Software for small laboratories outgrowing spreadsheets
Spreadsheets take many labs a long way. Then sample volume grows, a second shift starts, an auditor asks who changed a result, and the workbook that held everything together becomes the risk. We build focused systems that take over from spreadsheets without the cost and overhead of an enterprise LIMS rollout.
Situations we often hear about
- The sample log, results and specifications live in separate workbooks maintained by hand.
- Certificates and reports are assembled by copy and paste.
- It is hard to tell which file is current, or who changed a value and why.
- Enterprise LIMS quotes are out of proportion to the size of the lab.
What we deliver
- Sample registration and tracking
- Log each sample once, label it, and see where it is and what is still outstanding.
- Results against specifications
- Results checked against limits as they are entered, with out-of-specification values flagged immediately.
- Review and release
- A clear approval step before results leave the lab, recording who approved what and when.
- Certificates and reports
- Certificates of analysis and routine reports generated from approved data.
- Help with migration
- We help structure the master data hidden in your workbooks: tests, methods, specifications, products and customers.
- Sized to the lab
- Only the functions you need now, with room to add more as the lab grows.
How we approach it
We usually start with a working session on your current spreadsheets and forms. They are an excellent specification: they show what you actually record, which checks you do by hand and where errors creep in.
The first release replaces the most painful part, often the sample log and results entry, and can run alongside the old process until you trust it. Then the spreadsheets are retired one at a time, rather than in a single risky cut-over.
See it in a working application
The LIMS for quality control labs demonstration shows this kind of software end to end. Core QC laboratory workflows in one focused application: batches and samples, results checked against versioned specifications, out-of-specification investigations, review, release and certificates.
A demonstration and starting point, not a finished or validated product.
Chapters and screenshotsQuestions we often hear
Is our lab too small for a LIMS?
Not necessarily. What matters is whether traceability, turnaround or reporting effort has become a problem. A focused system can be far smaller than an enterprise LIMS and still remove most of the manual work.
Can we keep our existing data?
Master data such as tests, specifications, products and customers is usually worth migrating carefully. Historical results can be migrated, archived or kept read-only, depending on how you need to use them.
Do we need our own servers?
No. The application can run in your own cloud or on-premises environment, or under a managed hosting arrangement, depending on what suits you and what we agree.
Related
Tell us what your lab needs
Describe the process, the systems involved and what is getting in the way. We will reply personally and suggest a sensible next step, even if that step is not a project with us.