New Features REDCap version 8.10.20 (Feb 11, 2021)

New Features REDCap version 8.10.20 (Feb 11, 2021)

Record auto-numbering for data imports (Data Import Tool, API, and Mobile App). For the Data Import Tool, the user may enable the new setting “Force record auto-numbering” which will create new record names that are auto-generated by REDCap during the import process.

Attach PDF of responses in confirmation email - When using the “Send confirmation email” option on the Survey Settings page for a survey, that section now contains an additional option to “Include PDF of completed survey as attachment”, which will add the PDF of their responses sent to the participant in their confirmation email. This new option contains the following warning as a reminder to users: “WARNING: Since email is not considered a secure form of communication, the PDF attachment option is NOT recommended if the survey contains questions asking for identifying information (e.g., PHI).

Calculated field will show red when display and stored values are different: When a calc field's value is changed, it will now display a red border on the right edge of the calc field's text box to subtly indicate that the displayed value is different from the stored value in the database

New option to allow respondents to return to a partially completed or fully completed survey response without needing a return code. When enabling "Save & Return Later" for a survey on the Survey Settings page, it will still default to requiring a return code in order for a respondent to continue the survey where they left off. But a user may opt to allow respondents to return to and continue their survey with only the survey link (i.e., without needing a return code in addition to the link) to view and modify their previous responses on that survey. Note: If you are collecting identifying information in the form (e.g., PII, PHI), for privacy reasons it is HIGHLY recommended that you leave the option unchecked so as to enforce a return code.

New Action Tags for fields: @MAXCHOICE Causes one or more specified choices to be disabled (i.e., displayed but not usable) for a checkbox, radio button, or drop-down field after a specified amount of records have been saved with that choice. For example, @MAXCHOICE(0=50,1=75,2=50) would imply that once 50 records have selected the '0' coded choice, that choice will become disabled 

@MAXCHECKED - Allows a checkbox field to have a maximum number of checkboxes that can be checked. If other checkbox options are clicked after the maximum has been reached, those choices will not be able to be checked. The format must be @MAXCHECKED=#, in which # is a positive integer.

e-Consent Framework

  • This feature, which works together with the PDF Auto-Archiver, provides functionality for user’s to implement electronic consent (e-Consent) using a survey as the consent form, such as for capturing the consent of a research study participant.
  • The e-Consent Framework option adds two things to the typical survey-taking process. 1) Before a participant completes the survey, an extra certification page is added to end of the survey that displays an in-line PDF copy of their survey responses in which they will be asked to confirm that all information in the document is correct. Once they confirm all is correct, the survey will then be marked as complete. The survey will not be considered complete until they fulfill the certification step. 2) Upon completion of the survey, a static copy of their responses in the form of a consent-specific PDF will be stored in the project's File Repository. The consent-specific PDF will have the values of the e-Consent Framework Options inserted at the bottom of each page in the PDF. These values (i.e., name, date of birth, etc.) are added to the PDF as extra documentation of the identity of the person who is consenting.
  • A participant’s IP Address is also recorded and displayed in the File Repository after the e-Consent process, but this option to collect the IP address can also be optionally disabled at the system level (if desired) on the Modules/Services Configuration page in the Control Center.

 

PDF Auto-Archiver

Upon survey completion, a compact PDF copy of the survey response can be automatically stored in the project's File Repository

Survey-specific email invitation fields

This is a new option on the Survey Settings page that can be enabled for any given survey, in which a user may designate an email field for sending survey invitations for that survey only.  This allows users to have data entry workflows that require multiple surveys where the participant is different for each survey.

Improvement/change: New method for composing survey invitation text using Smart Variables for survey link

  • When composing a survey invitation, the standard text and survey link are no longer automatically appended to the survey invitation text at the time the email is sent. Instead, users must now specify all the entirety of the text of the email (including the stock text and survey link that used to be appended automatically, if they wish) and therefore must supply [survey-url] and/or [survey-link] in the text if they wish to provide the participant with a link to the survey.
  • If the user forgets to enter the survey URL Smart Variable in the text, REDCap will automatically suggest to them that they should.

Smart Variables

  • Smart Variables are dynamic variables that can be used in calculated fields, conditional/branching logic, and piping. Similar to using project variable names inside square brackets - e.g., [heart_rate], Smart Variables are also represented inside brackets - e.g., [user-name], [survey-link], [previous-event-name][weight], or [heart_rate][previous-instance]. But instead of pointing to data fields, Smart Variables are context-aware and thus adapt to the current situation. Some can be used with field variables or other Smart Variables, and some are meant to be used as stand-alone. There are many possibilities.
  • 35 Smart Variables are available. They can reference things with regard to users, records, forms, surveys, events/arms, or repeating instances. Documentation and examples for using Smart Variables are included on the Project Setup page, Online Designer, and other places throughout REDCap in a popup and alternatively as a standalone page.

  • Available after the Feb 5, 2021 upgrade: https://redcap.elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/redcap/redcap_v8.10.20/Design/smart_variable_explain.php .

 

Exporting and creating reports with multi-checkbox fields: New report option that will combine checkbox options into a single column of only the checked-off options. Previously, any checkbox fields in a report would have their choices represented as separate columns in the report, but with this new setting, they can now all be represented as a single column with comma-delimited values and comma-delimited labels. Note: If data is exported to a stats package on a report using this option, checkbox fields will be represented as text fields in the stats package’s syntax file that gets generated by REDCap.