Why doesn't a participant's status in the PRM match what is shown in CTMS?

Last updated: October 19, 2026

Context

Sometimes a participant's recruitment status displayed in the PRM (inbox, kanban view, or study assignments) may not match the status shown in the CTMS (realtime system). This can manifest in several ways, such as:

  • A participant appearing with one status in the CTMS but a different status in the PRM inbox or kanban view.

  • Enrolled participants not appearing when filtering by status in the PRM.

  • A participant showing as DNQ in the study assignments and top bar, but appearing as Pending in the inbox.

  • Site-level numbers not reflecting the correct counts when filtering in the PRM.

Answer

Status mismatches between the CTMS and the PRM are typically caused by a sync delay or a temporary issue with the realtime sync between the two systems. When the sync is interrupted or delayed, status updates made in one system may not immediately carry over to the other.

If you notice a status conflict or mismatch, here is what to do:

  1. Check the participant's status in both systems — compare the status shown in the CTMS with what is displayed in the PRM inbox, kanban view, and study assignments panel.

  2. Try manually pushing the status update — if the option is available, attempt to update and push the status from within the PRM to trigger a sync.

  3. Wait for the next sync — Delfa pulls study statuses from RealTime every night. On weekdays it also pulls status changes every hour during US and Australia/New Zealand business hours. A RealTime status that is earlier in the funnel does not replace a Delfa status that someone set in Delfa after the RealTime change.

  4. If the issue persists, contact support — provide the participant's details and the study name so the support team can investigate the sync status and resolve any conflicts on the backend.

Note that even after a status is updated in the CTMS, there may be a short delay before it is reflected in the PRM inbox prioritisation and filtering views. If a participant does not appear under the expected filter, check the Unassigned inbox as they may be listed there in the interim.