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Form Design Overview

Form Design Overview

Article ID RC-FD-01 — Form Design Overview
Domain Form Design
Applies To All REDCap project types; requires Project Design and Setup rights
Prerequisite User is logged in and has Project Design and Setup rights
Version 1.0
Last Updated 2025
Author See KB-SOURCE-ATTESTATION.md
Related Topics RC-FD-02 — Online Designer; RC-FD-03 — Data Dictionary; RC-FD-04 — Instrument Library & Zip Files; RC-FD-05 — Codebook; RC-NAV-UI-01 — Project Navigation UI; RC-NAV-UI-02 — Project Menu Reference

1. Overview

This article orients users to REDCap's instrument design area. It explains what an instrument is, describes the three primary design tools, and covers the supporting features in the Design Your Data Collection Instruments section. It is the entry point for the Form Design knowledge base series.

2. Key Concepts & Definitions

Instrument

The primary term in REDCap for any data collection form, survey, or grouping of variables. REDCap uses 'instrument' consistently across its interface. The terms form, survey, and instrument are often used interchangeably in practice, but instrument is the canonical REDCap term and is used throughout this knowledge base series to prevent confusion.

Variable

A single data-collection field within an instrument. Each variable has a unique name (variable name), a field type, and optional attributes such as validation rules, branching logic, and field labels. Variable names are REDCap's internal identifiers and appear in data exports.

Project Setup Page

The landing page for projects in Development mode. It provides structured access to all configuration areas, including the instrument design section. Projects in Production mode open on the Project Home page instead, but the design area remains accessible from the left-hand menu.

Development Mode vs. Production Mode

REDCap projects exist in one of two states. In Development mode, all design changes take effect immediately and no approval is required. In Production mode, design changes made in the Online Designer are queued for review before being applied — either automatically by REDCap or after administrator approval, depending on local policy.

3. Navigating to the Instrument Design Area

3.1 From the Project Setup Page (Development Mode)

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

  • If the project is in Development mode, it opens directly on the Project Setup page.

  • Locate the Design Your Data Collection Instruments section — it is prominently displayed in the setup workflow.

3.2 From the Project Home Page (Production Mode or Alternate Path)

  • If the project is in Production mode, it opens on the Project Home page.

  • In the left-hand menu, click Designer under the Data Collection section to reach the instrument design area.

  • The same Design Your Data Collection Instruments section is available from both entry points.

4. The Three Main Instrument Design Tools

The Design Your Data Collection Instruments section surfaces three distinct tools for creating and modifying instruments. Each serves different use cases and skill levels. Dedicated articles in this series cover each tool in detail.

Tool Best For Article
Online Designer Beginners; making a small number of changes; wanting immediate visual feedback RC-FD-02 — Online Designer
Data Dictionary Advanced users; defining many variables at once; splitting or restructuring instruments RC-FD-03 — Data Dictionary
REDCap Instrument Library Importing validated or community-contributed instruments (e.g., PHQ-9) RC-FD-04 — Instrument Library & Zip Files

5. Supporting Features in the Design Area

5.1 Download PDF of All Instruments

Generates a PDF document containing the definitions of every variable across all instruments in the project. Useful for documentation, IRB submissions, and offline review of your project's structure.

5.2 Download the Current Data Dictionary

Downloads the project's current instrument and variable definitions as a CSV file. This is the same format used by the Data Dictionary upload tool (RC-FD-03 — Data Dictionary). Downloading the current Data Dictionary before making bulk changes is a critical safety practice — it serves as a snapshot that can be re-uploaded to undo a bad import.

5.3 Check for Identifiers

Opens a page that lets you review all variables in the project and designate which ones are identifiers (e.g., name, date of birth, medical record number). Identifier flags control how data is handled in exports and reports. Individual variables can also be flagged as identifiers within the Online Designer.

5.4 Zip File Upload and Download

Instruments can be exported as zip files and re-imported into the same or a different REDCap project. This feature is accessed from within the Online Designer. See RC-FD-04 — Instrument Library & Zip Files for full details.

5.5 Codebook

A read-only, human-readable summary of all instruments and variables in the project. Useful as a reference while designing instruments or writing logic. Accessible from the left-hand menu. See RC-FD-05 — Codebook for full details.

5.6 Project Setup Progress Indicators

The Design Your Data Collection Instruments section includes a 'Not Started' status indicator and an 'I'm done!' button. These are visual progress trackers for the project setup workflow only — they have no functional effect on the project and do not lock or unlock any features.

5.7 Advanced Feature Reference Buttons

Five buttons at the bottom of the design section link to REDCap's built-in reference guides for advanced features: Smart Variables, Piping, \@Action Tags, Field Embedding, and Special Functions. These features extend what instruments can do but require a solid grasp of basic instrument design before use. This knowledge base series does not cover them in depth.

Note: The text and layout of the Design Your Data Collection Instruments section may vary slightly depending on which project features are enabled (e.g., Surveys mode). The core tools and links described here are present in all configurations.

6. Choosing the Right Tool

Use this guide to select the appropriate tool for your task. For full details on each tool, see the linked articles.

Task Recommended Tool
Create your first instrument or add a few fields Online Designer (RC-FD-02 — Online Designer)
Build or restructure many variables or instruments at once Data Dictionary (RC-FD-03 — Data Dictionary)
Split one instrument into two Data Dictionary (RC-FD-03 — Data Dictionary)
Import a validated clinical scale (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7) Instrument Library (RC-FD-04 — Instrument Library & Zip Files)
Reuse an instrument from another project Zip File import (RC-FD-04 — Instrument Library & Zip Files)
Back up your instrument definitions before a major change Download Data Dictionary or Zip File export (RC-FD-04 — Instrument Library & Zip Files)
Review all variables and their attributes in a readable format Codebook (RC-FD-05 — Codebook)
Check or update which variables are flagged as identifiers Check for Identifiers (this article, Section 5.3)
Generate a PDF of all instruments for documentation or IRB submission Download PDF of All Instruments (this article, Section 5.1)

7. Common Questions

Q: What is the difference between an instrument, a form, and a survey in REDCap?

A: They refer to the same structural object. REDCap uses 'instrument' as the canonical term. A form is an instrument used for staff data entry. A survey is the same instrument configured to be filled out by a participant. The underlying data structure is identical.

Q: I made a change in the Online Designer but it hasn't appeared in my project yet. Why?

A: Your project is likely in Production mode. In Production, Online Designer changes are queued for review before being applied. Depending on your institution's REDCap policy, the review may be automatic or may require administrator approval. Check with your local REDCap support team.

Q: Can I undo a change I made to an instrument?

A: Not through an undo button. The safest recovery path is to download the Data Dictionary before making significant changes — this gives you a snapshot you can re-upload to restore the previous state. For Production projects, pending changes can be cancelled before they are approved.

Q: Where do I find the Online Designer if my project is already in Production?

A: In Production mode, the project opens on the Project Home page. Click Designer in the left-hand menu under Data Collection to reach the instrument design area, which includes access to the Online Designer.

Q: Do the 'Not Started' and 'I'm done!' status indicators affect my project?

A: No. They are visual progress indicators for the project setup workflow only. Marking a step as done or not done has no functional effect on any REDCap feature.

Q: Are the advanced feature buttons (Smart Variables, Piping, \@Action Tags, etc.) tools or links?

A: They are links to built-in REDCap reference guides, not tools themselves. They open documentation pages within REDCap. The features they describe — piping values into fields, conditional action tags, etc. — are applied within the Online Designer or Data Dictionary, not through those buttons directly.

8. Common Mistakes & Gotchas

  • Making changes in Production without expecting a review step. Design changes in Production mode are not applied immediately. If your changes aren't showing up, check whether they are pending review in the Online Designer's change queue.

  • Using inconsistent terminology (form, survey, instrument). REDCap treats these as one object type. Using inconsistent terminology in documentation or training creates confusion. Standardize on 'instrument' throughout.

  • Skipping the Data Dictionary download before making bulk changes. Downloading the current Data Dictionary before a major edit is the only reliable way to recover from a bad import. Build this habit before every bulk change.

  • Confusing advanced feature buttons with tools. They open reference documentation, not editors. The actual features (Piping, \@Action Tags, etc.) are configured within the Online Designer or Data Dictionary.

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.