REDCap

REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) is a secure, web‑based application that helps researchers build and manage online surveys, data collection forms, and research databases. It is widely used in universities, hospitals, and research organisations around the world to support research, clinical studies, and operational projects.

REDCap was developed at Vanderbilt University in 2004 to address the need for a secure and reliable way to collect sensitive research data. It has since grown into a global platform supported by the REDCap Consortium – a collaborative community of non‑profit and government institutions that use and help improve the software.

REDCap supports a wide range of research activities, including:

• Collecting survey responses from research participants
• Capturing and managing clinical or observational research data
• Creating study databases, such as registries or repositories
• Supporting single‑site and multi‑site research projects
• Managing longitudinal studies with repeated data collection over time
• Studies that involve statistical randomisation of participants

Projects in REDCap can be set up for direct data entry, online surveys, or data imports, with data easily exported to common analysis tools such as Excel, SPSS, SAS, Stata, and R.

REDCap combines flexibility with strong data governance features, including:

• Secure, web‑based access via Okta for users with a FAN, or via a web browser for external collaborators
• Customisable forms and surveys, designed and managed by research teams
• Audit trails that record data changes and user activity
• Role‑based access controls, allowing different permission levels within a project
• Real‑time data validation to improve data quality and consistency
• Automated data exports to statistical and reporting tools
• Support for online and offline data collection, including a mobile app for some use cases

These features help ensure data quality, transparency, and accountability across the life of a research project.

REDCap is designed to support the collection and storage of sensitive research data. Each institution hosts and manages its own REDCap instance in line with local policies and regulatory requirements. REDCap is the only medical and/ or longitudinal study-based survey tool.

Researchers commonly choose REDCap because it:

• Is purpose‑built for research and institutional data collection
• Gives research teams control over project design and data workflows
• Supports collaboration without requiring advanced technical skills
• Emphasises governance, traceability, and data export for analysis