REDCap App: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Owned by Theresa Baker (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Apr 25, 2023 by Madison Lethebe
7 min read

1. When should I use the app?

Use the app when you need offline data collection, particularly in environments with poor internet connectivity. With REDCap and the REDCap Mobile App, users have new options for electronic data capture for studies that under previous circumstances would have dictated pen and paper.


2. What devices are supported?

  • iOS iPhone 4 and up, iPad 2 and up. Requires iOS 6.0 or later.
  • Android - phone or tablet. Requires Android 4.3 and up.
  • BlueStacks - laptop or desktop. Download at bluestacks.com.
  • Amazon Fire (under investigation).


3. What type of device is best for what projects?

Since these devices are supported by the same code, the user experience is almost the same on any device. Users have provided some feedback, however, related to their particular projects that may be helpful. The Android devices have better global reach, so they are better with global health projects. The Android devices also seem slightly better with extremely large projects (1000+ records). Apple delivers better quality of device in their iPads, which is generally recognized as the best device on the market.


4. What features of REDCap are supported?

  • Data entry
  • DAGS
  • GPS
  • Pictures, videos, and audio can be uploaded into designated file fields.
  • Signatures fields
  • Action tags
  • Instruments can be secured so that participants/users can enter their own data.


5. What noteworthy features of REDCap aren’t supported?

  • CATS (Computer Adaptive Test Surveys)
  • Double data entry
  • Survey specific features
  • Survey queue
  • Randomization
  • Viewing files
  • Inline audio/video
  • Survey instructions
  • Survey stop actions
  • Survey thank you text
  • Downloadable files in file fields


6. How are surveys and forms handled?

Normal REDCap Survey features are not used for Mobile App data collection. They are treated as entire forms without the pagination. Instruments can be secured with a pin so that participants/users will only have the option of entering data when the device is handed over to them. The instrument can be locked/unlocked via the primary user’s pin.


7. What are the weaknesses of the app?

If you have online access, REDCap Mobile is a better platform because it inputs data directly into REDCap. Sending data simultaneously from multiple devices is not supported. Sending data is, at present, a complicated process.


8. How are bugs reported?

  • Bugs can be reported by submitting them through the Report a Bug button on the app or by emailing cru@ucalgary.ca
  • The following information is requested from the user to in order to replicate the bug and troubleshoot the issue:
    • Android or iOS or both?
    • Can you email us your QR Code?
    • Is your REDCap server behind a firewall?
    • Does your project contain PHI? (If so, we won’t download data.)
    • In detail, how does this error manifest itself?

9. What if a bug keeps me from accessing my data?

  • Email cru@ucalgary.ca
  • Fixes for the Android are usually accomplished in two business days or often less. Fixes for Apple devices take longer (1-2 weeks) due to Apple’s approval process.


10. What is the workflow of the app?

  • Via an admin: Create a user; push projects to them; let them collect data; allow them to send data or send data yourself; clean & refresh the project; repeat; remove project.
  • Via a user: Set up a project or multiple projects; collect data; send data; clean & refresh the project; repeat; remove project.


11. Can I limit users of my app so that they cannot do all functions?

User access can be restricted through the administrator interface. An administrator on the app can assign users the appropriate level of data access rights.


12. Can I use multi-tablet setups?

Yes, so far the record is 80 tablets.


13. Can I use data access groups?

Yes, Data Access Groups (DAGs) are supported by the app. Whichever REDCap user supplies the download code – this user’s DAG is used.


14. Can I restrict access to data?

Access to data can be restricted by using DAGs. You can also restrict all data via the user rights.


15. What happens if the app hangs (i.e., does not do anything for a long time)?

Email cru@ucalgary.ca with detailed instructions. If you can provide a QR code without jeopardizing patient information, please do so.


16. What happens if the app crashes (i.e., closes unexpectedly)?

This is a memory problem and probably occurred while sending data. It is probably best to perform an Emergency Data Dump. This will send a CSV to the Mobile App’s File Repository. This CSV can then be used to feed the Data Import Tool. This only works while the device is online, of course.


17. Are non-English languages supported?

We are exploring how to do this. Your instruments can be displayed in any UTF-8 (Unicode-8) character set. We hope to provide the actual text of the app for translation, but the mechanism’s design is still under work.


18. What action tags are supported?

@HIDDEN

@HIDDEN-APP

@READONLY

@READONLY-APP

@LATITUDE

@LONGITUDE

@PASSWORDMASK

@NOW

@TODAY

@BARCODE

@BARCODE-APP


19. What types of barcode/QR-code encodings are supported by @BARCODE and @BARCODE-APP?

  • Android only
    • CODE_93
    • CODABAR
    • RSS14
    • PDF417
    • RSS_EXPANDED
  • Android and iOS
    • QR_CODE
    • DATA_MATRIX
    • UPC_E
    • UPC_A
    • EAN_8
    • EAN_13
    • CODE_128
    • CODE_39
    • ITF

20. What security features are used by the app?

  • Secure Data Transmission: Data is transmitted securely to and from the REDCap server via SSL (https) if it is set up on the server.
  • Secure Data Storage Encryption: Encryption prevents any unauthorized users from accessing data in the app, even if they were to gain access to the device’s file system in some way (whether using a direct hardware connection or via other software on the device).
  • PINs are ciphered using SHA cryptography, and all stored REDCap data values (potential PHI or PII), API tokens, and REDCap app logs are encrypted using AES encryption standard on the mobile device’s hard drive.
  • The encryption keys are stored in iOS’s Keychain and Android’s KeyStore, which is standard practice for achieving the highest level of security for encrypted data stored in iOS and Android.
  • Note about external/detachable drives: The REDCap Mobile App does not allow any data to be stored on external hard drives (e.g., USB Flash drives) connected to the mobile device. To maintain the greatest level of security, the app only allows the device’s internal hard drive to be used for data storage.
    • Application: A login with a 6-digit pin is required to access the application. Five login attempts are allowed before lockout, and a 15-minute lockout period is initiated. When the application is sent to the background or is cloaked with a screen saver, the pin is required again to access the application if a user is logged on. Similar log in attempt rules and lockout rules apply when the user reenters the application.
    • Instrument: The Secure the Instrument feature restricts access by a participant to a single form. Enabling this feature allows you to hand over the device to a participant to enter information directly, but locks the participant out of the rest of the application as well as other forms. REDCap Mobile App user’s 6-digit pin is required to unlock the form. Similarly, the 6-digit pin is required to reenter the form if the participant minimizes the application or if a screen saver interrupts form entry.
    • Logs: Project logs for activity on the REDCap Mobile App are stored in the database’s Mobile App File Archive. These can be transmitted to the server (for one given project) via the Send Project Logs button on the Project menu. These logs record data creation, modifications, and uploads; renaming, deletion, and viewing of records; and downloads of project instruments and records.

21. How do I get this approved by my IT security folks?

  • Providing them with the security document at projectredcap.org should answer most questions.
  • The 6-digit PIN offers added protection
  • Logging in after a short timeout requires a PIN under the login rules.
  • Data values, tokens, and user PINs are stored using AES encryption inside the database.
  • All transmission is done via SSL (https) if you have this installed on your server. It is recommended to have a certificate approved by the Certificate Authority, but self-signed certificates are allowed with a warning. Unsecure (http) transmission is also allowed, but with a warning. Unsecure (http) transmission, however, is not recommended for production use.


22. How do I get this approved by my IRB? (See previous question.)

  • Data is considered part of the project only after upload to REDCap. Data left on the device is not considered part of the project. Therefore, REDCap’s Logging tool is considered a fair historical guide to what is in and not in the project.
  • Furthermore, the app has logs that can be sent to the Mobile App’s File Repository within REDCap. This collects information about views, edits, and creations of project data.


23. What happens if a tablet or phone is stolen?

Go to REDCap and revoke the API token – unless there is more than one device distributed with this token. If there is only one device, revoking the API token will not allow the thief to send data, download new data, or refresh the project. Further, when online, the thief cannot access any existing data. If there are multiple devices, revoking the API token will disable ALL devices. Use with care. Either way, access is protected with a PIN.


24. Is GPS supported by the app?

Yes, via action tags in field annotations: @LONGITUDE and @LATITUDE.


25. What issues are involved with projects with a large amount of records?

The amount of data collection is only restricted by what your device’s hard drive will allow. Sending a large amount of records to REDCap could cause a memory crash on certain devices.


26. My QR code isn’t showing up in REDCap. What should I do?

Contact the system administrators for your server and ask them to check that libgd and php-gd are both installed.


27. What happens if I cannot initialize a project? (As in “Cannot get form rights!”)

You are either having trouble accessing your server (perhaps because of low signal or a firewall) or because you do not have proper user rights setup. Try enabling your user’s rights for the REDCap Mobile App and for API Import/Export.


28. Are you having any sort of trouble?

Upgrade to the latest version via the app store. If you’re still having trouble, then send us a bug report.