CommCare A-Z Glossary

CommCare Glossary of Terms

A

Account settings – The settings section where a web user can update the account settings such as two-factor authentication and API keys etc.
Application – A separate project designed in CommCare HQ, installed on mobile devices to create and monitor cases and conduct surveys.
App Preview – A tool in CommCare HQ that allows users to test and interact with their application without needing a mobile device.
Application Profile – Enables language and multimedia control on phones. Multiple profiles can be created to install various languages on different devices.
App Builder – A tool in CommCare HQ for creating, modifying, and managing CommCare applications.
App Summary – Provides a detailed overview of an application, including connections between forms and cases.
Application Versions – Tracks saved changes to an application, increasing in number with each new build.
API Key - This is an authentication key that can be used to integrate different platforms with CommCare through API.
Archive Form – A feature that allows users to remove a form submission from reports and data exports without deleting it.

B

Bulk Upload – Allows users to upload large amounts of data at once, such as case lists or user accounts and organizations.
Breadcrumb Navigation – Clickable path at the top of CommCare HQ pages that helps users navigate within an app or module.
Broadcast – A messaging feature that allows users to send scheduled or immediate messages to a group of recipients.

C

Case – An entity, record, or object being monitored over time.
Case ID – A unique identifier assigned to each case for tracking and linking data.
Case Property – A stored data point saved to a case, referenced later in forms, case lists, and display conditions.
Case Management – Tracks entities like patients or projects over time by creating, updating, and closing cases.
Case List Module – A module containing case registration and follow-up forms.
Case Importer – A tool for bulk uploading or updating cases from an Excel file.
Case Reassignment – Transfers case ownership from one mobile user to another.
Case List Explorer – Filters and monitors case data based on case properties.
Custom Reports – User-defined reports built using CommCare’s reporting tools or external integrations.
Conditional Alerts – Alerts sent to recipients based on case-based rules.
Custom User Data – Stores additional mobile worker details beyond default fields, enabling metadata like user categories, team information, and locations.

D

Data Cleaning – Correcting or removing inaccurate, incomplete, or duplicate case or form data.
Default Language – The primary language used in a CommCare application, with options for multilingual support.
Domain – A unique workspace in CommCare HQ also known as project space, where an organization’s applications, users, and data are managed.
Display Condition – Also known as skip logic, determines when a question or form should be shown based on specific criteria.
Data Dictionary – Documents case properties for reference throughout the app-building process.
Data Exports – Downloads form or case data in various formats like Excel or CSV.
Data Forwarding – Configures projects to forward incoming forms and/or cases to a specified URL.
Data Export Tool – A command-line tool for exporting large data sets from CommCare HQ to Excel or a database.
Dashboard – The home tab on the CommCare HQ project space from which you can access all the core feature such as data, applications and reports.

E

Enterprise Console – An enterprise feature that provides admins with a dashboard for user management, billing, and reporting across project spaces.
Excel Dashboard Integration – Uses OData feeds to create live dashboards in Excel for visualizing data.
Environment: CommCare HQ is hosted on multiple servers located in different geographic regions(currently US and India) to meet the data security needs of our partner organizations. These servers are also referred as environments.

F

Form – A collection of questions and messages used for registrations, follow-ups, or surveys.
Follow-up Form – A form used to update data for an existing case.
Feature Flag – A setting that enables or disables advanced features for specific CommCare projects.
Field Validation – Rules ensuring data entered meets specific criteria, such as requiring a valid date format.
Find data by ID – The feature which allows users to search cases and form by Case ID or Form ID
Fixtures (Lookup Tables) – Manage external data that changes over time, useful for referencing locations, filtering choices, and providing user-specific information.
Form Builder – Lets users create, organize, and manage forms with various question types.
Forum – A public platform for all CommCare users, which can be used to keep track of updates and post questions.

G

GPS Capture – A form question type that collects the geographical location of a data entry.
Groups – Collections of mobile or web users that share permissions and data access.

H

Hidden Value – A form field not visible to users but used for calculations or auto-generated values.
Hierarchical Case Structure – Organizes cases in a parent-child relationship, such as families and their members.

I

Incomplete Forms – Forms started but not submitted due to network issues or user intervention.
Instance Reference – A method of pulling external or case data into a form using XPath expressions.

J

JSON Export – A format used for exporting CommCare data for external applications.

L

Language File – A downloadable file containing all translatable text in an application.
Logic Expression – A formula determining dynamic form behavior based on user input or case properties.

Linked Project space – The project spaces which are linked with each other through a system called MRM/ERM, where we can push contents from an upstream project to downstream project.
Linked applications – The applications which and linked and directly pushed from an upstream project to a downstream project.

M

Media Manager – A tool for uploading and managing images, audio, and video files used in an app.
Mobile Worker – A field worker using the CommCare mobile application for data collection.
Mobile Application –
Modules – Containers in a CommCare application that hold forms and define how data is structured.
Messaging – The functionality on CommCare with which the users can compose messages, setup broadcasts and conditional alerts and send them via email and SMS.
Messaging Reports – The reports which can help you keep track of your messaging records.

N

Numeric Question – A form question type that only accepts numeric input.

O

Offline Mode – Allows data collection without an internet connection, with automatic syncing when connectivity is restored.
Organization Structure – A hierarchy of groups, locations, and users within a CommCare project space.

P

Project Space – Another term for a domain in CommCare, representing an organization’s workspace.
Project Settings –
Property Mapping – Links case properties across forms or external systems.

Q

R

Referral Tracking – The ability to record and monitor referrals made within a CommCare application.
Registration Form – A form used to create a new case in the system.
Release Management – Deploying new application versions while maintaining version control.
Report Builder – The tool which can be used to build custom reports on CommCare HQ to track case activity or form submissions.
Roles and Permissions – The feature with which allows users to create different roles and give or restrict users to access different functionalities on CommCare.

S

Saved Export – A recurring export configuration allowing users to download data in a consistent format.
Schedule-Based Messaging – Sends automated SMS messages on predefined schedules.
Survey Module – Allows anonymous data collection without case tracking.
Saved reports – The exclusive filtered reports which are saved as favourite by web users from pre-configured reports such as case list report.
Scheduled Reports – The saved reports which are scheduled to send to a set of web users on a project space
SMS Gateway – An SMS Gateway enables a computer to send and receive SMS messages to and from an SMS capable device over the global telecommunications network.

T
Trigger Condition – Defines when a specific action, such as an SMS alert, should occur.
Two-Factor Authentication – The security feature on CommCare which allows user to setup a Two-Factor Authentication to secure their account.

U

Update Form – Modifies an existing case rather than creating a new one.
User Case – Every user on CommCare HQ is linked with a user case where we can save custom user data such are type of role, email and contact details.
User Groups – Collections of users for managing access and reporting.
User Management - User management is a functionality, where you can check and update user data, assign users to location/groups and manage roles and permissions.
User Metadata – The user data saved on CommCare HQ to keep track of user activity and updates with every login, sync and and submission.
User Permissions – Settings that determine user actions in CommCare.
User properties – The custom data/properties which are saved on CommCare-User case.
User Last Activity Report – The report which shows user data such as the last submission, last sync and Number of unsent forms.

V

Validation Condition – Checks if entered information meets specified constraints.
Version Control – Tracks different builds of an application.

W

Web App – A browser-based version of a CommCare mobile application.
Web Users –
Workflow Management – The design and automation of case processes within CommCare.

X

XML Export – A structured data format for exporting forms and cases.

Xforms – The XML document state of a CommCare form which can be uploaded or downloaded in the CommCare application builder

Y

Z