Registering Jobs using Electronic Request Sheets

Overview

It is reasonably common for laboratories in the mining, processing and other industry to provide a service for registering sample into their laboratory information management system (LIMS) using files created and delivered by their customers. To do this, CCLAS 6integrates with external ordering or work request systems to receive client testing requests, known as electronic request sheets (ERS) Which is a request for job and sample registration for analytical tests. These files typically contain all essential data required to allow an automated registration to process to occur.

Once custom processes are in place to integrate with an ERS system, users can create new jobs using the details from the ERSs received. These jobs are primarily production jobs. Refer to the CCLAS Customisation Guide.

Process

Maintaining Electronic Request Sheets

Maintain electronic request sheets

ERSs are created at instance-level.

Electronic request sheets are maintained using the CCERSH—Electronic Request Sheet application.

Electronic request sheets returned from a search can be exported to a report. Refer to Generating Grid Reports. Available report templates are defined in the SEARCH_REPORT_CCERSH application preference.

When an ERS is created, its Status defaults to Active, allowing it to be included in the ERS Code drop-down-selection lists in the CCREGN—Job application when registering a new job using the Registration Mode of New Job by ERS.

Entries into the ERS table can be manually created, however, since the tool used to locate and process a payload is entirely script driven, more often than not, entries into the ERS table are created automatically, also using script.

The CCERSH—Electronic Request Sheets details screen is typically customised for the organisation or laboratory using the personalisation feature of CCLAS 6.

ERS File Content

ERS Header

An ERS has one header record,

  • ID

  • Code

  • Name

  • Description

  • Order Number

ERS Detail

An ERS can have multiple ERS item records.

  • Code

  • Name

  • Description

  • Client Code

  • Project Code

  • Contact Code

  • XML Payload

  • Laboratory ID

  • Job ID

  • Registered Date

  • Registered By User ID

ERS XML Payload

There is no industry standard format for an ERS, but there are some moves to attempt to describe a standard ERS (in specific XML format) that might be used in the future.

  • Example ERS XML Structure

Creating and Maintaining Jobs created using Electronic Request Sheets

The CCREGN—Job application is used to create a new job from an electronic request sheet payload.

A new job is created with the Registration Mode set to New Job by ERS. The ERS Code is then enabled to allow selection of the ERS, and the Client Code, Contact Code and Project Code are disabled as these details are taken from the ERS item.

To be available for registration, an ERS must have a Status of Active, and a related ERS item must exist that has a Laboratory Code matching the laboratory the user is currently logged into where the Job Code is empty.

A single ERS can contain multiple ERS items, each to create a target job. These are typically loaded in one pass.

Upon creating a job from an ERS:

  • A custom script processes the payload which is supplied as an XML file.

  • The job's Job Code is generated.

  • The job's Job Name is generated, if required.

  • The system validates the Job Code and Job Name (regardless of whether it was entered by the user or generated from syntax), using the CODEVALIDATION_JOBCODE and CODEVALIDATION_JOBNAME application preferences.

  • The content of the ERS file is used to build the target registered job, including the job header containing the client, project, contact, priority, etc. (but not anything date or workflow related), biofields, paperwork and label details, reporting details, invoicing details.

    The job creation can include job stakeholders, job invoices, job paperwork, job biofields, job notes, samples, sample biofields, sample specifications, sample notes and tests.

  • Where samples are included in the ERS, for each template sample representing a sample group, the sample group is expanded out to create registered samples in the target registered job, and the entire structure in the ERS sample is used to build the target registered samples, including biofields, sample duplication details, sample grade specification groups, sample specifications, sample portions and portion hazards, and the sample’s tests.

Create a production job from an electronic request sheet

Each ERS received is assigned a status of Active until it is assigned to a job, after which the ERS is allocated the job number and laboratory code, and assigned a status of Inactive. This status allocation prevents re-use of an ERS once a job code is allocated from the job created.

Job Entities updated from an ERS

Destination Entity Attribute Source in ERS Attribute Comment Multi-lingual Data Type
Job RegistrationText Client JobText CLOB Notes Y
    ClientProject JobText CLOB Notes overwrite if present on ClientProject Y
  Priority Client Priority If defined at Client, else LabPreference, else 5D N
    ClientProject Priority If defined at Project, else from Client, else LabPreference, else 5D N
JobScheme ReportDescription Scheme ReportDescription Text, from S or if defined on SV then use SV Y
  ReportName Scheme ReportName Text, from S or if defined on SV then use SV Y
  ReportFooterText SchemeVersion FooterText CLOB Notes Y
  ReportHeaderText SchemeVersion HeaderText CLOB Notes Y
JobSchemeAnalyte ReportDescription JobSchemeAnalyte ReportDescription Text Y
  ReportName JobSchemeAnalyte ReportName Text Y
Sample Priority Job Priority Text N
  Contract Job Contract Text Y
  ContractSubmissionNumber Job ContractSubmissionNumber Text Y
  ClientSubmissionNumber Job ClientSubmissionNumber Text Y
  RegistrationText Job RegistrationText CLOB Notes Y
SampleScheme ReportFooterText SchemeVersion FooterText CLOB Notes Y
  ReportHeaderText SchemeVersion HeaderText CLOB Notes Y
  Priority SchemeVersion Priority Text N
  HoldingTime SchemeVersion HoldingTime Text N
SampleScheme HoldingTime SchemeVersion HoldingTime Text N

Payload Examples