Gary: I think this language is awkward, but I am unclear as to how it should be updated.
If data cannot be collected using fields in this guide, then a custom collection field may be used. Guidance for field creation in this section supports data collection irrespective of its inclusion in subsequent tabulation datasets. When considering a new data collection field, determine whether the data will be used for data cleaning, an operational use case, or are actual data that will be represented in a tabulation dataset. In general, a new field for a CRF will fall into one of the following categories:
- Data Cleaning, indicating a field that will support data cleaning only.
- Direct Mapping, indicating a field that will map directly to a tabulation dataset variable.
- No Direct Mapping, indicating a field that does not have a direct, one-to-one mapping to a tabulation dataset variable.
Prior to adding a custom field to a CRF, confirm that none of the collection fields in this guide or in the CDASH Model fit the need. Once confirmed, the following guidance may be followed.