When you create collection elements, you define a list of values for them that users must select from when they enter quality results. This ensures that valid values are entered in fields (to ease data entry, enter a short code for the value when you define it).

When you use a collection element in a collection plan, however, the values are not copied into the plan, and you therefore must reassign some or all of them to the collection plan element, or create new values for it. This enables you to control how collection elements are used within collection plans.

For example: you could create a collection element called Color and define a list of values for it that includes the values red, yellow, and blue. You then have the option to use the Color collection element in a collection plan with all of its values assigned, in a second collection plan with only its red value assigned, in yet another collection plan with only its yellow and blue values assigned.

Defining values for collection elements ensures valid quality data entry since the user can only select a value from the list that you define. For example, if your list of values for a Pass_Fail collection element only contains the values Pass and Fail; these are the only values that appear on the list of values when users collect quality results. Thus no other results values can be collected.

Collection elements with defined values also give you greater flexibility in creating collection plans, since you can choose which values you want to assign to the collection element when it is used in a collection plan.