Username and submission time not updated when updating a record

Hello,

If I update an existing record in Projects > MyProject > Data > Table, the “username” and “_submission_time” columns are not updated…it still shows the original username and time of submission, not the updated details. Is there a way to get the last _submission_time and the last username that edited the record?

Thanks

Hi @mahmed,

Welcome to the community! Would you mind portraying the username you are referring to in an image if possible? It would be easy for the community to understand you issue.

GOOD DAY!

I am talking about the username metadata column that you enable from Layout & Settings from the edit screen…

image

Hi @mahmed,

Kindly please be informed that username metadata is the username that you define in the collect app so that you are able to identify the enumerators who collected and submitted the data for you/your project. As this is configured in the collect app it cannot be changed in the KoBoToolbox server.

Similarly, the submission time is the time your collected data was submitted to the KoBoToolbox server. This too cannot be changed even when you are editing the data in your server.

GOOD DAY!

Kal, so is there a workaround?

Thanks

Hi @mahmed,

It’s not possible to change the information that are in these meta data fields. However, as a workaround i would advise you to add 2 additional variables to your survey project viz. verified by and time of verification where you are able to type your name and time after verifying the data in the server.

Also please note, you could keep these 2 variables hidden as outlined here so that the enumerators don’t make entries on these.

GOOD DAY!

2 posts were split to a new topic: Is it Possible to have Dynamic Population of Meta Data

Not sure of the objective here, but a possible workaround could be to duplicate the submissions with the new username logged in (it updates the submission time, and username). I’ve done this for a specific project that was previously submitted anonymously, and later required to share the submission for editing with the respective submitters.