---
title: Collection Configs
label: Collections
order: 20
desc: Structure your Collections for your needs by defining fields, adding slugs and labels, establishing access control, tying in hooks, setting timestamps and more.
keywords: collections, config, configuration, documentation, Content Management System, cms, headless, javascript, node, react, express
---

Payload Collections are defined through configs of their own, and you can define as many as your application needs. Each Collection will scaffold a MongoDB collection automatically based on fields that you define.

It's often best practice to write your Collections in separate files and then import them into the main Payload config.

## Options

| Option           | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **`slug`** *     | Unique, URL-friendly string that will act as an identifier for this Collection.                                                                                                                                          |
| **`fields`** *   | Array of field types that will determine the structure and functionality of the data stored within this Collection. [Click here](/docs/fields/overview) for a full list of field types as well as how to configure them. |
| **`labels`**     | Singular and plural labels for use in identifying this Collection throughout Payload. Auto-generated from slug if not defined.                                                                                           |
| **`admin`**      | Admin-specific configuration. See below for [more detail](#admin-options).                                                                                                                                               |
| **`hooks`**      | Entry points to "tie in" to Collection actions at specific points. [More](/docs/hooks/overview#collection-hooks)                                                                                                         |
| **`access`**     | Provide access control functions to define exactly who should be able to do what with Documents in this Collection. [More](/docs/access-control/overview/#collections)                                                   |
| **`auth`**       | Specify options if you would like this Collection to feature authentication. For more, consult the [Authentication](/docs/authentication/config) documentation.                                                          |
| **`upload`**     | Specify options if you would like this Collection to support file uploads. For more, consult the [Uploads](/docs/upload/overview) documentation.                                                                         |
| **`timestamps`** | Set to false to disable documents' automatically generated `createdAt` and `updatedAt` timestamps.                                                                                                                       |
| **`versions`**   | Set to true to enable default options, or configure with object properties. [More](/docs/versions/overview#collection-config)                                                                                            |
| **`endpoints`**  | Add custom routes to the REST API. [More](/docs/rest-api/overview#custom-endpoints)                                                                                                                                      |
| **`graphQL`**    | An object with `singularName` and `pluralName` strings used in schema generation. Auto-generated from slug if not defined.                                                                                               |
| **`typescript`** | An object with property `interface` as the text used in schema generation. Auto-generated from slug if not defined.                                                                                                      |

*\* An asterisk denotes that a property is required.*

#### Simple collection example

```ts
import { CollectionConfig } from 'payload/types';

const Orders: CollectionConfig = {
	slug: 'orders',
	fields: [
		{
			name: 'total',
			type: 'number',
			required: true,
		},
		{
			name: 'placedBy',
			type: 'relationship',
			relationTo: 'customers',
			required: true,
		}
	]
};
```

#### More collection config examples

You can find an assortment of [example collection configs](https://github.com/payloadcms/public-demo/tree/master/src/collections) in the Public Demo source code on GitHub.

### Admin options

You can customize the way that the Admin panel behaves on a collection-by-collection basis by defining the `admin` property on a collection's config.

| Option                      | Description  |
| --------------------------- | -------------|
| `group`                     | Text used as a label for grouping collection links together in the navigation. |
| `hooks`                     | Admin-specific hooks for this collection. [More](#admin-hooks) |
| `useAsTitle`                | Specify a top-level field to use for a document title throughout the Admin panel. If no field is defined, the ID of the document is used as the title. |
| `description`               | Text or React component to display below the Collection label in the List view to give editors more information. |
| `defaultColumns`            | Array of field names that correspond to which columns to show by default in this collection's List view. |
| `disableDuplicate `         | Disables the "Duplicate" button while editing documents within this collection. |
| `enableRichTextRelationship` | The [Rich Text](/docs/fields/rich-text) field features a `Relationship` element which allows for users to automatically reference related documents within their rich text. Set to `true` by default. |
| `preview`                   | Function to generate preview URLS within the Admin panel that can point to your app. [More](#preview). |
| `components`                | Swap in your own React components to be used within this collection. [More](/docs/admin/components#collections) |
| `listSearchableFields`      | Specify which fields should be searched in the List search view. [More](#list-searchable-fields) |

### Preview

Collection `admin` options can accept a `preview` function that will be used to generate a link pointing to the frontend of your app to preview data.

If the function is specified, a Preview button will automatically appear in the corresponding collection's Edit view. Clicking the Preview button will link to the URL that is generated by the function.

**The preview function accepts two arguments:**

1. The document being edited
1. An `options` object, containing `locale` and `token` properties. The `token` is the currently logged-in user's JWT.

**Example collection with preview function:**

```ts
import { CollectionConfig } from 'payload/types';

const Posts: CollectionConfig = {
	slug: 'posts',
	fields: [
		{
			name: 'slug',
			type: 'text',
			required: true,
		},
	],
	admin: {
		preview: (doc, { locale }) => {
			if (doc?.slug) {
				return `https://bigbird.com/preview/posts/${doc.slug}?locale=${locale}`;
			}

			return null;
		},
	},
};
```

### Access control

You can specify extremely granular access control (what users can do with documents in a collection) on a collection by collection basis. To learn more, go to the [Access Control](/docs/access-control/overview) docs.

### Hooks

Hooks are a powerful way to extend collection functionality and execute your own logic, and can be defined on a collection by collection basis. To learn more, go to the [Hooks](/docs/hooks/overview) documentation.

### Field types

Collections support all field types that Payload has to offer—including simple fields like text and checkboxes all the way to more complicated layout-building field groups like Blocks. [Click here](/docs/fields/overview) to learn more about field types.

### List Searchable Fields

In the List view, there is a "search" box that allows you to quickly find a document with a search. By default, it searches on the ID field. If you have `admin.useAsTitle` defined, the list search will use that field. However, you can define more than one field to search to make it easier on your admin editors to find the data they need.

For example, let's say you have a Posts collection with `title`, `metaDescription`, and `tags` fields - and you want all three of those fields to be searchable in the List view. You can simply add `admin.listSearchableFields: ['title', 'metaDescription', 'tags']` - and the admin UI will automatically search on those three fields plus the ID field.

<Banner type="warning">
  <strong>Note:</strong><br/>
  If you are adding <strong>listSearchableFields</strong>, make sure you index each of these fields so your admin queries can remain performant.
</Banner>

### Admin Hooks

In addition to collection hooks themselves, Payload provides for admin UI-specific hooks that you can leverage.

**`beforeDuplicate`**

The `beforeDuplicate` hook is an async function that accepts an object containing the data to duplicate, as well as the locale of the doc to duplicate. Within this hook, you can modify the data to be duplicated, which is useful in cases where you have unique fields that need to be incremented or similar, as well as if you want to automatically modify a document's `title`.

Example:

```ts
import { BeforeDuplicate, CollectionConfig } from 'payload/types';
// Your auto-generated Page type
import { Page } from '../payload-types.ts';

const beforeDuplicate: BeforeDuplicate<Page> = ({ data }) => {
  return {
    ...data,
    title: `${data.title} Copy`,
    uniqueField: data.uniqueField ? `${data.uniqueField}-copy` : '',
  };
};

export const Page: CollectionConfig = {
  slug: 'pages',
  admin: {
    hooks: {
      beforeDuplicate,
    }
  },
  fields: [
    {
      name: 'title',
      type: 'text',
    },
    {
      name: 'uniqueField',
      type: 'text',
      unique: true,
    }
  ]
}
```

### TypeScript

You can import collection types as follows:

```ts
import { CollectionConfig } from 'payload/types';

// This is the type used for incoming collection configs.
// Only the bare minimum properties are marked as required.
```

```ts
import { SanitizedCollectionConfig } from 'payload/types';

// This is the type used after an incoming collection config is fully sanitized.
// Generally, this is only used internally by Payload.
```
