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 an operational use case, such as data cleaning, or are actual data that could be represented in a tabulation dataset. In general, a new field for a CRF will fall into one of the following categories:
- A field used for Data Cleaning purposes only.
- A field that has a Direct Mapping to a tabulation dataset variable.
- A field with No Direct 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 will be used to add a new field to a CRF.