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Rbac roles redcap

REDCap uses a role-based access control (RBAC) model. Roles define what a user can see and do within a given project. Below is a clear, practical breakdown of the standard REDCap user roles and permissions.

Core REDCap User Roles (Conceptual)

REDCap does not enforce named roles globally; instead, projects assign permission sets that effectively map to these common roles.

1. Project Administrator

Highest level of access within a project

Typical permissions:

  • Create and modify instruments
  • Enable production mode
  • Manage users and roles
  • Configure data access groups (DAGs)
  • Enable surveys, randomization, longitudinal setup
  • Export data (including identifiers)

Typical users:

  • Study data manager
  • Senior coordinator
  • PI delegate

2. Principal Investigator (PI)

Oversight with broad visibility

Typical permissions:

  • View all data
  • Export data (often with identifiers)
  • Review project status and logs
  • Limited design permissions (often no instrument editing)

Typical users:

  • Named study PI or co-PI

3. Study Coordinator / Data Manager

Operational control of data collection

Typical permissions:

  • Enter and edit data
  • Resolve queries
  • Lock/unlock records
  • Import/export data
  • Monitor completeness and quality

Typical users:

  • Lead coordinator
  • Trial manager

4. Data Entry User

Front-line data collection

Typical permissions:

  • Enter and edit data
  • View assigned records
  • No exports
  • No design or user management

Typical users:

  • Research assistants
  • Clinic staff entering CRFs

5. Read-Only / Monitor

Audit and monitoring role

Typical permissions:

  • View data only
  • Access reports and dashboards
  • No editing or exporting

Typical users:

  • Clinical monitors
  • Auditors
  • Sponsors (limited access)

6. Statistician / Analyst

Data analysis role

Typical permissions:

  • Export data (often de-identified)
  • View reports
  • No data entry or editing

Typical users:

  • Biostatistics collaborators
  • Data science teams

7. Survey-Only User

Participant-facing role

Typical permissions:

  • Complete surveys via public or authenticated links
  • No access to project backend

Typical users:

  • Study participants
  • Caregivers

8. API / Integration User

System-to-system access

Typical permissions:

  • API read/write access (scoped)
  • Often no UI access

Typical users:

  • EHR integration services
  • External apps
  • ETL pipelines

Key Permission Dimensions (How Roles Are Built)

REDCap roles are assembled from fine-grained permissions, including:

  • Data entry (by instrument)
  • Data export (with/without identifiers)
  • Design privileges
  • User rights management
  • Record locking/e-signatures
  • File upload/download
  • API access
  • Logging access

This makes REDCap highly flexible—but also easy to misconfigure without governance.

Data Access Groups (DAGs)

Orthogonal to roles.

  • Restrict users to subsets of records
  • Common in multi-site or multi-clinic studies
  • A user can be a Coordinator + DAG-restricted

Practical Governance Advice (Especially for Regulated Studies)

Given your background in clinical trials and secure research environments:

  • Separate design authority from data entry
  • Limit identifier exports to a small, auditable group
  • Use DAGs aggressively for multi-site trials
  • Create a dedicated API user per integration
  • Document role templates as part of SOPs

If useful, I can:

  • Provide a role-permission matrix suitable for SOPs
  • Map REDCap roles to GCP / TCPS2 expectations
  • Compare REDCap roles to custom EDC systems or SurveyJS-based architectures
  • Advise on least-privilege role design for TRE-aligned environments

Just indicate the direction.