---
title: "Basic Configuration"
description: "Before starting a data collection process, administrators must set up the foundational elements that define what data to collect, how to validate it, and who will provide it. This section covers the essential configuration steps."
source_url: https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/data-collection/basic-configuration-dc
language: en
last_updated: 2026-10-06
---
# Basic Configuration for Lucanet Data Collection

## Overview

Before starting a data collection process in Lucanet Data Collection, administrators must set up the foundational elements that define which data to collect, how to validate the data, and who will provide the data. This section covers the essential configuration steps.

**Data Collection** requires the following components to be configured:

- [Form templates](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/data-collection/basic-configuration-dc/creating-and-configuring-form-templates.md): Form templates are the foundation of data collection in **Data Collection**. A form template defines the structure and layout of the data you want to collect from reporting entities.
- [Validation rules](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/data-collection/basic-configuration-dc/create-configure-validation-rules.md): Validation rules in Data Collection help ensure data accuracy and consistency during data collection.
- [Reporting entities](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/data-collection/basic-configuration-dc/import-reporting-entities.md): Reporting entities represent the organizational units for which financial data is collected in Data Collection. In Data Collection, reporting entities are imported from Consolidation & Financial Planning to ensure consistency across both solutions.
- [Reporting packages](https://support.lucanet.com/en/documentation/data-collection/basic-configuration-dc/create-configure-reporting-packages.md): In Data Collection, a **Reporting Package** is a virtual container that bundles together the elements required for a data collection process.