diff --git a/src/calng/base_correction.py b/src/calng/base_correction.py
index 4a6a2e3e1aa75ed5b77ca10810a8bd35166dddac..fc6b500596fcb9da8c9b5fd3829a114b86a57f72 100644
--- a/src/calng/base_correction.py
+++ b/src/calng/base_correction.py
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ class BaseCorrection(PythonDevice):
                 "Sources to get data from. Only incoming hashes from these sources "
                 "will be processed."
             )
-            .assignmentMandatory()
+            .assignmentOptional()
+            .defaultValue([])
             .commit(),
             STRING_ELEMENT(expected)
             .key("pulseFilter")
@@ -144,19 +145,22 @@ class BaseCorrection(PythonDevice):
             .key("dataFormat.pixelsX")
             .displayedName("Pixels x")
             .description("Number of pixels of image data along X axis")
-            .assignmentMandatory()
+            .assignmentOptional()
+            .defaultValue(512)
             .commit(),
             UINT32_ELEMENT(expected)
             .key("dataFormat.pixelsY")
             .displayedName("Pixels y")
             .description("Number of pixels of image data along Y axis")
-            .assignmentMandatory()
+            .assignmentOptional()
+            .defaultValue(128)
             .commit(),
             UINT32_ELEMENT(expected)
             .key("dataFormat.memoryCells")
             .displayedName("Memory cells")
             .description("Full number of memory cells in incoming data")
-            .assignmentMandatory()
+            .assignmentOptional()
+            .defaultValue(352)
             .commit(),
             STRING_ELEMENT(expected)
             .key("dataFormat.outputAxisOrder")
diff --git a/src/calng/calcat_utils.py b/src/calng/calcat_utils.py
index 5d4c8c874eca63b4a954f1e8a7e51db97f1388ec..9304085594a0d4ad078c80aad8d614bfc3cf35ec 100644
--- a/src/calng/calcat_utils.py
+++ b/src/calng/calcat_utils.py
@@ -111,16 +111,22 @@ class BaseCalcatFriend:
         (
             STRING_ELEMENT(schema)
             .key(f"{prefix}.detectorType")
+            .displayedName("Detector type name")
+            .description(
+                "Name of detector type in CalCat; typically has suffix '-Type'"
+            )
             .readOnly()
             .initialValue(detector_type)
             .commit(),
             STRING_ELEMENT(schema)
             .key(f"{prefix}.detectorName")
-            .assignmentMandatory()
+            .assignmentOptional()
+            .defaultValue("")
             .commit(),
             STRING_ELEMENT(schema)
             .key(f"{prefix}.karaboDa")
-            .assignmentMandatory()
+            .assignmentOptional()
+            .defaultValue("")
             .commit(),
             DOUBLE_ELEMENT(schema)
             .key(f"{prefix}.memoryCells")