# Mantal Documentation

## Welcome to Mantal

Mantal is a research platform designed to help researchers manage participant-facing clinical and observational studies online.

Using Mantal, researchers can:

* create and manage studies
* build questionnaires and consent workflows
* schedule longitudinal follow-up sessions
* manage participants
* monitor study progress
* collect cognitive testing data
* export datasets and reports
* manage participant-facing study websites

This guide explains how to configure, test, launch, and manage a study using Mantal.

## Creating Your First Study

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Create the Study

Navigate to:

`Studies → Create Study`

Enter:

* study title
* internal reference
* study description
* participant website URL

Click **Save** to create the study workspace.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Configure Study Branding

Researchers can customise the participant-facing website using:

* logos
* colour schemes
* header images
* navigation menus
* homepage content

Branding helps create a consistent participant experience.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Configure Study Settings

Typical settings include:

* participant registration behaviour
* invitation requirements
* consent settings
* reminder settings
* participant access windows

It is recommended that researchers review all study settings before inviting participants.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Understanding Batteries & Modules

### Battery

A battery is a participant workflow.

It controls:

* what participants complete
* the order of activities
* scheduling
* repeat follow-up sessions

### Module

A module is an individual activity within a battery.

Examples include:

* questionnaires
* consent forms
* cognitive tests
* instructional pages

Modules can be reused across multiple batteries.

## Creating Batteries

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open Battery Management

Navigate to:

`Studies → Batteries`

Click **Create Battery**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Configure Battery Details

Enter:

* battery title
* internal description
* participant group assignment
* scheduling rules

Researchers can also configure:

* completion windows
* repeat schedules
* reminder timing
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Add Modules to the Battery

Modules are added into the participant workflow.

Typical batteries include:

* consent module
* baseline questionnaire
* cognitive tests
* follow-up questionnaires

Modules can be reordered within the battery.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Save the Battery

Once configured:

1. Click **Save**
2. Test the battery before assigning participants
3. Activate scheduling if required
   {% endstep %}
   {% endstepper %}

## Creating Modules

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Create a Questionnaire Module

Navigate to:

`Studies → Modules → Create Module`

Select:

`Questionnaire Module`

Enter:

* module title
* description
* participant instructions

Save the module to begin editing.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Add Pages

Modules are organised into pages.

Pages may contain:

* instructional content
* questions
* media
* uploads
* consent statements

To add a page:

1. Click **Add Page**
2. Select the page type
3. Configure page settings
4. Save the page
   {% endstep %}
   {% endstepper %}

## Consent Modules

Consent modules are specialised modules used to collect participant consent.

Unlike standard modules, consent modules include:

* consent pages
* downloadable study documents
* required consent statements
* re-consent workflows

### Creating a Consent Page

Within the module:

1. Click **Add Page**
2. Select **Consent Page**

Consent pages allow researchers to:

* present participant information
* upload study documents
* define consent statements
* collect participant agreement

### Adding Consent Text

The page content section appears above the consent statements.

Researchers commonly use this section for:

* study introductions
* ethics information
* participant guidance
* instructions
* links and contact details

### Creating Consent Statements

Each consent statement contains:

#### Internal Label

The internal label is used for administration and exports.

Example:

* Data Sharing
* Future Contact
* Genetics Consent

#### Participant Statement

This is the participant-facing consent wording.

Example:

> I agree that my anonymised data may be used for future ethically approved research.

### Uploading Study Documents

Consent pages support PDF uploads.

Researchers commonly upload:

* Participant Information Sheets
* privacy notices
* withdrawal guidance
* printable consent forms

Participants may download and retain these documents.

## Question Banks

Question banks allow researchers to reuse questions across multiple studies and modules.

This helps:

* standardise questionnaires
* reduce duplication
* maintain consistency across studies

### Adding Questions

Researchers can create questions including:

* text questions
* radio buttons
* checkboxes
* dropdowns
* sliders
* numeric fields
* dates
* addresses
* consent statements

## Scheduling & Longitudinal Studies

Mantal supports longitudinal participant follow-up.

Researchers can configure:

* repeated batteries
* follow-up schedules
* reminder timing
* completion deadlines

### Creating a Repeat Schedule

Within the battery settings:

1. Enable repeat scheduling
2. Configure the repeat interval
3. Set participant completion windows
4. Configure reminder timing

Example schedules include:

* weekly
* monthly
* quarterly
* annual follow-up

## Participant Management

### Adding Participants

Participants can be added:

* manually
* through invitations
* through imports
* through public registration

### Inviting Participants

Navigate to:

`Participants → Invite Participants`

Researchers can:

* send invitations individually
* bulk invite participants
* resend invitations
* track invitation status

### Monitoring Participant Progress

Participant management tools allow researchers to monitor:

* completion progress
* scheduled activities
* overdue batteries
* consent status
* participant engagement

## Testing Your Study

Researchers should always test studies before inviting participants.

### Recommended Testing Workflow

Before launch:

1. Test participant registration
2. Complete consent workflows
3. Test questionnaires
4. Verify conditional logic
5. Complete cognitive tests
6. Test longitudinal scheduling
7. Verify reminder behaviour
8. Review exports and reports
9. Test participant login workflows
10. Review the participant-facing website on mobile devices

## Participant Website Management

Each study includes a participant-facing website.

Researchers can edit:

* homepage content
* participant guidance
* FAQs
* study news
* contact pages
* downloadable documents

## Reports & Exports

Mantal includes configurable reporting and export tools.

Researchers can export:

* participant data
* questionnaire responses
* scoring outputs
* cognitive testing data
* audit information

### Exporting Data

Navigate to:

`Reports → Exports`

Select:

* export type
* participant filters
* study stages
* date ranges

Click **Generate Export**.

Exports are typically provided in CSV format.

### Creating Custom Reports

Custom reports allow researchers to:

* select export fields
* apply filters
* generate reusable report templates
* configure participant metadata

## Auditing & Monitoring

The auditing timeline records participant and administrative activity.

Researchers can review:

* participant access history
* consent actions
* questionnaire completion
* login activity
* technical troubleshooting information

### Viewing the Auditing Timeline

Navigate to:

`Auditing → Timeline`

Researchers can filter activity by:

* participant
* date
* event type
* study area

## Troubleshooting

### Participants Cannot Log In

Check:

* invitation status
* participant email address
* account activation status
* password reset status

### Batteries Are Not Appearing

Check:

* participant group assignment
* battery scheduling
* battery activation status
* completion windows

### Export Data Appears Incomplete

Verify:

* filters
* date ranges
* participant status
* completion status
* selected export fields

## Best Practice Recommendations

### Before Launch

Researchers should:

* fully test the participant workflow
* verify consent wording
* test exports and scoring
* review participant messaging
* confirm reminder schedules
* test mobile compatibility

## Frequently Asked Questions

<details>

<summary>Can questions be reused across studies?</summary>

Yes. Question banks allow researchers to reuse questions across multiple modules and studies.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can consent be updated after launch?</summary>

Yes. Updated consent workflows can require active participants to review revised consent before continuing.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can batteries repeat automatically?</summary>

Yes. Batteries support longitudinal scheduling and repeat intervals.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can participant data be exported?</summary>

Yes. Researchers can generate exports and custom reports from the reporting section.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can studies be branded individually?</summary>

Yes. Each study may have its own logos, colours, participant website, and content.

</details>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.mantal.co.uk/mantal-documentation.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.