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Record Creation and Record Home Page

Record Creation & the Record Home Page

Article ID RC-DE-01 — Record Creation & the Record Home Page
Domain Data Entry
Applies To All REDCap project types
Prerequisite RC-NAV-REC-01 — Record Navigation Overview
Version 1.0
Last Updated 2025
Author See KB-SOURCE-ATTESTATION.md
Related Topics RC-DE-02 — Basic Data Entry; RC-NAV-REC-01 — Record Navigation Overview; RC-NAV-REC-04 — Record Status Dashboard & Other Record Links

1. Overview

This article explains how to create new records in REDCap and how to navigate to existing ones using the Add/Edit Records page. It also describes the Record Home Page — the central hub for any single record --- and explains how REDCap assigns and uses the Record ID.

2. Key Concepts & Definitions

Record

The fundamental unit of data storage in REDCap. Each record represents one participant, patient, or subject. All data entered into instruments is associated with a specific record.

Record ID

The primary identifier for every record in a REDCap project. REDCap uses the Record ID as the internal reference linking all instruments and events to a single participant. By default, REDCap auto-assigns Record IDs as incrementing integers (1, 2, 3...). The Record ID field is the first field of the first instrument in every project.

Add/Edit Records Page

The main data-collection menu page for finding and creating individual records. Accessible from the left-hand Data Collection menu. It is the fastest route to a specific record when you know the Record ID or any other identifying value.

Record Home Page

A per-record landing page showing all instruments associated with that record as colored status dots. It is the hub for navigating to any form within a single record.

Data Search

A search feature on the Add/Edit Records page that allows lookup by any variable value across all records in a project. Can be scoped to a single variable for speed in large projects.

3. Step-by-Step Procedures

3.1 Navigating to the Add/Edit Records Page

  • Log in to your REDCap instance and open the project from the My Projects page.

  • In the left-hand menu, under Data Collection, click Add / Edit Records.

3.2 Creating a New Record

  • On the Add/Edit Records page, click the Add new record button.

  • REDCap automatically assigns the next available Record ID (incrementing integer).

  • If the project contains only a single instrument, REDCap opens that instrument directly.

  • If the project contains multiple instruments or events, REDCap opens the Record Home Page first.

Important: The Record ID is permanent once assigned. It cannot be changed through normal data entry. Treat it as an opaque system identifier — avoid using it as a meaningful clinical or participant identifier.

3.3 Finding an Existing Record by ID

  • On the Add/Edit Records page, use the Choose an existing record dropdown.

  • The dropdown lists all Record IDs in the project. Select the one you want.

  • Selecting a Record ID takes you directly to the Record Home Page for that record.

  • In projects with a large number of records, use Data Search (Section 3.4) instead — the dropdown becomes unwieldy at scale.

  • On the Add/Edit Records page, locate the Data Search section.

  • Best practice: type the Record ID directly into the search box and press Enter. This is the fastest path to any record when the ID is known.

  • To search by a different value (e.g., name, date of birth, email): enter the value in the search box. REDCap searches across all variables in all records by default.

  • To narrow the search: select a specific variable from the variable dropdown before searching. This is significantly faster in large projects.

  • Matching results appear in a dropdown. Selecting a result takes you directly to the instrument and record where that value was found.

3.5 The Record Home Page

  • The Record Home Page displays all instruments for a record as colored status dots.

  • In simple projects (single instrument, no events), the page shows one dot.

  • In complex projects (multiple instruments, longitudinal events), the page shows a grid of dots — one per instrument-event combination.

  • Click any dot to open the corresponding instrument for that record.

  • Once inside an instrument, the left-hand menu shows a list of all instruments in the project for quick switching.

Note: The 'Choose action for record' button on the Record Home Page provides advanced administrative functions (moving records, deleting records, etc.). These are covered in RC-DE-13 — Record Administration: Choose Action for Record.

4. Common Questions

Q: What is the Record ID and why does REDCap need it?

A: The Record ID is the unique identifier that REDCap uses to link all forms, events, and data to a single participant. Every piece of data in a REDCap project is associated with a Record ID. It is automatically assigned as an incrementing integer when a new record is created.

Q: Can I assign my own Record ID instead of using the auto-incrementing number?

A: Yes. The Record ID field is the first field of the first instrument, and it can be edited like any other text field before the record is saved for the first time. However, once a record ID is assigned and data has been entered, changing it requires administrative intervention. For most projects, the auto-assigned ID is the recommended approach.

Q: What happens if I click 'Add new record' by accident?

A: REDCap creates a record and assigns it a Record ID as soon as you save any data. If you clicked 'Add new record' but have not saved anything yet, you can navigate away without creating a record. If data was already saved, contact your project administrator to delete the test record.

Q: What is the fastest way to find a record when I know the Record ID?

A: Use the Data Search box on the Add/Edit Records page. Type the Record ID and press Enter. This is faster than scrolling through the dropdown in large projects.

Q: I can see the Record Home Page but some dots are missing. Why?

A: The most likely reasons are: (1) your user access does not include permission to view certain instruments, or (2) the project is longitudinal and those instruments are not assigned to every event. In a project with Data Access Groups, you may also only see records from your own group.

Q: Can I navigate directly to an instrument without going through the Record Home Page?

A: Yes. You can click any dot in the Record Status Dashboard to go directly to that instrument for that record, bypassing the Record Home Page entirely.

Q: How can I bulk create multiple records at once instead of adding them one by one?

A: You can import multiple records at once using the CSV import feature or the REDCap API. For CSV import, go to Data Import & Export on the left menu and use the Bulk Upload feature. For programmatic creation, use the RC-API-03 — Import Records API to create records in batch. Both methods are faster than manually creating records through the Add/Edit Records page.

5. Common Mistakes & Gotchas

  • Searching all variables in a large project: searching across all variables can be slow in projects with thousands of records and many fields. Always scope your search to a specific variable when you know which field to search in.

  • Confusing the Add/Edit Records dropdown with Data Search: the dropdown lists Record IDs only; Data Search can find records by any field value. Use Data Search when you know a value but not the Record ID.

  • Creating duplicate records by accident: if 'Add new record' is clicked more than once, multiple records are created. Check whether a record already exists via Data Search before creating a new one.

  • Expecting the Record Home Page to look the same in every project: simple projects show a single dot; longitudinal projects show a grid. The layout depends entirely on the project configuration.

API Access

Note: The following REDCap API methods provide programmatic access to this functionality. API usage is an advanced feature that requires knowledge of computer programming or access to a developer resource. See RC-API-01 — REDCap API for authentication, token management, and setup.