Calibration Laboratory Workflow: From Quotation to Certificate

A calibration job begins when the customer asks for a quotation and is complete when the certificate reaches the customer. Each step in between passes through different hands, and problems mostly arise at these handover points. A LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) designed for calibration laboratories connects these steps on a shared record. In this article we follow the calibration process from start to finish and summarize the typical problem at each step, along with what calibration software can contribute.

Quotation and device intake

The process starts with the quotation. When the quotation is prepared in a separate file, the scope of the accepted job is passed on to the laboratory verbally or by email, and information can get lost along the way. At device intake, an incomplete serial number or a mixed-up label affects every step that follows. In KALDATA, quotation and device intake are handled within the same software, which reduces the need to retype information between steps.

When intake takes place in the field, the technician can scan a QR code or barcode in the mobile app, attach photos to the device and print a label on a Bluetooth printer. Having the condition of the device recorded with a photo at intake strengthens the laboratory's position in any dispute that may arise later.

Task planning and on-site calibration

It has to be decided who will calibrate the accepted devices and when. When jobs are tracked on a whiteboard or in messaging groups, it quickly becomes unclear which job is waiting with whom, and delivery dates can slip. Task planning and tracking in the software makes the workload visible.

For work carried out at the customer's premises, the technician can complete on-site calibration tasks in the mobile app, view the calendar and collect a digital signature from the customer. Because the mobile app uses the same server rules as the web software, the result is the same in the office and in the field. Photos and videos taken on site and customer notes can also be added to the record, so the work done rests on the record rather than on the technician's memory.

Calibration, data entry and certificate preparation

When measured values are first written on paper and then typed into a computer, errors can creep in during the transfer. Doing the calculations in a different file each time also makes consistency harder. KALDATA offers different methods for certificate templates, such as an online spreadsheet, the laboratory's own Excel design and form-based raw data entry. When working with the spreadsheet, the technician fills in only the measurement cells, the results are calculated instantly and carried over to the certificate output. A reference device whose calibration has expired is not added to the certificate, and the user is warned.

Each certificate keeps its own record, so earlier certificates are not affected even if the template is changed later. This matters when the laboratory needs to show which data a past certificate was prepared with.

Review, approval and e-signature

A prepared certificate is reviewed and approved before it goes to the customer. The typical problem at this stage is a certificate sitting on someone's desk or in an inbox without anyone noticing. In KALDATA the certificate workflow is staged: pending, in preparation, in review, in approval, e-signature, email and completed. Each stage appears in its own tab with a counter, so it is clear at a glance where work is piling up. Revised and cancelled certificates are followed within the same flow.

Keeping preparation, review and approval as separate steps increases the chance of catching an error before it reaches the customer. Authorized staff can also search for certificates and approve them in the mobile app, so their being out of the office does not hold the work up.

TBDS operations and delivery to the customer

TBDS is the Document Verification System of TÜRKAK, the Turkish Accreditation Agency, and it allows documents issued by accredited bodies to be verified through this system. KALDATA is integrated with TBDS. Obtaining a number, activation, and revision and cancellation notifications are carried out from within the software. Controls such as asking for confirmation before an operation and not sending requests for unsuitable records help prevent user error. Reminder emails are also sent for TBDS records whose deadline is approaching.

Once a certificate has passed the e-signature stage, it is delivered to the customer by email. The online certificate reaches the customer without waiting for a printed document to arrive by hand or by courier. Because sending is a stage of the workflow, the problem of certificates that are ready but never sent is reduced as well.

Follow-up for the next calibration

Delivering the certificate may look like the end of the job, but the customer's device has to be calibrated again after a certain period. When these dates are not tracked, the customer may miss the due date and the laboratory may lose a recurring job. Customer calibration tracking in KALDATA makes it possible to see the devices whose calibration is coming up. The laboratory can remind its customer in good time and better anticipate the workload of the period ahead. The process stops being a one-off job and gains continuity.

Conclusion

The calibration laboratory workflow is a chain of connected steps, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Running the steps in the same software reduces the loss of information as it passes from hand to hand, and makes record keeping and traceability easier. You can explore the modules that span from quotation to certificate on the KALDATA Calibration Laboratory Management Software page, and the capabilities offered for field work on the KalData Saha mobile app page. If you would like to see the process with examples from your own laboratory, request a demo.