When managing laboratory sample/specimen collections, there are many reasons why people will need to build and administer a series of lists. Here are just a few examples : Pick lists for removal from storage; Stock take lists; Discrepancy lists; Sample reservation lists.
It therefore follows that the creation and management of all kinds of lists is an important efficiency tool for all good sample inventory control software applications.
Labccs has a powerful list creation and management function which will allow users to define and configure multiple different types of list for use in a wide range of specific workflow processes.
In Labccs there can be any number of list “Types”. A List type is defined by one of more of the following characteristics:
- List Entry rules – the criteria allowed for users to add items/samples to the list
- List action type – the software actions/functions which happens when a list is processed
- List Process rules – the rules which define what is allowed when samples on a list are “processed”
- Approval required – whether X level users will need to seek approval from Y level users before a list can be processed
- Colour – the colour assigned to a list type, which is displayed on the item/sample record when it belongs to a list of this type
Any number of new Lists can be created by any user and each user can easily manage their own “list of Lists”. A SysAdmin level user has access to, and can search for, all lists made by all users.
Each time a new list is created the list Type is selected (or automatically assigned) for the appropriate use of the List. Any number of items/samples can be added to a list (within the list rules) and users can choose to “process” one, multiple or all the samples added to that list. Where List are used in the workflow process of removing items/samples from storage, they act as an important archive of what samples were processed by whom and when.
Other list management and list search options include .
Item Selection mode – this mode allows the user to automatically select items/samples from a list. Once a list of samples has been retrieved, this option helps the user to select a subset of the list, using the following criteria:
- Auto select X number of items from the top of the list
- Auto select X number of items where X field value is unique
- Auto select X number of items where X field value is equal to Y
List Item Search mode – this mode allows the user to search/filter the samples on a given list.
Archived List Item Search mode – where the same list is used multiple times to process multiple different batches of items/samples, this mode allows the user to search/filter for samples which were previously placed on the list and then processed (I.E. removed from storage & archived) – in other words find any item/sample that has ever been associated with the chosen list.
List Search mode – allows the user to search their “list of lists” by List Number; List Name; List Type; Created By (SysAdmin users only); Created Date; Due Date: List Status & Archived Yes/No