RackScan | Add-on

The RackScan add-on can be installed from the Marketplace.

Marketplace Add-on installation eLabNext offers a wide range of add-ons and integrations to enhance the functionality of your digital lab platform. The categories include biobanking, utilities, productivity, and reporting. The eLab Marketplace is conveniently available within the eLabNext platform, making it easy to find, install, and start using add-ons immediately. To install an add-on, navigate to the Marketplace tab and choose "Install" for the add-on you'd like to add. Depending on the add-on or your organization-wide settings, some add-ons might already be installed for you by default.

To start, proceed as follows:

• Open the RackScan Analyzer™ Software
• Place the Rack with CryoVials on RackScan and initiate the scanning process

Note: The rack barcode is required to be included in the scan. It is recommended configuring RackScan Analyzer to use the Orientation Barcode located at the bottom of the rack or to use RackScan

To add the vials scanned with RackScan to eLabJournal, navigate to Sample List or Inventory Browser within the Inventory tab, under the + Sample dropdown arrow then click the RackScan button.

In the window that appears, users can upload the output file from the scanned plate.

To make files automatically available after scanning a plate with RackScan, please install and configure eLABConnect.

Once the file is uploaded, click load to process the file.

During the file processing, the RackScan add-on will perform the following validation steps

• Check for the existence of the rack barcode in eLabNext
• Check for the existence of all vial barcodes in eLabNext
• Verify if the positions of the vials in eLabNext are in sync with the positions of the vials in the scanned rack

In case of absence or mismatch with any information in eLabNext, the RackScan add-on will sequentially guide the user through a workflow to 1) Identify the rack, 2) identify the vials and import the vial contents and 3) sync the positions of the rack prior to enabling the sample actions.

1 - Rack Identification

If no rack was identified in the group with an associated barcode to that of the scanned rack, the RackScan add-on will guide users through the steps to create this rack.

Click Proceed to complete the creation of the Rack. After the addition of the rack, the validation workflow automatically continues. In case users want to use an existing rack in eLAB to store samples; they can manually associate the barcode in the inventory browser (requires the installation of the Compartment Barcode add-on as available in the Marketplace).

2- Vial identification and the linking of sample information

Once the rack has been identified in eLabJournal, yet one or more CryoVials in the scanned rack have not yet been identified, the RackScan add-on will guide users in creating those samples and associate the vial barcode.

Start by selecting the sample type for the samples in the Cryovials to store (read here how to add custom sample type templates). Users can also choose to set the barcode as the sample name by selecting the corresponding option. Click Start Import.

Next, users will be guided to the Sample Batch Import, where they can enter all sample-specific information for each vial. Users can either complete that information manually or use the paste from the clipboard function to add information in bulk from Excel.

When the sample-specific information has been entered, click Import to add the samples, associate the vial barcode, and place them in the corresponding position on the rack.

Note: by setting or changing the compartment orientation, users can control the direction in which samples are added to the rack (the default setting for all compartments is from left to right)

3 - Syncing rack

Once the rack barcode and all vial barcodes have been identified, the RackScan add-on checks if the positions of all samples in eLabJournal are in sync with the positions in the scanned rack.

Click Ok to sync the positions of the samples in the scanned Rack with those in eLabNext.

Note: samples are no longer stored in the scanned rack in eLabNext and will be moved to an unspecified location

4 - Performing Sample Actions

In case all of the following criteria are met:

• The rack has been identified in eLabNext
• All barcoded vials have been identified in eLabNext
• The contents of the scanned rack are in sync with eLabNext

The Rack Scan add-on proceeds and enables users to perform sample actions for the samples stored in the scanned rack.

The following actions are supported

• Sample Check-out – Samples are marked as checked out from the box (i.e to indicate that the samples were taken from the freezer). This action is automatically logged in the sample log
• Sample Check-in – Samples marked as checked out can be returned to the freezer. This action is automatically logged in the sample log.
• Archive Samples – Samples are moved to the sample archive. Please note that for archived samples, the vial barcode remains stored and cannot be reused for new samples in accordance with GLP compliance.
• Sample quantity - sample quantity can be updated
• Sample parent - sample parent field can be updated

Interested in a custom workflow tailored to the needs of an Organizations labs, contact eLabNext Support to request a quote for customization of the RackScan add-on.