Freeze, lock and unlock data
Data managers freeze a field with its snowflake icon and lock it with its padlock, or use Bulk on a form or visit. Freezing is reversible with a reason; locking is final, and unlocking needs a reason and your electronic signature.
Before you start
- Freezing and unlocking are for Data Managers. Study Owners and Study Managers can also lock fields and forms.
Freeze or lock?
| Freeze (snowflake) | Lock (padlock) | |
|---|---|---|
| Site can edit | No | No |
| Queries possible | Yes | No |
| Undo | Unfreeze with a reason | Unlock with a reason and electronic signature |
| Use it for | Clean data that may still need a query | Final data, for example before analysis |
Freeze or lock a field
Open the submitted form.
To freeze, click the snowflake next to the field. It turns blue straight away.
To lock, click the padlock, add an optional reason and click Lock field.
Capture warns you first if the field is not source-verified or has open queries, but you can still lock it.
Freeze or lock a whole form, row or visit
Click Bulk in the form header (or next to a table row, or in the Casebook visit panel).
Choose Freeze all, Lock all, Unfreeze all or Unlock all.
Read the summary: how many fields will change and which are skipped, plus warnings about unverified fields, open queries or empty required fields.
Give a reason if asked and confirm.
Each field gets its own audit trail entry.
Unfreeze or unlock
Click the blue snowflake or the filled padlock.
Choose a Reason: query correction, monitoring finding, site correction, new data available, frozen/locked in error, or other (with text).
For an unlock, click Continue to e-signature, type your password and click Unlock field.
Site staff see the padlock and cannot edit; their save is refused with "The field is locked" (why a form is locked). To lock many participants or visits at once, use an interim or cutoff lock.
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Email support@capture.study or use the contact form. Tell us the study name, what you were trying to do and the exact message on screen; a screenshot helps.
Please never send participant names, contact details or health information to support.