Adding a Group of Samples to a Job

Overview

Once a job is created, the samples and tests are specified.

Often when samples come into the laboratory, they are in groups of an identifiable type. Typically each sample in a group has the same naming structure and test requirements.

Therefore to register one or more samples for a job, the Create Sample process allows for the client sample name to be an individual client sample name or a syntax that represents multiple samples, such that, where the job is not a template job, upon submit, the sample group is expanded out to form the individual samples.

The sample group can have biofields, tests, the product and specifications, and portions assigned to it, which are then applied to all samples expanded from the sample group.

Front office staff use the details on a request sheet submitted by a client to enter the sample details and their analytical requirements.

Sample Scope

Samples are scoped by their parent job: If a sample is linked to a production, template, proposal, internal or laboratory batch job, then the sample is considered to be a production, template, proposal or laboratory batch sample, respectively. Template samples also have a flag to indicate that they are template samples and belong to a template job, to assist with searching for single samples.

Template samples, like template jobs, are created either with org-scope or lab-scope. An organisation or laboratory can contain multiple template samples. If a template sample is in an org-scope template job, then the template sample also has org-scope. If a template sample is in a lab-scope template job, then the template sample also has lab-scope.

Samples in jobs of other job type are created with lab-scope. A laboratory can contain multiple jobs of these types.

Process

All samples are created within the context of a job.

Except for laboratory batch samples which are created by the CCBTCH—Job Batch application, the CCREGN—Job application can create all types of samples for a job, including ad-hoc samples and samples copied from a template or registered sample. However, all types of samples, including laboratory batch samples, can be maintained by the CCREGN—Job application, and although a single sample can be updated from a job, samples can also be maintained using the CCSAMP—Sample application.

Adding a Group of Samples to a Job

When a job is updated, samples are added to a job by the registration of a sample group.

Sample group registration presents an interim sample to the user. Where the job is not a template job, once the identification syntaxes and sample properties are defined, upon submit, the sample group is expanded into individual samples and are given a unique identify based upon the identification syntaxes and are given the same properties as the interim sample. Then the interim sample is deleted.

Note: Interim samples that hang around in the system, caused by termination of the sample group creation by the user or connection interruption, are removed by the CCCLEANER system batch job. Refer to Maintaining Schedules and Batch Job Executions.

Any sample expanded from a sample group inherits its attributes from the interim sample, except for each sample's Code and Sample Name.

Upon adding a group of samples to a job:

The event is audited. Refer to Reviewing Job Audits in the CCLAS 6 Database and Reviewing Job Audits in the Universal Audit.

Add a group of samples to a job

When a sample is created in a job, the sample is assigned certain attributes.

Rack Assignment

Each sample is assigned to a rack for analysis by each job scheme. For registered jobs, the default rack size of a job scheme is determined by the scheme version's Default Rack Size, and if that is not defined, then 50.

For each job scheme, a newly added sample can either be assigned to the last unfilled rack until that rack is full and then to a new rack, or assigned entirely to a new rack, to set the sample scheme's Rack Number. If the job has a Workflow Status of Started, then the only option is to start a new rack.

Sample Identification

Samples have three primary identifiers: Code, Sample Name and Client Sample Name.

A Sample Code is generated by the syntax that is in scope and has a Syntax Type of Other and a Syntax Code of SAMPLE_CODE_SYNTAX. If this syntax is not found, an error is returned. The syntax must produce a Sample Code that is unique within the organisation and contain valid characters.

If the CODEVALIDATION_SAMPLECODE application preference is defined and contains a list of visible ASCII characters, then the Sample Code must only contain characters from this list. If this preference is not defined, then the Sample Code must only contain characters from ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_0123456789. The Scope for this preference is usually set at laboratory level.

Each sample Code must be unique within the organisation for org-scope samples, and unique within the laboratory for lab-scope samples.

The Sample Name is generated by the syntax that is in scope and has a Syntax Type of Sample and a Syntax Code of SAMPLE_NAME_SYNTAX. If this syntax is not found, an error is returned. The syntax must produce a Sample Name that is unique within the job and contain valid characters.

If the CODEVALIDATION_SAMPLENAME application preference is defined and contains a list of visible ASCII characters, then the Sample Name must only contain characters from this list. If this preference is not defined, then the Sample Name must only contain characters from ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ_0123456789.

A common configuration is for the sample name to be generated by a concatenation of the Job Name + "." + a running sequence of numbers (001 onwards).

Using syntaxes to generate sample codes and names allows for automatic incrementing codification. Refer to Maintaining Sample Syntaxes.

Each Sample Name within a job should be unique, but this is not mandatory. The sample's Sample Name is generated using the destination job's sample count.

Client Sample Names do not have to be unique. The sample's Client Sample Name defaults to the setting in the DEFAULT_CLIENT_SAMPLE_NAME application preference.

The client sample names are entered using a dynamic syntax or by using the Ident Wizard.The Client Sample Name/Syntax must be entered as:

<ClientSampleName>

A single client sample name can be entered on the CCSAMP—Update Sample screen, and multiple client sample names can be entered by using the Sample Ident Wizard.
{syntax(SyntaxCode)}NumberOfSamplesToGenerate

The syntax must have a Syntax Type of Sample for it to work.
<Ad-hoc syntax>

A single ad-hoc client sample name syntax can be entered on the CCSAMP—Update Sample screen, and multiple ad-hoc client sample name syntaxes can be entered by using the Sample Ident Wizard.

Example of multiple client sample names:
```
{SAMPLE ##,1,1}4
```
```
{SAMPLE ##-!,1,1,[AAA,BB,CCC]}12
```
```
{SAM-##-&&,1,1,10,10,30,F}12
```
```
S-000- 3
```
```
S-003- 6
```
```
S-006- 9
```
```
S-009- 12
```
```
S-012- 15
```
```
{SMP-##-###,3,1}3
```
```
{SMP-##-&-&&&,1,1,2,2,4,F}10
```
Example of how client sample names are expanded where the job is not a template job: If the Client Sample Name/Syntax is set to {SAMP##,1,1}5, then five client sample names are expanded from the sample group: SAMP01, SAMP02, SAMP03, SAMP04 and SAMP05.

Note: This is guaranteed to a maximum length of 200 client sample names in a text file where each client sample name is 20 characters, that is, where the total length of all the client sample names is 4000 characters.

The Description provides additional details as to the sample origin, and must be entered as:

<Description>

A single client description can be entered on the CCSAMP—Update Sample screen, and multiple client descriptions can be entered by using the Sample Ident Wizard.
{syntax(SyntaxCode)}NumberOfSamplesToGenerate

The syntax must have a Syntax Type of Sample for it to work.
<Ad-hoc syntax>

A single ad-hoc client description syntax can be entered on the CCSAMP—Update Sample screen, and multiple ad-hoc client description syntaxes can be entered by using the Sample Ident Wizard.

Example of multiple descriptions:
```
{SAMPLE ##,1,1}4
```
```
{SAMPLE ##-!,1,1,[AAA,BB,CCC]}12
```
```
{SAM-##-&&,1,1,10,10,30,F}12
```
```
S-000- 3
```
```
S-003- 6
```
```
S-006- 9
```
```
S-009- 12
```
```
S-012- 15
```
```
{SMP-##-###,3,1}3
```
```
{SMP-##-&-&&&,1,1,2,2,4,F}10
```
Example of how descriptions are expanded where the job is not a template job: If the Description is set to {DESC##,1,1}5, then five descriptions are expanded from the sample group: DESC01, DESC02, DESC03, DESC04, DESC05.

Note: This is guaranteed to a maximum length of 200 sample descriptions in a text file where each sample description is 20 characters, that is, where the total length of all the sample descriptions is 4000 characters.

If fewer descriptions are entered compared to client sample names, then some samples in the end of the sample group will have no description. If more descriptions are entered compared to client sample names, then those not required are ignored.

QC Assessment Details

Whilst job registration primarily deals with adding unknown samples to a job in which the sample's Primary Analytical Type is Unknown, there are times that unknown samples need to be associated with QC assessment, and times where QC samples from the client need to be registered.

Agreed Client QC Samples

When a client sends a job for analysis, the samples requiring analysis are assigned a Primary Analytical Type of Unknown, however, sometimes, there is an agreement with the laboratory for the client to include QC samples along with the unknown samples.

In this case, change the interim sample's Primary Analytical Type from Unknown to the particular QC type. Upon submit, when the interim sample is expanded to actual samples, all expanded samples are given that Primary Analytical Type.

QC samples created in this way are assigned a QC Source of 1.
Hidden Client QC Samples

When a client sends an unknown sample for analysis, the laboratory staff may detect that the sample is, in fact, an easily identified QC sample. So although the Primary Analytical Type is set to Unknown, the Secondary Analytical Type can be set to Duplicate, Replicate, Blank, Standard or Spike, so that the sample can undergo both unknown and standard assessment, but still be reported as an unknown sample.

In this case, for an interim sample with a Primary Analytical Type of Unknown, then change the sample's Secondary Analytical Type to Blank, Standard or Spike, as required.

Unknown samples are assigned a QC Source of 1, therefore, unknown samples that also act as QC samples are assigned a QC Source of 1.

If a sample's Primary Analytical Type is set to Duplicate or Replicate, at some point, the Dup Original Sample Code needs to be selected. However, this action cannot be done on the interim sample, primarily because this is a bulk sample group registration, and individual duplicate or replicate QC samples would link to their own original sample. This is typically done during sample preparation or analytical preparation using the CCQCSM—Sample Modification application by Maintaining Batch Samples.

If a sample's Primary Analytical Type is set to Spike, at some point, the Spike Original Sample Code needs to be selected. However, this action cannot be done on the interim sample, primarily because this is a bulk sample group registration, and individual spike QC samples would link to their own original sample. This is typically done during sample preparation or analytical preparation using the CCQCSM—Sample Modification application by Maintaining Batch Samples.

The QC Source specifies the point in the laboratory process at which the sample is created:

0—Registration from the client.
1—Post-registration and to the original job, for example, QC samples added to a production job via an Append or Overwrite QC process or QC sample maintenance of the production job,
2—Pre-analysis in the laboratory batch job, for example, scheme QC added during laboratory batch creation or QC samples maintenance of the laboratory batch job.

This field is not shown by default during sample creation but can be added to the screen, if required, using personalisation.

Refer to Conditions for Defaulting the QC Source for a Sample.

The Primary Analytical Type denotes the type of QC assessment the sample primarily undergoes, as requested by the client: Unknown, Duplicate, Replicate, Blank, Standard or Spike.

The Primary QC Type is a sub-classification of the Primary Analytical Type and allows for custom QC assessment after the core QC assessment. The Primary QC Type is selected from active QC types in scope, as configured in the CCQCTP—QC Type application. If a sample's Primary Analytical Type is Unknown, then the Primary QC Type is not required.

Typically samples that come from a client are unknown samples, however, sometimes the registration documentation may indicate that the sample is a duplicate QC sample. Also, replicate, blank, standard and spike QC samples typically do not come from the client so are generally created during sample preparation or analytical preparation and not during registration.

The Secondary Analytical Type denotes the type of QC assessment the sample undergoes after the primary assessment: N/A (not applicable), Duplicate, Replicate, Blank, Standard or Spike, and is set by the laboratory technician.

The Secondary QC Type is a sub-classification of the Secondary Analytical Type and allows for custom QC assessment after the core QC assessment. The Secondary QC Type is selected from active QC types in scope, as configured in the CCQCTP—QC Type application. If a sample's Secondary Analytical Type is N/A, then the Secondary QC Type is not required.

A sample with a Primary Analytical Type of Blank, Standard or Spike and a Secondary Analytical Type of Duplicate indicates the second of a pair of blank duplicate, standard duplicate or spike duplicate QC samples, respectively, such that, after standard assessment, the sample undergoes duplicate assessment.
A sample with a Primary Analytical Type of Blank, Standard or Spike and a Secondary Analytical Type of Replicate indicates the second of a pair of blank replicate, standard replicate or spike replicate QC samples, respectively, such that, after standard assessment, the sample undergoes replicate assessment.

An experienced sample preparation technician may notice that a sample presented from the client as an unknown sample is actually a blank or standard QC sample, for example. Setting a secondary analytical type allows the sample to undergo additional QC assessment.

Duplicate or Replicate Requirements

Where the Primary Analytical Type or Secondary Analytical Type is Duplicate or Replicate, then the Dup Original Sample Code, Dup Original Sample Name and Dup Original Client Sample Name are the sample code, sample name and client sample name of the duplicate or replicate original sample, the sample used to create the duplicate or replicate QC sample. However, primarily because this is a bulk sample group registration, and individual duplicate or replicate QC samples would link to their own original sample. This is typically done during sample preparation or analytical preparation using the CCQCSM—Sample Modification application.

Blank, Standard and Spike Requirements

Where the Primary Analytical Type or Secondary Analytical Type is Duplicate or Replicate, then the Standard Code and Standard Lot Code define which blank or standard material comprises the sample, and the current lot of the standard, respectively. The Standard Code is selected from active standards in scope, as configured in the CCSTND—Standard application. The Standard Lot Code is selected from active lots for the standard that have a Stock Level greater than zero and an Expiry that is after the current system date-time, as configured in the CCSTND—Standard application. Defaults to the standard's Current Standard Lot Code. Defaults to the standard's Current Standard Lot Code. Refer to Conditions for Allowing Standards as Spikes.
When the sample undergoes accuracy assessment, the results are assessed against the specification defined by the standard lot's Specification Code.

Note: QC samples can be added to a job in two other ways:

By Creating QC Samples using a QC Mask on a registered or batch job.
By adding QC samples to a job scheme in a registered or batch job. Refer to Maintaining Batch Samples.

Appendix—The Different Types of QC Samples

The Different Types of Analytical Limits used in CCLAS

Sample Origin

The Sample Type Code classifies a sample, for example, ship hold sample, truck oil sample, shirt, or dog blood, and Sample Point Code classifies the type of sample taken from the field or production process, for example, powder, slurry. Sampling and delivery details can be entered for informational purposes. Samples within a scheduled job can be tied to a sample type and sample point.

The Sampling Started On and Sampled On is the date-time at which the collection of the sample in the field started and ended. Often, just Sampled On is recorded. Sampled By is the name of the person who or machine that performed the sampling.

For any sample scheme included in a laboratory batch job, if the registered sample scheme's Holding Time is set and the sample scheme does not have a precursor sample scheme, when the Sampled On or Received On date-time is updated on the registered sample, then the laboratory batch sample scheme's Expiry Date is calculated by the holding time engine.

Example: A production job contains S2Ana5 and S2Ana6, and S2Ana5 is the precursor sample scheme of S2Ana6. If S2Ana5 and S2Ana6 are included in the same laboratory batch job, then in the laboratory batch job, LB_S2_Ana5 is the precursor sample scheme of LB_S2_Ana6. In this case, an update to S2's Sampled Date would recalculate S2Ana5's Holding Time and LB_S2Ana5's Holding Time.

When a duplicate, replicate or spike sample is created during an append/overwrite QC process, or a sample is created by a sample copy or by creating a composite sample, or a laboratory batch sample is created during a batching process, then the related sample inherits the sampling details from the source sample.

Refer to Conditions for Calculating Expiry and Warning Dates and Using Sample Expiry.

Numbers of Containers Supplied for each Sample

Where the sample is associated with a production, internal or lab-scope template job, and the Portion tab is displayed for Maintaining Sample Portions during Registration, if the number of portions created for the sample is less than the sample's required Number of Containers on the Primary Details tab, then the missing portions are created for the sample, using the current logic to set portion field defaults.

Priority and Dates

A sample's Priority is used when selecting and sorting samples for laboratory batching. A sample's Priority defaults to that set in the DEFAULT_PRIORITY application preference.

A sample's Received Date, Required Date, Possible Date and Agreed Date are inherited from the job.

If a sample's Priority or Received On date-time is updated by the user, then the sample's Required On, Possible On and Agreed On date-times immediately recalculates as:

Received On + Priority + any non-working days due to holidays.

Refer to Conditions for Calculating Job and Sample Required On Date.

If a sample's Priority or Received On date-time is cleared, then the sample's Required On, Possible On and Agreed On date-times are cleared automatically.

If the sample's Required On, Possible On or Agreed On date-time is updated by the user, then there is no effect on the sample's other dates, however, the following validations apply:

ReceivedDateTime < Required DateTime
ReceivedDateTime < PossibleDateTime
ReceivedDateTime < AgreedDateTime.
Note: Priority and dates in the job are not impacted by sample dates, even when sample dates are updated.

Refer to Conditions for Recalculating Job and Sample Required, Possible and Agreed Dates.

Considering a Sample in Context of Job Scheme QC Placements

When Creating QC Samples using QC Masks, then the related sample schemes' QC masks are applied to add QC samples to the job scheme where the sample scheme's Include in Job QC is selected.

When the registration of a sample in a job causes a job scheme to be created, then a job scheme's Include in Job QC defaults to the inverse of the scheme version's Batch Across Jobs, and a sample scheme's Include in Job QC always defaults to selected.

An append QC process can only be applied where the job's Workflow Status is Registered or Not Started, otherwise an overwrite QC process can only be applied. In an overwrite QC process, existing QC samples are deleted, and the sample schemes' Include in Job QC are all re-selected, then the same process as update QC runs.

For each job scheme included in the process, then:

The related sample schemes' QC masks are applied to add QC samples to the job scheme where the sample scheme's Include in Job QC is selected.
Once a sample scheme has been included in a update QC process, then the sample scheme's Include in Job QC is cleared by the system.

Auto-validate Sample

Where all sample schemes in a sample have their validated date stamped and the sample's Auto-validated is selected, during a cascade up the job tree by the cascade engine, then the sample's Workflow Status is Completed since all of its sample schemes have a Workflow Status of Completed, and the sample is validated automatically.

Where all sample schemes in a sample have their validated date stamped and the sample's Auto-validated is cleared, during a cascade up the job tree by the cascade engine, then the sample's Workflow Status is Completed since all of its sample schemes have a Workflow Status of Completed, and the sample remains unvalidated, such that, it requires manual validation.

When sample is validated, then the sample's Workflow Status remains at Completed, its Validated Date is stamped and Finalised By is set to the current user.

Sample inclusion in Paperwork or Labels

If a sample has Generate Paperwork selected, when a paperwork report request is created, then the report request sample's Reportable is selected, allowing the sample to appear in the job paperwork.

If a duplicate, replicate, blank, standard or spike QC sample has Generate Labels selected, when a labels report request is created, then the report request sample's Reportable is selected, allowing the sample to appear in the job labels. Unknown samples are always included in a labels report request.

Sample inclusion in Certificate Reports

If a duplicate, replicate, blank, standard or spike QC sample has Reportable selected, when a certificate report is created, then the report request sample's Reportable is selected, allowing the sample to appear in the certificate report. Unknown samples are always included in certificate report requests.

Sample inclusion in Invoices

An invoice contains fees payable by a client for work performed by the laboratory, raised from one or more job invoices, where one of the job invoices is marked as the invoice's primary job invoice.

An interactive mechanism is available to present system-determined line items for last-minute price adjustments, including the addition of any surcharges or discounts.

An invoice has a status and a life-cycle. and requires approval before it is transmitted to the client.

If a sample has Invoiceable selected, when invoices are drafted, then the sample is included as invoiceable in the invoice.

Sample inclusion in Job Costs

A job cost is the actual cost of analysis to the laboratory for the job. The pricing framework for internal costs is maintained in exactly the same manner as with client invoicing. A costing price catalogue group is created and associated with the laboratory and related price books contain price schedules for the costs. The price codes used for costing are the same as those assigned for client invoicing.

If a sample has Include in Costs selected, when job costs are generated, then the sample is included in costing calculations.

Sample Notes

Registration, analysis and report notes can be added to the sample for informational or reporting purposes.

In the case where an interim sample representing a sample group is expanded into individual samples, then each sample links to a separate note entity in EFS.

Canned comments are available to quickly entered pre-canned text. When canned comments are accessed for a given note field, the canned comments are filtered by Canned Comment Type and Canned Comment Subtype.

The Canned Comment Type of GLOBAL, JOB, SAMPLE or SCHEME, and the Canned Comment Subtype of GLOBAL, REGISTRATION, RECEIPT, ANALYSIS, RELEASE, VALIDATION, REPORT or INVOICE.

or:

The list of category codes entered in the Category Code. The category codes are initially populated from the categories whose code appears in the related preference, where the preference changes according to the particular notes field being updated:

Sample Biofields

A sample biofield is a field added to a sample that is used to store additional information just for that sample. Each sample can have a different set of biofields from other samples in the system. Sample biofields can be used in search criteria and placed on reports. A biofield has a value and a flag to indicate its reportability.

A biofield is automatically added to a sample if the biofield is in scope, has a Use Scope of Sample, is active, and at least one of the following is true:

Flagged for automatic registration.
Included in a biofield group linked from a client group in which the job's client is a member, or included in a biofield group linked from the job's cost centre. Refer to Conditions for Defaulting Biofields from Client Group and Conditions for Defaulting Biofields from Cost Centre, respectively.

Biofield scope must also be satisfied:

Where the biofield has org-scope, then it must link to no line of business, or link to a line of business within the laboratory's lines of business.
Where an org-scope biofield is linked, optionally, to a line of business that is associated with the current laboratory, then the org-scope biofield is viewable by users within that laboratory. Otherwise, the biofield is hidden for use. This allows for a limited list of visible org-scope biofields for a laboratory, based on the analytical tests a laboratory is able to perform. Until a laboratory is linked to one or more lines of business, all org-scope biofields associated with a line of business are hidden to the laboratory's users. Refer to Limiting User Visibility of Biofields by Line of Business.

A biofield with a Biofield Type of List must have biofield values with matching descriptions to provide the user with a populated drop-down selection list of values.

Where the job is not a template job, when an interim sample is expanded, then any biofield on the interim sample is added to each registered sample, such that, each sample links to a separate biofield value.

When a sample is created from an existing sample, then job biofields are inherited from the source sample into the destination sample.

Refer to Maintaining Sample Biofields.

Tests

Where the job is not a template job and tests are added to the interim sample, when the sample group is expanded, then the tests are added to all expanded samples, and the job scheme and job scheme analyte composite records are created or updated, to keep in sync with the related sample schemes and sample scheme analytes.

Refer to Maintaining Sample Tests.

Where the registration of samples adds a scheme and/or analyte to the job, then job scheme and/or job scheme analyte records are created.

Create a sample in a job, or create a sample from a template sample or other existing sample.
Add tests (schemes and analytes that pertain the testing methods) to the sample, which in turn adds the composite tests to the job. This stage may extend over a period of time as the samples come in to the laboratory, or the client wants additional tests. Template samples are used to register routine combinations of schemes and analytes.
When samples are ready for analysis, the operator or supervisor can activate the job in which the Workflow Status of the job and samples move from Registered to Not Started. As additional samples are registered, the samples are activated automatically if the job is activated already.

Product and Specifications

A product is a substance that has a suite of grades, where each grade relates to a specific product specification. A product may be produced by a plant, or be any other substance with known specifications (for example, an environmental air sample).

A sample can be assessed against specifications associated with the product or against any other specification to set a sample scheme analyte specification's Specification Status which is an indication of the quality of the sample against expected limits.

The sample's primary product is used to set a sample scheme analyte's Specification Status which rolls into the sample scheme analyte's Composite QC Status.

Refer to Maintaining Sample Product and Specifications.

Portions

Where the sample is an unknown sample associated with a production, internal or lab-scope template job (lab-scope template jobs have been added to this list):

If the JOB_LEVEL_TRACKING application preference is false, the SAM_TRACK_REG_AT_SAMPLE_REG application preference is true and either a) the SAM_TRACK_REG_WHEN_JOB_COMPLETE application preference is false, or b) the SAM_TRACK_REG_WHEN_JOB_COMPLETE preference is true and the job’s Workflow Status is Completed, then the Portions tab is shown by default so that it can be accessed for Maintaining Sample Portions during Registration, and rows can be added, removed or updated in the grid and persisted upon submit. Also, if the number of portions persisted upon submit is less than the sample's required Number of Containers on the Primary Details tab, then the missing portions are created as as-received portions for the sample, using the current logic to set portion field defaults.
Otherwise the Portions tab is hidden by default.

Note: A sample portion must be associated with a location and locations can only have lab-scope, which is why they cannot be created for samples in org-scope template jobs.

When a sample portion is created:

Sample portion's Code is generated as a running sequence of three digits for the portion within the sample, '0' padded (that is, 001).
Sample portions received from a client, or sometimes created in the laboratory's sample preparation area, have a Portion Type of As Registered (enumeration 0).
The event is audited. Refer to Reviewing Operational Data Audits.

Refer to: