# Create a collection and its fields | answer.cloud Docs

> Canonical source: [Create a collection and its fields | answer.cloud Docs](https://www.answer.cloud/docs/cms/collections/)

Create a useful content collection with stable URLs, clear fields, and predictable sorting, using the dashboard or your connected coding agent.

guide

Create a collection and its fields

Create a useful content collection with stable URLs, clear fields, and predictable sorting, using the dashboard or your connected coding agent.

Reviewed November 1, 2026

Create a collection when several entries need the same fields and presentation. For example, a Resources collection can give every guide a title, summary, body, and publication date. Reuse an existing collection when it already fits.

## Create it in the dashboard

1. Select the intended site and open **CMS**.
2. Choose **New collection** and select the closest starting point.
3. Enter a **Name**, such as Resources, and a **URL slug**, such as `resources`.
4. Review the fields in the visual field builder. Give each field a clear label and mark required information deliberately.
5. Choose **Create collection**.
6. Open **Settings** to inspect the **Entry path pattern**, **Index path**, item type, and publishing destination.

A normal entry pattern contains `{slug}`, for example `/resources/{slug}/`. An index can use `/resources/`. Changing these paths later can change public URLs, so check existing links before doing so.

![Example Documentation collection card with entry and index paths, content type, and Settings, Fields, and Entries links.](https://www.answer.cloud/assets/docs/cms-collection.jpg)

An example collection, with its paths and links to Settings, Fields, and Entries.

## Define it through your agent

Ask the connected agent to run `list_organizations`, select the intended organization, then inspect `list_sites` and `list_cms_collections`. For an existing website companion, preserve the configured collections unless a new collection is actually required.

The following is an example argument object for `upsert_cms_collection`; replace the site and organization values with the real target:

```json
{
  "organization_id": 123,
  "site_slug": "example",
  "key": "resources",
  "name": "Resources",
  "index_path": "/resources/",
  "path_pattern": "/resources/{slug}/",
  "item_type": "Article",
  "fields": [
    { "key": "title", "label": "Title", "type": "string", "required": true },
    { "key": "summary", "label": "Summary", "type": "text" },
    { "key": "content", "label": "Content", "type": "markdown", "required": true },
    { "key": "published_at", "label": "Published at", "type": "datetime" }
  ],
  "sort": { "field": "published_at", "direction": "desc" }
}
```

Custom fields belong to the collection's schema. Through MCP, custom entry values go in `metadata`; reserved values such as `title`, `content`, and `summary` use their named arguments. Keep field keys stable when entries already contain values.

## Verify the collection

Open a new entry and confirm the expected fields appear. Check the destination and URL pattern. For Answer Cloud HTML, have the agent ship matching [collection templates](https://www.answer.cloud/docs/cms/templates/) before publishing. Creating a collection records its structure; it does not deploy those templates.

If an entry renders with generic styling, inspect template health. If a path collides with an existing static page, resolve ownership before publishing. Continue with [creating entries](https://www.answer.cloud/docs/cms/entries/) and the [CMS tool reference](https://www.answer.cloud/docs/reference/cms-tools/).

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