10 Questions to Ask When Choosing Testing Laboratory Software

As the workload in a construction materials laboratory grows, tracking work through notebooks, Excel files and email stops being enough. At that point most laboratories start looking for a LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System). At first glance the available solutions look alike, and the differences only show when the right questions are asked. Below you will find ten questions you can put to a vendor when choosing laboratory software, along with the reason each one matters. Where relevant, we have also briefly noted how our own testing laboratory software answers them.

Sample intake and scheduling

• 1. How are sample intake and numbering handled? The sample tracking chain begins at intake. If numbers are assigned by hand, skipped and duplicated numbers are always a risk. Our Testing Laboratory Software has separate sample intake screens for concrete, steel and reinforcement, soil and aggregate, and other tests. Request, sample and report numbers are generated automatically.
• 2. Are test dates scheduled automatically? For concrete samples the test day depends on the age of the sample, and a missed day is hard to make up for. Ask whether the software schedules these dates itself and whether it gives the technician a ready list of the day's work. In our software, test dates are scheduled automatically and the daily work list comes ready.

Calculation and reporting

• 3. How are report templates and calculations managed? Most laboratories trust the calculation files they have used for years. Find out how raw data entry, calculation and report output are connected. In our Testing Laboratory Software, raw data is entered, the calculation is done with Excel templates and the report is produced as a PDF. The cover is prepared automatically and the accreditation mark appears on the report.
• 4. Are conformity assessment and periodic reports available? Customers often care less about individual results than about what those results mean together. A large part of the laboratory reporting workload comes from these summary documents. Our software performs conformity assessment for concrete strength and water impermeability class. It provides conformity reports, a monthly chart report and periodic summaries.

Approval, signature and verification

• 5. How do the approval flow and e-signature work? The checks a report goes through after it is prepared directly affect how reliable the document is. Find out whether the preparer and the approver are separate, and whether a faulty report can be sent back. In our Testing Laboratory Software, a report passes through review, approval and e-signature. The preparer and the approver are separate, and a report can be returned for review.
• 6. Can a report be verified from outside? Your report will reach people and organisations other than your customer. Confidence grows when the person holding the document can verify it without calling the laboratory. This matters most when the document is presented to third parties. In our software, reports can be verified with a QR code.

Customer access and permissions

• 7. Can customers reach their own reports? Phone calls and emails asking for reports take up the laboratory's time. A customer portal reduces that load, provided customers see only their own documents. In the customer portal of our Testing Laboratory Software, customers see and download only their own completed reports. They can also request a conformity report.
• 8. How are permissions and the audit trail kept? ISO/IEC 17025, the standard that defines the general requirements for the competence of laboratories, expects records to be traceable. You need to be able to see who is allowed to do what, and who changed a record and when. Our software has roles and permissions, the audit trail shows who created and changed a record and at what time, and deleted records are set to inactive. These features make record keeping and traceability easier.

Migration and support

• 9. Can your existing data be transferred to the new system? The customer records, sample lists and reports that build up over the years are the memory of the laboratory. Discussing at the outset how much of this can be moved, and in what form, prevents surprises later. The answer differs from one laboratory to another. Bringing samples of your existing data to the meeting will get you a clearer answer.
• 10. How is support provided after installation? Questions keep coming after the software goes live: a new test, a new report format, a new employee. Ask through which channel you will reach support, who will receive training and how a need for a new template will be met. Getting the answers in writing makes it easier to compare expectations later on.

How to weigh the answers

Hearing yes to every question is not enough by itself. If possible, watch the feature from start to finish using one of your own samples. Bring the people who will use the software every day into the meeting, namely the technician, the person who prepares reports and the approver. Their questions often reveal details that would not occur to a manager. Asking the same questions in every meeting also keeps the comparison fair.

Conclusion

The right software is the one that fits the way your laboratory works today and can carry a growing workload. You can use these questions as a checklist in your meetings and compare the answers side by side. Take your time and decide according to the priorities of your laboratory. To take a closer look at our answers, visit the Testing Laboratory Software page. If you would like to send us your questions directly or see the software with your own sample flow, request a demo.