Now that you've streamlined your Inventory, it's time to connect it to your research!
Connecting your research helps optimise workflow efficiency and ensure data integrity. By connecting your Inventory to experiments, you can streamline processes, enhance traceability, and elevate the overall quality of your work. Let's explore how Labstep helps you advance your research endeavours.
Inventory Fields
Inventory fields are the way to connect your Inventory to your experiments by adding them to your protocols. You have the option of using input or output fields.
Input Fields
Input fields are for the items you consume as part of your experiments. They allow you to quickly scan or search for the item you used each time you run the protocol.
You can restrict the items to a specific category to make it easier to find, but also enforce consistency. You can even specify the specific resource if it should be the same every time, e.g., some chemical/reagent in a recipe, or leave blank if it might be different each time, e.g., primers in a PCR, plasmid in a cloning protocol, or sample in a testing procedure.
You can set the amount needed if it's the same each time or leave it blank if it might change each time you run the protocol. Additionally, you can specify the unit to save time. This amount can be deducted automatically once your item is selected by clicking 'Deduct Amount Used'.
Output Fields
Output fields are for items created when executing a protocol. For example, in a sample purification or preparation. When adding an output field, you can specify either the category or the specific resource the created item will be and specify the initial amount created.
Lineage Tracking
If you toggle the Lineage Tracking option in the Inventory field, it will link the items in the Input fields as parents of the items in the Output fields. You'll be able to see the parent/child relationship in your items' Lineage tab as well as the experiment in which the lineage is from.
Linked Experiments
Another benefit of connecting your Inventory to your experiments is that you can view the experiment linked to your items.
From the item page, you can see which experiment(s) an item has been used in:
From the resource page, you can see all the experiments using any item of the resource:
Linked Data
Furthermore, if you have any output data fields on the protocol, they will appear in the Data tab on your item/resource. For a refresher on data fields, click here.
Variables
Sometimes, you might need to run a protocol on multiple samples in parallel or under different conditions. Labstep can also handle these situations using our Conditions Table feature. For more on using variables and the Conditions table, click here.
Conclusion
In summary, integrating Inventory management with experiments offers a multitude of benefits, including streamlined workflows, enhanced traceability, and improved research quality. By leveraging Inventory fields, you can view linked experiments and linked data from your resource/item page. By using variables, you can run a protocol on multiple samples at the same time. Remember to explore the knowledge check below to reinforce your understanding of these essential concepts.
☞ Knowledge Check
What are the two main types of Inventory fields in experimental protocols?
How do you track the parent/child relationship of your items?
How do you view data fields and experiments linked to an item or resource?
What is the primary purpose of linking output data fields to Inventory items?
This lesson is part of the "Labstep 101: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started" course. View all lessons here.