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Open Data Capture

How to Get Started with ODC

This guide is for people logging into an existing Open Data Capture (ODC) instance for the first time. An instance is the ODC site deployed for your organization, lab, or clinic.

ODC has three roles:

  • Admin: manages the instance.
  • Group Manager: manages one or more groups and the data collected by those groups.
  • Standard User: starts sessions and administers instruments.

For the complete permission model, see the Security reference.

Before You Start

You need:

  • The URL for your ODC instance
  • Your account credentials
  • Access to the group where you will collect or review data

Most users belong to one group. At login, ODC selects the group you last used in that browser if you still belong to it, and the first group assigned to your account otherwise.

ODC only shows navigation items that your account can access.

  • Dashboard shows an overview of data for the selected group. The default Standard User role does not see Dashboard.
  • Data Hub finds subjects, reviews records, exports data, graphs measures, and manages assignments. The default Standard User role does not see Data Hub.
  • Start Session begins a session for a subject.
  • Administer Instrument shows the instruments available for the selected group and current session.
  • Upload Data imports form instrument data from CSV.
  • Manage Group configures group-level settings. The default Standard User role does not see Manage Group.

Select a Group

The selected group controls which instruments and data you see.

The group switcher at the top of the sidebar shows the selected group. On a small screen, it is at the top of the navigation menu. If your account belongs to only one group, the switcher shows that group’s name as plain text. Otherwise, select it to choose another of your groups. Admins can choose any group on the instance.

Switching group ends the current session without asking, so finish any instrument in progress first.

Configure a Group

Group configuration is done in Manage Group.

The default Standard User role does not see Manage Group.

  1. Open Manage Group

    Use Manage Group to control the instruments and subject settings for the selected group.

  2. Select accessible instruments

    Accessible instruments are the instruments shown to group members in Administer Instrument.

  3. Review subject display settings

    Set the preferred subject ID display length.

  4. Review age settings

    Turn minimum age validation on or off. When it is on, set the minimum age.

  5. Review subject identification settings

    Choose the default identification method and configure the ID validation pattern and validation messages.

Start a Session

Use Start Session to begin work with a subject.

  1. Open Start Session

    Start Session is available to group managers and standard users.

  2. Identify the subject

    ODC supports custom IDs and auto-generated IDs based on personal information. The selected group’s settings determine the default method.

  3. Choose the session type

    Use an in-person session for new data collection. Use a retrospective session when entering data that was collected earlier using another system.

  4. Confirm the session is active

    After the session starts, ODC shows the active session in the sidebar.

ODC allows one active session at a time. While a session is active, Start Session is unavailable. To start another, select End Current Session in the sidebar or the navigation menu and confirm.

Administer Instruments

Use Administer Instrument after starting a session.

Administer Instrument shows the instruments selected for the current group. Select an instrument and complete it.

Review and Export Data

Use Data Hub to find subjects, review records, export data, and graph measures.

The default Standard User role does not see Data Hub.

The Download menu on Data Hub’s Subjects page downloads the records of the listed subjects as CSV, JSON or Excel. On a subject’s page, the Table tab downloads the records of one instrument, and the Graph tab plots selected measures over time.

Upload Data

Use Upload Data to import CSV data for form instruments.

Upload Data appears when the instance admin has enabled experimental features (Enable Uploader in App Settings) and your account can read subjects and create instrument records. The default Group Manager and Standard User roles satisfy those permissions.

For more detail, see How to Upload Data.

Assignments

Assignments are instruments that a subject completes outside the main ODC web app.

The Assignments tab appears on Data Hub subject pages when gateway support is enabled. Group managers can create and manage assignments for their groups. The default Standard User role does not see Data Hub and does not have assignment permissions.

When to Ask an Admin

Ask an admin for:

  • Creating users
  • Creating groups
  • Adding or modifying instruments
  • Changing permissions

Troubleshooting

  • I cannot find an instrument: Ask a group manager to check the group’s accessible instruments.
  • I see the wrong instruments or data: Check the selected group in the group switcher at the top of the sidebar.
  • I do not see Dashboard: The default Standard User role does not see Dashboard.
  • I do not see Data Hub: The default Standard User role does not see Data Hub.
  • I do not see Upload Data: This feature is disabled on your instance or your account does not have the required upload permissions.
  • I do not see Assignments: Gateway support is disabled or your account does not have assignment permissions.