Releasing Results in a Workbook Session

Overview

Depending on the number and levels of authorisation that might be required (which can depend on the test or the type of laboratory), once the test is complete, the operator might need to release their test results. This means that they have done all that they can do on the tests, and have delivered the results to the next person or system that is performing the checking. Some analytes in some tests do not need to undergo a release process as results can be passed on as soon as they are entered or captured or calculated. Some laboratories function on the premise that the person who performed the test should not authorise/validate it. Results can be released by the operator, even if there are QC errors, because it might be beyond that operator’s skills or authority to clear/ignore the failures.

To pass into validation, analytical results can be released either automatically or manually to undergo validation. Releasing results means that the operator has completed all tasks to obtain the result for the sample scheme analyte, and is releasing the results to the supervisor or section head for checking and validation.

Result release is generally performed by the operator in the CCWKOP—Open Workbook application following result entry, however it can be performed by the supervisor or section head in the CCVALN—Job and Sample Validation application prior to result validation (since a result cannot be validated unless it is released).

Process

Releasing of results in a workbook may occur when the workbook is opened in raw mode where raw results are entered or captured from instruments and the final results are calculated automatically, or when the workbook is opened in final mode where final results are entered or captured from instruments. Validation of results in workbook can only occur when the workbook is opened in final mode.

Once a result is entered and the system performs detection limit assessment, if the sample scheme analyte's Detection Limit Status is not set to Lower Failure or Upper Failure such that the Workflow Status is set to Analysed, (the detection limits were either within critical limits, or were outside critical limits thereby forcing a check, but were subsequently managed by ignoring the critical detection limit failure or activating an upper scheme for analysis), then the result can be released using this process.

Results can be released only where the sample scheme analyte's Workflow Status is Analysed.

Results can be released by the operator even if there are QC errors as it might be beyond that operator's skills or authority to clear or ignore the failures to then allow them to undergo validation.

Release results in workbook cells

Some analytes in some tests do not need to be released manually, and is acceptable to pass on as soon as a result is entered, captured or calculated. Other laboratories function on the premise that operators do not need to release results at all, that it should be an automatic step as soon as a result is received. To facilitate this, analytes are configured to be automatically released by having Auto Release selected.

Releasing a result allows whomever is to validate the result to search for the sample scheme analyte based on the release workflow status.

User Group Limitations on Releasing Results

To limit what tests an operator has access to in the CCWKOP—Open Workbook application or in the CCVALN—Job and Sample Validation application, a scheme can be linked to a section, and the section can be linked to an access user group, release user group and validate user group. Refer to Limiting User Visibility of Schemes and Functionality by Section.

A user can release a result manually where the scheme is not linked to a section, or where either:

  • The scheme is not linked to a section.
  • The scheme is linked to a section and the section is not linked to a user group for result release.
  • The scheme is linked to a section and the section is linked to a user group for result release and the user is a member of the user group.

Releasing Results in Laboratory Batch Jobs

The cascade engine is responsible for cascading workflow status up job trees, however, the cascade varies when a result is captured in context of a laboratory batch job.

Typically, samples are registered, and batched if required, then results are captured, released and possibly validated in the CCWKOP—Open Workbook application.

When a sample scheme analyte's result is captured in a laboratory batch job, that result is subject to the QC assessments of that laboratory batch job. Therefore the result is not considered to be 'good' until the entire laboratory batch job is validated.

Where a production sample scheme has some or all of its sample scheme analytes included in one or more laboratory batch jobs, until each related laboratory batch job is validated, the highest Workflow Status that the production sample scheme can attain is Released. Where each sample scheme analyte in a production sample scheme is validated, it is only when all of the related laboratory batch jobs are validated that the production sample scheme's Workflow Status is set to Completed by the cascade engine.

The configuration and performance of result release and validation tasks must be completed in a specific order to ensure all settings and processing of results occurs effectively. These processes are defined in this section, and consist of:

Configuring Result Release Options

Configuring result release:

  • Configure analytes (that is, a result for that analyte) to be released automatically or manually.
  • Configure a section for a scheme.
  • Configure an access user group for a section so users can open the scheme in workbook.
  • Configure a release results user group for a section so users can release results.

This configuration can be performed in the CCSCHM—Scheme and CCSECT—Section applications. Refer to Maintaining Schemes and Maintaining Sections.

QC History Observation Update

Any update to a QC sample scheme analyte's Workflow Status is persisted to the associated QC history observation.