> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.narrative.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Empty Node Configuration

> A nested node or property must have at least one configuration field

## Error message

```
{context}: at least one configuration field must be provided
```

## When this error occurs

This error applies to **nested nodes** (`items`) and **nested properties** (entries in a `properties` array). Unlike top-level fields, which can be empty to indicate inheritance, nested nodes must explicitly declare their configuration.

A nested node or property with none of `enabled_stats`, `stat_options`, `self`, `properties`, or `items` is invalid.

<Note>
  This error does **not** apply to top-level field entries (e.g., `dataset.fields[user_id]`). A top-level field with only a `field_name` and no other fields is valid — it means "inherit from the namespace scope or defaults."
</Note>

## Example: request that triggers this error

```json theme={null}
{
  "defaults": {
    "enabled_stats": ["value_count"]
  },
  "refresh": { "trigger": "manual" },
  "dataset": {
    "fields": [
      {
        "field_name": "address",
        "properties": [
          {
            "path": "city"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

The property `city` has only a `path` — no stat configuration.

## How to fix

Add at least one configuration field to the nested node or property:

```json theme={null}
{
  "field_name": "address",
  "properties": [
    {
      "path": "city",
      "enabled_stats": ["value_count", "null_value_count"]
    }
  ]
}
```

If you don't want to configure stats for a specific property, remove it from the `properties` array entirely. Unlisted properties receive no stats.

## Related errors

* [MixedNodeConfig](/reference/architecture/dataset-statistics/errors/mixed-node-config) — has fields from both kinds
* [EmptyProperties](/reference/architecture/dataset-statistics/errors/empty-properties) — the entire properties array is empty