The capacity to conduct lab research and to produce timely and accurate results is essential. Often, laboratories are required to provide third parties such as regulatory bodies with comprehensive information on samples. This includes their reception into the lab, testing, and report creation, to delivery of results to the concerned parties.
Traditionally, scientists only had the option to record experimental data such as laboratory results, in a paper notebook. This practice continues to this day. However, recording and tracing back such reports is time-consuming and prone to errors. Luckily, this is avoidable.
With the advancement of technology, you can now digitalize your laboratory projects. As such, laboratory processes are fast and precise, thereby maintaining data integrity. LIMS ELN is an information system that you can use for this purpose.
Even though there are other information systems such as Chromatography Data Systems (CDS) and Laboratory Execution Systems (LES), ELN and LIMS are more popular. ELN is often confused with LIMS. Even though the functionalities of these tools are quite similar, these two information systems are distinct.
What is Electronic Laboratory Notebook?
An electronic lab notebook is software that provides users with access and the ability to record, transmit, and search lab results. Electronic lab notebooks are usually associated with dynamic data and a versatile workflow.
ELN solutions incorporate tools like Microsoft Office to document and store experimental data. On top of this, electronic laboratory notebooks can be cloud-based, such that data can be accessed and shared instantaneously among scientists and researchers globally.
What are the Functions of ELN?
The ELN software serves these purposes:
- Manage intellectual property pertaining to laboratory research projects.
- Creating convenience in experimental configuration.
- Yielding a link between the system and lab instruments for simple capturing and storage of data.
What is Laboratory Information Management Software?
LIMS is scientific data management software that enhances the handling of samples and related data. You can use LIMS solutions such as Labware LIMS to integrate laboratory appliances and automate your research progress.
LIMS allows users to keep tabs on samples from when they get to the laboratory, the experiment stage, through to the conception of the final report. The system caches details such as the type of tests that were carried out. In addition, it also stores the date and time when the samples were moved from one phase to the next.
What are the Functions of LIMS?
LIMS provides these primary services:
- Enforcement of compliance and standards, especially for laboratories expected to comply with particular regulatory demands.
- Management of scientific data as well as information regarding not only samples but also the stock of lab resources such as reagents.
- Integration of apparatus used in the lab, to ensure seamless transmission of data through experimentation, interpretation, and reporting stages.
Even though information systems such as ELN and LIMS are frequently utilized independently, the functionalities of this software can be integrated into a hybrid system. This is particularly the case for information management systems such as Agilent SLIMS.
Agilent SLIMS combines the principal functionalities of LIMS and those of ELN, giving rise to a laboratory execution system that is predominantly used in pharmaceutical labs. In addition to this, Agilent SLIMS can be customized to fulfill the precise needs of your lab.
