Sample management and inventory management are two essential but distinct processes that labs use to stay organized. Most labs make sample management a priority, using a laboratory information management system (LIMS) or other software to simplify the process.
However, monitoring and managing consumable inventory is equally important for efficient operations, especially for labs planning to increase throughput or scale up their business. Despite the importance of inventory management, many labs use a piecemeal approach that could be improved with an all-in-one solution.
What Is Sample Management?
Sample management refers to managing the biological, chemical, or physical samples used in lab testing. It includes labeling samples and tracking their origin, chain of custody, storage location, and usage history.
The main goal of sample management is to safeguard the integrity and traceability of samples. Labs must have effective sample management to ensure that the right tests are performed on the right samples and the right results are sent to the right requestors. To do this, they need to be sure that sample testing follows standard operating procedures (SOPs), can be reproduced to confirm results, and complies with regulatory requirements.
What Is Inventory Management?
In contrast, inventory management relates to managing all the items needed to operate the lab, such as reagents, pipette tips, and numerous other consumables. These items must be ordered, received, stored, used, and replaced in a timely manner so that lab tasks can occur as scheduled.
Tracking the stock levels of these items is important for several reasons:
Having Enough Inventory On Hand
Labs want to ensure that production can run without disruption — for efficiency and to maintain the business’s reputation for quality and speed.
Not Over-Ordering Inventory
Available space for storing inventory is always a consideration. However, labs should also be aware of expiry dates for items such as reagents. Waste is expensive, but there’s also the risk of unintentionally using expired reagents, which could compromise testing quality or integrity.
Managing The Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS)
Accurately tracking the amount of inventory used per assay is important for profitability, particularly for labs that offer their services at scale, where under or overcharging could have a significant business impact.
How To Tackle Sample Management & Inventory Management In The Lab
Efficient sample and inventory management are crucial for any lab. However, traditional approaches often fall short in addressing modern lab needs. Below, we explore how LIMS (Laboratory Information Management Systems) can enhance workflows and mitigate common challenges.
The Role Of LIMS In Sample Management
A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is designed to streamline sample tracking and management. Labs using spreadsheets or paper-based systems should consider adopting a LIMS to:
- Improve workflow efficiency.
- Reduce errors and unnecessary costs.
- Support higher throughput and productivity.
By centralizing sample data and automating processes, a LIMS can transform lab operations from cumbersome to seamless.
Enhancing Sample Management With LIMS
If your lab already utilizes a LIMS, there are ways to elevate its effectiveness. Depending on the LIMS and its implementation, you can:
- Implement Barcoding: Simplify tracking of samples, plates, and reagents for better accuracy and speed.
- Integrate Instruments & Software: Connect your LIMS with laboratory instruments and software to eliminate manual data entry and improve data consistency.
These enhancements ensure that your LIMS not only meets basic needs but also maximizes productivity and minimizes human intervention.
Inventory Tracking Limitations In Traditional LIMS
While many LIMS claim to support inventory management, their functionality can vary significantly. Traditional LIMS are primarily focused on tracking sample locations and events, often offering limited inventory capabilities, such as:
- Recording the type of consumables used.
- Monitoring basic inventory levels without granular tracking.
This limitation means that labs may face challenges when tracking inventory depletion in real-time, particularly for reagents and consumables.
Challenges In Tracking Volume & Depletion
Many LIMS struggle to monitor depletion in the base product, such as reagents or consumables, which is essential for reordering and cost analysis. Even when a LIMS can track volume, its granularity might not be sufficient for real-world scenarios.
For example:
- A LIMS might recognize that an entire jar has been used but not the volume consumed for a specific test.
- It might track depletion across an entire assay but fail to account for individual steps within the assay.
- Re-processing within an assay could lead to twice the unit of a consumable being used, but only one unit might be recorded in the system.
Manual Inventory Management: Spreadsheets & Paper-Based Systems
Due to these gaps, many labs continue to use spreadsheets or paper-based systems for inventory management. These manual methods lack automation, which leads to several critical drawbacks:
- Prone to human error: Without automated processes, data recording depends entirely on manual input, increasing the likelihood of mistakes and inaccuracies in stock levels.
- Inefficient: The absence of automation slows down workflows, as repetitive tasks such as updating records and tracking inventory are time-consuming and labor-intensive.
- Limited scalability: As labs grow, manual systems struggle to handle increasing complexity and volume, further highlighting the inefficiencies of non-automated solutions.
All-in-One Solution For Sample & Inventory Management
Whether your lab wants to replace a manual solution or improve inventory management capabilities, consider if the following are possible with the LIMS you are using or have in mind:
- Choosing what and how to model different items within the LIMS. Can we track depletion as consumables are used by an assay and forecast future usage?
- Having multiple different depletion events for every assay and stage within an assay that uses an inventory item. Can we set which depletion events are valid depletions or when the depletion event occurs after ‘claiming’ the inventory item?
- Tracking depletion beyond a unit of stock. Can we track the actual depleted volume within a jar, not just the number of jars remaining or the number of specified uses?
- Setting up automated event notifications or reordering. Can we receive alerts when stock is low so we can reorder inventory to keep production running without interruption, or can stock be reordered automatically?
- Adding new inventory items to track as the lab grows. Can we easily scale the solution and integrate it with other lab software to meet evolving business needs?
- Identifying discrepancies and potential waste. Can we gain new insights to help us make proactive decisions to improve inventory management practices?
Streamline Your Lab Operations With Labbit
A full-featured LIMS such as Labbit provides robust sample management and inventory management in a single all-in-one solution that can scale with your lab as you grow. With a nuanced, real-time view of inventory levels, your lab can accurately gauge when to order more consumables and determine the quantities needed to meet demand.
By leveraging Labbit, you’ll minimize the risk of using expired items, reduce waste, and keep inventory costs in check—all while ensuring your lab runs efficiently.
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Get a personalized demo today and discover how our platform can transform your lab’s operations. Request a demo now!
