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Action Tags HIDESUBMIT External Module

Action Tags — HIDESUBMIT Action Tags (External Module)

Article ID RC-AT-EM-01 — External Module Action Tags: HIDESUBMIT
Domain Action Tags
Applies To Projects on REDCap instances where the HIDESUBMIT Action Tags External Module is installed and enabled
Prerequisite RC-AT-01 — Action Tags: Overview; HIDESUBMIT Action Tags External Module must be enabled for the project
Version 1.0
Last Updated 2026
Author See KB-SOURCE-ATTESTATION.md
Related Topics RC-AT-01 — Action Tags: Overview; RC-AT-08 — Action Tags: @IF — Conditional Logic — @IF

1. Overview

⚠️ External Module required. The action tags documented in this article are not part of vanilla REDCap. They are provided by the HIDESUBMIT Action Tags External Module (v3.1.0). These tags will only appear in your project's action tag list and will only function if this module has been installed on your REDCap instance and enabled for your project. Contact your REDCap administrator if you need this module enabled.

The HIDESUBMIT Action Tags module adds nine action tags that conditionally hide save and submit buttons on data entry forms and survey pages based on branching-logic-style conditions. This allows project designers to prevent users from saving or submitting a form unless specific data conditions are met — without writing custom code or JavaScript.

2. How These Tags Work

All HIDESUBMIT tags share the same activation mechanism: the button is hidden if the tagged field is visible due to branching logic. This means you do not configure a condition directly in the action tag — instead, you control the behavior by attaching branching logic to the field that carries the action tag.

Pattern: 1. Create a field (typically hidden or descriptive) and give it branching logic that reflects the condition under which you want to hide the button. 2. Add the appropriate HIDESUBMIT action tag to that field. 3. When the field becomes visible (i.e., the branching logic condition is true), the corresponding button is hidden.

3. Tag Reference

3.1 Tags That Hide All Save/Submit Buttons

@HIDESUBMIT

Hides all save buttons on data entry forms and both the Submit/Next Page button and the "Take this survey again" button on surveys — when the tagged field is visible due to branching logic.

@HIDESUBMIT

@HIDESUBMIT-FORM

Same as @HIDESUBMIT but applies to data entry forms only.

@HIDESUBMIT-FORM

@HIDESUBMIT-SURVEY

Same as @HIDESUBMIT but applies to survey pages only — hides the Submit/Next Page button and the "Take this survey again" button.

@HIDESUBMIT-SURVEY

3.2 Tags That Hide Submit-Only Buttons (Preserving "Add New Instance")

@HIDESUBMITONLY

Hides all save buttons on data entry forms except "Save & Add New Instance", and hides the Submit/Next Page button on surveys — when the tagged field is visible due to branching logic.

@HIDESUBMITONLY

@HIDESUBMITONLY-FORM

Same as @HIDESUBMITONLY but applies to data entry forms only — hides all save buttons except "Save & Go To Next Instance".

@HIDESUBMITONLY-FORM

@HIDESUBMITONLY-SURVEY

Same as @HIDESUBMITONLY but applies to survey pages only — hides the Submit/Next Page button.

@HIDESUBMITONLY-SURVEY

3.3 Tags That Hide the Repeat Instance Button

@HIDEREPEAT

Hides the "Save & Go To Next Instance" button on data entry forms and the "Take this survey again" button on surveys — when the tagged field is visible due to branching logic.

@HIDEREPEAT

@HIDEREPEAT-FORM

Same as @HIDEREPEAT but applies to data entry forms only — hides the "Save & Go To Next Instance" button.

@HIDEREPEAT-FORM

@HIDEREPEAT-SURVEY

Same as @HIDEREPEAT but applies to survey pages only — hides the "Take this survey again" button.

@HIDEREPEAT-SURVEY

4. Tag Summary Table

Tag Hides on Forms Hides on Surveys
@HIDESUBMIT All save buttons Submit/Next Page + Take again
@HIDESUBMIT-FORM All save buttons —
@HIDESUBMIT-SURVEY — Submit/Next Page + Take again
@HIDESUBMITONLY All save buttons except Save & Add New Instance Submit/Next Page
@HIDESUBMITONLY-FORM All save buttons except Save & Go To Next Instance —
@HIDESUBMITONLY-SURVEY — Submit/Next Page
@HIDEREPEAT Save & Go To Next Instance Take this survey again
@HIDEREPEAT-FORM Save & Go To Next Instance —
@HIDEREPEAT-SURVEY — Take this survey again

5. Example Usage

Scenario: Prevent survey submission unless a required agreement field is checked.

  1. Create a checkbox field agreement_check with one option (coded 1): "I agree."
  2. Create a hidden helper field block_submit with branching logic: [agreement_check(1)] <> '1' (the field is visible when the checkbox is NOT checked).
  3. Add @HIDESUBMIT-SURVEY to the block_submit field.

Result: The Submit button is hidden until the agreement checkbox is checked.

6. Common Questions

Q: Will these tags appear in the action tag reference popup inside my project?

A: Only if the HIDESUBMIT Action Tags External Module is installed on your REDCap instance and enabled for your project. If the module is not active, the tags do not appear and will have no effect if manually typed into a field.

Q: Can I verify whether the module is enabled for my project?

A: Yes. Navigate to Project Setup → External Modules to see which modules are currently enabled for the project. If HIDESUBMIT Action Tags does not appear there, contact your REDCap administrator.

Q: Can these tags be combined with @IF?

A: Yes. Because the hide behavior is driven by the field's branching logic visibility, and @IF is an independent action tag evaluation, combining them is possible but requires careful design to avoid unexpected interactions.

Q: Can I use @HIDESUBMIT to hide save buttons only in surveys but not in data entry forms?

A: Yes. Use @HIDESUBMIT-SURVEY on a field with survey-specific branching logic. The button will be hidden on surveys when the field is visible, and remain available on forms. Alternatively, use @HIDESUBMIT-FORM to hide buttons only in forms while keeping survey submissions available.

Q: What if I want to hide the submit button until all required fields are filled?

A: Create a hidden helper field with branching logic that evaluates whether required fields are empty. For example, if [name] and [email] are required, set the helper field's logic to [name]='' OR [email]=''. Then add @HIDESUBMIT-SURVEY to that helper field. The button will be hidden until both fields have values.

7. Common Mistakes & Gotchas

Expecting these tags to work without the module enabled. HIDESUBMIT action tags are silently ignored on any REDCap instance or project where the External Module is not installed and active. If the buttons are not hiding as expected, confirm the module is enabled.

Confusing the activation mechanism. The button is hidden when the tagged field is visible (branching logic is true), not when a parameter evaluates to true. The condition logic lives in the field's branching logic, not in the action tag itself.

Using @HIDESUBMIT on a field that is always visible. If the tagged field has no branching logic (or branching logic that is always true), the button will always be hidden. Ensure the branching logic correctly reflects when hiding is desired.