Skip to content

Action Tags Free Text

Free Text Action Tags

Article ID RC-AT-05 — Free Text Action Tags
Domain Action Tags
Applies To All REDCap project types; requires Project Design and Setup rights
Prerequisite RC-AT-01 — Action Tags: Overview
Version 1.0
Last Updated 2026
Author See KB-SOURCE-ATTESTATION.md
Related Topics RC-AT-01 — Action Tags: Overview; RC-AT-06 — Autofill Action Tags; RC-FD-02 — Online Designer

1. Overview

This article covers action tags that constrain, enhance, or modify the behavior of text boxes and notes boxes: @PASSWORDMASK, @FORCE-MINMAX, @WORDLIMIT, @CHARLIMIT, @RICHTEXT, and @PLACEHOLDER.

2. @PASSWORDMASK

Obscures text entry by replacing displayed characters with dots, similar to a password field. The underlying data is stored normally and is fully visible in reports, exports, and the Codebook — only the on-screen display is masked.

Applies to: Text box only.

Syntax:

@PASSWORDMASK

Use case: Social Security numbers, dates of birth, passcodes — any sensitive value where you want to prevent shoulder-surfing during data entry.

3. @FORCE-MINMAX

Text boxes with numeric or date validation can define minimum and/or maximum bounds. By default, REDCap warns users about out-of-range values but allows them to proceed. @FORCE-MINMAX makes that warning a hard block — users cannot save or advance until an in-range value is entered.

Applies to: Text box with a validation that defines a minimum, maximum, or both.

Syntax:

@FORCE-MINMAX

Use case: Age ranges in pediatric studies, medication dosages with strict limits, or any measurement with a known allowable range.

4. @WORDLIMIT

Limits the maximum number of words in a text or notes box. REDCap counts words by spaces between them ("garage door" = 2 words; "garage-door" = 1 word). The remaining word count is displayed below the field.

Note: @WORDLIMIT and @CHARLIMIT are mutually exclusive. Use one or the other.

Note: Enforced only during data entry and surveys, not during API or Data Import Tool uploads.

Applies to: Text box and notes box.

Syntax:

@WORDLIMIT=10

5. @CHARLIMIT

Limits the maximum number of characters in a text or notes box. All characters count (letters, spaces, punctuation). The remaining character count is displayed below the field.

Note: Mutually exclusive with @WORDLIMIT.

Note: Not enforced during data import.

Applies to: Text box and notes box.

Syntax:

@CHARLIMIT=30

6. @RICHTEXT

Adds a rich text toolbar to a notes box, enabling bold, italic, bullets, and other formatting options. Without this tag, notes boxes accept only plain text.

Applies to: Notes box only.

Syntax:

@RICHTEXT

Best practice: Use left alignment for notes boxes (set via Custom Alignment in the Edit Field menu). Left-aligned notes boxes display the full toolbar; right-aligned boxes show a compact version. Left alignment also provides more horizontal space.

7. @PLACEHOLDER

Displays hint text inside an empty field. The hint appears in grey and disappears when the user starts typing. The placeholder text is never saved — it is purely a UI hint.

Applies to: Text box and notes box.

Syntax:

@PLACEHOLDER='Please be brief'

Note: Single and double quotes cannot be used within the placeholder text.

Note: To pre-fill a value that is saved when the field is submitted, use @DEFAULT or @SETVALUE instead (see RC-AT-06 — Autofill Action Tags).

Use case: Date format reminders, suggested answer formats, or brief instructions visible within the field.

8. Common Mistakes

Using @WORDLIMIT and @CHARLIMIT on the same field. These are mutually exclusive; only one can be active.

Expecting @PASSWORDMASK to encrypt data. It only masks the display — data is stored and exported in plain text.

Confusing @PLACEHOLDER with @DEFAULT. @PLACEHOLDER is a hint that is never saved; @DEFAULT pre-fills with a value that will be saved.

Expecting limits to apply to imported data. @WORDLIMIT and @CHARLIMIT are enforced only during browser-based data entry and surveys, not during API or import uploads.