Looking for the best LIMS software and want to know which features to look for? Here is a quick guide to the best features to get you on your way.
Today’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is a cloud SaaS (software-as-a-Service) platform designed to manage the data and processes associated with laboratory sciences work. Its primary purpose is to automate laboratory workflows, maintain data integrity, and enhance laboratory and science staff collaboration. This platform must be configurable, easy to use, use a modern web user interface, integrate with a wide variety of scientific instruments, and allow scientists to easily access and interpret the data.
The best LIMS software platforms are made up of several key features, like these:
- Automated workflow
- Request management
- Sample management
- Sample processing
- Science data analytics
- Work queue management
- Instrument integration
One of the critical features of best-in-class LIMS software is automated workflow. This feature allows laboratory staff to design workflows, ideally with drag-and-drop, and manage custom workflows that reflect their laboratory’s specific processes and procedures. These workflows can guide staff through the various steps of a test or experiment, ensuring that all necessary steps are completed in the correct order.
Another essential feature of LIMS is request management. This feature allows laboratory staff to manage and track requests for laboratory services, such as testing or analysis. This ensures that all requests are handled promptly and efficiently and that the results are delivered to the appropriate parties as soon as they are available.
Sample management is another key feature that ranks high in the best LIMS software. This feature allows laboratory staff to track and manage the samples that are being tested or analyzed. This includes tracking the location of samples, managing sample storage, and keeping track of sample information, such as the sample type and the date it was received.
Sample processing tracking allows laboratory staff to track the progress of samples through the laboratory, while 3D plating enables laboratory staff to create and manage multilayer plate layouts.
The LIMS software must enable scientists to access, analyze and interpret the data produced by the workflows – a must-have feature. Platforms must offer powerful, cross workflow and system data search, science knowledge graphs to provide structure and context to navigate data, graphical data querying tools, and onboard data visualization and analytics tools, such as machine learning and best-fit curve tools.
Work queues, sample processing tracking, and 3D plating are other essential capabilities of a LIMS. Work queues allow laboratory staff to manage and prioritize their work, ensuring that the most critical tasks are completed first.
Without instrument integration features, there can be no LIMS. This capability allows laboratory staff to integrate their lab instruments with the LIMS software, allowing them to transfer data between the instruments and the system quickly. This helps to ensure that all data is accurate and up-to-date and that there is no duplication of effort.
In conclusion, best-in-class LIMS software is a powerful tool that can help laboratories improve their efficiency and productivity while ensuring that all data is accurate and up-to-date. By automating laboratory workflows, managing requests, tracking samples, and integrating laboratory instruments, a LIMS can help to ensure that all laboratory staff are working together effectively and efficiently. This can ultimately lead to faster turnaround times, improved data integrity, and more accurate results, benefiting the laboratory and the business as a whole.