Integration Reduces Transcription Errors

 

Business and Technology Goals

One of our top pharmaceutical companies had recently migrated its Product Development (PD) LIMS system from ABI SQL*LIMS to LabWare LIMS v5.0. With its SQL*LIMS system, rather than enter data directly through the application, lab technicians generated data files to log samples and enter results when processed by the LIMS. This approach to logging and result entry reduced the footprint of the application in the lab, improved efficiency, and reduced transcription errors. Our client sought to reproduce this functionality for its LabWare LIMS implementation with an even stronger and more versatile solution.

Solution

A popular feature of LabWare LIMS is its Importer tool, which processes sample and result data from comma-delimited files directly into the LIMS. The Importer does not currently possess features for detailed error capturing and automatic notifications. In order to provide the level of data validation and error-handling that was required, LabAnswer developed a custom interface that leveraged LabWare's integrated LabStation module.

LabStation is designed to parse data sent to the LIMS by laboratory instruments. In this case, the module served as a powerful data validation tool between the labs and the LIMS system. The tool provided the client with a completely automated mechanism to process data files submitted by the lab, verify the format and contents of the files, report data errors via comprehensive emails and error logging, and finally submit error-free files to the LabWare LIMS Importer. The result was a seamless, fast, and safe transfer of laboratory data into the LIMS without direct interaction between lab technicians and the application.

Benefits

The custom tool provides a completely automated mechanism to process data files submitted by the lab, verify the format and contents of the files, report data errors via comprehensive emails and error logging, and submit error-free files to the LabWare LIMS Importer.

• Efficient and automated sample logging and result entry
• Pre-load identification of transcription errors
• Real-time email notification of data validation errors