - see below)
- Choose the source from the dropdown list
| Manual |
Collection |
Table data |
External source
| Mandatory |
## External Source System Configuration
To provide Designer Users with a pre-determined external source list, the following addition needs to be made to the company config.sys file in the \_context block.
```markup
_context = {
valueset_sources = {
{source = "test", caption = "test caption"},
},
}
```
When this is not present in the config.sys file, the *external source* option is not active in the part.
---
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