# Lab Consumables & Instruments (LIMS)

In the day to day process of a laboratory, analysts use various solutions and instruments to analyze samples. Traceability of these items is necessary to ensure the results from testing are accurate and timely. Veeva LIMS tracks the use of these as *Consumables* and *Instruments*.


## **About Lab Consumables**

*Lab Consumables* are the trackable items used in performing an analysis method, which are grouped into three types: *Reagents*, *Standards,* and *Equipment*. Analysts or other users must record and track the use of any specific consumable during an analysis of a set of samples.

*Reagents* and *Standards* consumables are chemical reagents that when used in the process become part of the solutions tested. They are purchased from a vendor or prepared in-house. It is often important to note the concentration of these consumables.

*Equipment* consumables are items that when used in the process do not become part of the solutions tested, such as pipette tips. Concentration is not recorded for *Equipment* consumables.

In Veeva LIMS, the *Consumable Family* object represents item groupings indicated by a *Lab Consumable*, for example, *0.5 N Sulfuric Acid*. The *Consumable* object represents an individually tracked unit of that reagent with a *Lot Number*, for example, *0.5 N Sulfuric Acid-12345*. An individual *Lab Consumable* can be further broken down into *Lab Consumable Components* if the *Lab Consumable* is created from other *Lab Consumables*. For example, *Concentrated Sulfuric Acid-4321* with an *Amount* value of *27 mL*, and *Water-321* with an *Amount* value of *973 mL*.


## **About Instruments**

Instruments are machines that analyze solutions to qualify the presence or quantify the amount of a specific analyte within those solutions. Analysts or other users must record and track the use of any specific instrument during an analysis of a set of samples.

In Veeva LIMS, the *Asset Family* object of the *Instrument* object type represents a type of machine, while the *Asset* object of the *Instrument* object type represents the unique physical machine.


## **Working with Lab Consumables**

Before [adding consumables to Lab Tests][0], you must create *Lab Consumable Families* in your Vault to reflect your reagents, standards, and consumable equipment.


### Creating Lab Consumable Families

To create a *Lab Consumable Family*:



1. Navigate to a **Lab Consumable Families** custom tab.
2. Click **Create**.
3. Select a type from the drop-down: **Reagent**, **Standard**, or **Equipment**.
4. Enter a **Name**.
5. Click **Save**.

The *Lab Consumable Family* is now available for selection when creating individual *Lab Consumable* records.

### Creating Lab Consumables {#create-consumables}

To create a *Lab Consumable*:

1. Navigate to a **Consumables** custom tab.
2. Click **Create**.
3. Select a type from the drop-down: **Reagent**, **Standard**, or **Equipment**.
4. Enter a **Name**.
5. Select the appropriate **Consumable Family**.
6. Select a **Preparation Type**. If you select *Created*, ensure that you define any necessary *Lab Consumable Components* after saving your record.
7. Enter a **Lot Number**.
8. Fill in any additional field information required by your organization's processes, such as storage condition and location.
9. If your organization tracks the amount remaining for consumables, fill in the **Amount Units**, **Initial Amount**, and **Remaining Amount** fields.
10. Click **Save**.

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      <p><strong>Note</strong>: Additional steps may be required to make the consumable available, depending on system configuration (such as a state change).</p>
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The consumable is now available to add to a *Lab Test*, or for use as a *Lab Consumable Component*. The consumable will no longer be available for use when its state is changed to *Complete* or if it reaches an entered expiration date.

#### Defining Lab Consumable Components

To define the *Lab Consumable Components* of another *Lab Consumable*:

1. On a *Lab Consumable* object record of the *Created* preparation type, navigate to the *Lab Consumable Components* section and click **Create**.
2. Select a **Component**. The record you select is a *Lab Consumable* record.
3. Fill in any additional field information required for this type of consumable.
4. Click **Save**.

Repeat these steps for each component of the created consumable.

## **Tracking Use of Consumable Components**

To view a list of all the *Lab Consumables* that use a particular *Lab Consumable* as a component, you can navigate to the *Lab Consumables using this Component* section.

## **Working with Instruments**

Before [adding instruments to Lab Tests][1], you must create *Instrument (Asset) Families* in your Vault to reflect your instrumentation types.

### Creating Instrument Families

To create an *Asset Family* of the *Instrument* type:

1. Navigate to an **Asset Families** custom tab.
2. Click **Create**.
3. Select the **Instrument type** from the drop-down.
4. Enter a **Name**.
5. Click **Save**.

The *Instrument Family* is now available for selection when creating individual *Instrument* records.

### Creating Instruments {#create-instruments}

To create an *Asset* of the *Instrument* type:

1. Navigate to an **Assets** custom tab.
2. Click **Create**.
3. Select the **Instrument type** from the drop-down.
4. Enter a **Name**.
5. Select the appropriate **Asset Family**.
6. Fill in any additional field information required by your organization's processes.
7. Click **Save**.

<div class="note-border alert-info">
  <div class="alert alert-info" role="alert">
    <div><i class="far fa-info-circle"></i></div>
    <div class="alert-text">
      <p><strong>Note</strong>: Additional steps may be required to make the <em>Instrument</em> available, depending on system configuration (such as a state change).</p>
    </div>
  </div>
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The *Instrument* is now available to add to a *Lab Test*. It will no longer be available for selection if its state changes to *Out of Service* or it reaches its *Next Due* date for maintenance.

## **Related Permissions**

To manage consumables and instruments, a user must have a security profile or role which grants them *View*, *Create*, and *Edit* permissions for the following objects (and applicable object types):

* *Lab Consumable*
* *Lab Consumable Component*
* *Lab Consumable Family*
* *Asset*
* *Asset Family*

[0]: #create-consumables
[1]: #create-instruments