Rayyan generates a PRISMA 2020-compliant flow diagram based on your screening actions. Some fields are filled automatically — others must be entered manually. Available on Essential, Advanced, and all institutional plans. Collaborators can also generate a PRISMA diagram.
Important Manual changes to the PRISMA diagram are not auto-saved. If you close the window without downloading, your edits will be lost. Always download immediately after editing.
How to generate and edit your PRISMA diagram
- Open your review and go to the Overview tab.
- Click the PRISMA button in the top toolbar. The diagram opens in a new window with auto-filled values where available.
- Use the Main Options panel to manually edit any fields that require your input.
- Download the diagram once you are done — PDF, PNG, or SVG.
What Rayyan fills vs what you enter
Identification
| Field | Description | Filled by |
|---|---|---|
| Databases (n = X) | Records identified through database searches | Manual |
| Registers (n = X) | Records from trial registries (e.g. ClinicalTrials.gov) | Manual |
| Duplicate records removed | Number of duplicates detected and deleted | Rayyan |
| Marked ineligible by automation tools | Records excluded by AI or external tools | Manual — not supported in Rayyan |
| Removed for other reasons | Records removed before screening for reasons Rayyan does not track | Manual |
Screening
| Field | Description | Filled by |
|---|---|---|
| Records screened | Total references screened at title/abstract level | Rayyan |
| Records excluded | Articles excluded during title/abstract screening | Rayyan |
| Reports sought for retrieval | Articles moved to full-text screening | Rayyan |
| Reports not retrieved | Articles you could not access for full-text review | Manual |
| Reports assessed for eligibility | Full-texts successfully reviewed | Manual |
| Reports excluded (with reasons) | Exclusions grouped by reason | Rayyan — based on exclusion reasons used during screening |
Included
| Field | Description | Filled by |
|---|---|---|
| New studies included in review | Studies meeting all criteria after full-text screening | Manual |
| Reports of new included studies | Number of reports contributing to included studies — may differ if multiple reports per study | Manual |
How to add database names and search counts
- In the Main Options panel, find the Databases field and set it to Included.
- Enter the number of databases used.
- In the text box under Specific Database Results, enter each database and its record count using this format: PubMed, 750; Embase, 450; Cochrane, 120
Common issue Rayyan combines exclusion reasons from both title/abstract and full-text screening in the PRISMA diagram — they are not shown separately by stage. You can manually adjust the counts in the diagram if your review protocol requires stage-level distinction.
Continue to: How to Make Your Review Public and Shareable in Rayyan
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