Repeating Instruments

REDCap has a feature to allow repeating instruments and events. This is helpful if you have to collect multiple instances of the same data. This means that it is no longer necessary to create a specified number of instances of an instrument (or event) if you need to collect multiple instances. For example, if you are doing a study on a new experimental drug and need to track patient progress for 20 weeks, you might have an instrument that includes all the questions necessary for each week’s visit. Now, instead of creating 20 instances of this “visit” instrument (say visit1, visit2, etc.), you can simply make the visit instrument a repeating instrument.

Another benefit is you are no longer limited by the planned number of repetitions. Continuing with the example above, say you had some patients that needed to be studied for an additional 12 weeks (32 weeks total). Instead of manually creating 12 more visit instruments, you can go to the previous visit instrument and select Save & Add New Instance. This way, you can easily add unplanned repetitions. You are no longer limited by your maximum number of instances.

Additionally, you can have a different number of instances of an instrument for different records. Using the above example, some patients may have data for 20 visits, and others may have data for 32 visits. You could even have some patients that missed a few visits, so they end up with 19, 18, or 30 visits.

  1. You must first enable it on the project setup page.

  2. Click enable, under the Enable optional modules and customizations section.

    Popup

    You will get a popup window asking which instruments (and events, if the project is longitudinal) should be made repeatable.

    Events

    If you have created Events within your project then the form will repeat within the event. For example, you can collect Blood Pressure over numerous timepoints within a visit.

  3. Select Repeat Instruments and select the forms that will repeat within your study. Click Save

    Testing

    To record a new instance of an event, navigate to Add/Edit Records and select the appropriate record. From there, you can select +Add new for any forms that are repeating.

    You can also add a new instance from within the form.