This guide provides REDCap users how to create a Data Access Group (DAG), how to add users to DAGs, and how to modify the required permissions for users within a DAG.
Introduction
Sometimes within a REDCap project, you will only require some users to have access to certain data, but not other data, or you require a user to manage a specific function within the project. This can be achieved with a Data Access Group or DAG. A DAG is a group created within a project to segment the data gathered into groups and allows a project manager to only allow users to see the data that they should see. For example, you may be collecting data in two different countries, but you only want your users from their respective countries to see the data from their country. This can be done with a DAG.
How to create and manage a DAG
To create a DAG, the user creating the DAG must first have the Data Access Group privilege enabled. Any user with the ‘User Rights’ privilege enabled can do this.
Once that has been enabled, click on the DAGs button in the left-hand menu under ‘Applications’
On this page, you can create a DAG and add users to the created DAG.
The list below will show who is part of which AG. Users with no assigned group can see all records regardless of group if they have that privilege enabled.
The blue menu underneath is the DAG Switcher, which enables users assigned to multiple DAGs to switch between them easily. However, if you have 1 DAG created, this menu can be ignored. When a DAG is created, it will be given a Group ID number that is unique to that group. Any records created by DAG members will have a record ID of the Group ID followed by the record ID e.g. 1234-1 (with 1234 being the group ID and 1 being the record ID).
In the ‘User Rights’ menu, under ‘Applications’ in the left-hand menu, you can see which users have access to which DAG.
Any permissions enabled for DAG users will only have those permissions enabled within that DAG. For example, my test account has the following permissions, plus the ability to view and edit data under the ‘Privileges for Viewing and Exporting Data’ menu:
This means my test account can view and edit the project design, including the multi-language manager, create, rename, and delete records only within the DAG, and edit user privileges for the users added to the DAG.
Please note that people added to DAGs cannot add new users to the project as a whole, add users to DAGs, or create new DAGs. That must be done by someone who is not assigned to a group and has those permissions enabled.
If you require more information, advice or support please email us at [email protected]