Using Linked Schemes to Share Weights and Volumes

A linked scheme is where the analysis is performed on the same racks of samples.

When considering the flow of work through the laboratory, various processes are affected by linked scheme relationships. One of these processes is where multiple sample schemes share the same sample portion. When a sample weight or volume is entered for one of these sample schemes in workbook, then the weight or volume, respectively, is pushed to the target sample scheme.

This type of linking is driven by sample scheme linked scheme relationships.

Linked sample schemes control whether weights and volumes are transferred from one sample scheme to a linked sample scheme after Opening a Workbook Session in Weight/Volume mode and entering a weight or volume, since linking denotes that the same aliquot is used for both schemes:

  • Only the first linked job scheme is allowed to be opened in Weight/Volume mode.

  • Sample scheme links default to the linked scheme relationships contained within the master scheme, when both schemes are registered on the sample.

  • When an org-scope scheme is registered on a lab-scope sample, the master scheme from where linked scheme relationships are determined is the enabled-scope scheme.

Process of Sharing Weights and Volumes

Note: Only the Linked From scheme can be opened in a weight/volume workbook session.

Refer to Entering Results into a Workbook to enter a value in weight/volume mode.

Example:

Scheme AA1 has the ff. analytes: PREPARATION WEIGHT, A1, A2; A1 and A2 require a correction factor

Scheme AA2 has the ff. analytes: PREPARATION WEIGHT, A3, A4, A5; only A3 requires a correction factor

Sample1 has AA1 and AA2 registered, and a linked scheme relationship exists from Sample1-AA1 to Sample1-AA2. This was inherited from the master scheme in which AA1 is associated with AA2.

The user wants to weigh up samples for AA1 and have those same samples analysed for AA2, so they open the job in Weight/Volume mode in a workbook session. When they enter a result into Sample1-AA1 PREPARATION WEIGHT analyte, then for A1 and A2 associated with the same sample scheme that require a correction factor, and for A3 associated with the linked sample scheme AA2 which requires a correction factor, Sample1-AA1 PREPARATION WEIGHT Numeric Final Value is transferred into Sample1-AA1-A1 Weight and into Sample1-AA1-A2 Weight and into Sample1-AA2-A3 Weight, and also into Sample1-AA2 PREPARATION WEIGHT Numeric Final Value.

This allows for those analytes that require a correction factor to be applied when a numeric raw value result is received to determine the numeric final value result, to have the weight of the aliquot available for that correction.

The same applies for aliquot volumes.

When raw results are captured, final results are determined using the raw results.

Linked Scheme Relationships

Linked schemes relationships are created between two schemes using the CCSCHM—Scheme application. Refer to Maintaining Schemes.

It can be said that a linked scheme relationship involves a from scheme and a to scheme.

Linked scheme relationships are configured in the master schemes and are formed between job schemes and sample schemes as sample schemes and job schemes are created. Refer to Maintain Linked Schemes for a Scheme.

Linked schemes can exist as a network. For example, where scheme link relationships exist from A to B, and from B to C, then A is the from scheme and B and C are the to schemes.

Establishing Linked Scheme Relationships between Sample Schemes

When two schemes are registered on a sample and no linked scheme relationship exists between them, but there is a linked scheme relationship between the schemes in the master scheme table, then a linked relationship is established between the two sample schemes, and between the two job schemes if the registration caused the creation of the job schemes.

Maintaining Sample Tests establishes precursor scheme relationships between sample schemes.

Linked Scheme Relationships inherited from a Template Sample

When a template sample is used to add schemes to a sample, the linked sample scheme relationships are inherited from the template sample instead of from the master schemes, and are established between the two job schemes if the registration caused the creation of the job schemes.

The following processes inherit linked scheme relationships from template samples:

Maintaining Linked Scheme Relationships between Sample Schemes

Refer to Maintaining Sample Tests to maintain linked scheme relationships between sample schemes.

Linked Scheme Relationship Dependencies and Restrictions

Linked scheme relationships can be created at organisation level and inherited at laboratory level. Laboratory level linked scheme relationships can only be between other schemes at laboratory level.

When creating linked scheme relationships, the current scheme becomes the from scheme and linked scheme becomes the to scheme. After creation of the relationship, it does not matter whether the to or from scheme is accessed—the linked scheme relationship does not change which scheme is the from and which is the two scheme.

Linked scheme relationships can be made between two job schemes to affect QC addition processes on a job-by-job process.

Linked scheme relationships can be made between two sample schemes to affect the pushing of weights and volumes on a sample-by-sample basis.

Note: Where link scheme relationships exist between two schemes and any of those schemes are involved in other linked scheme relationships, the system always determines the linked scheme network between job schemes or sample schemes to determine which job scheme or sample scheme is the from scheme.

When establishing linked scheme relationships between master schemes, schemes can only be linked where both schemes have the same set of precursor schemes.

Analytical or analytical preparation scheme types can only be linked to precursor schemes with a scheme type of either sample preparation or analytical preparation.

Sample preparation scheme types can only be linked to a precursor scheme with a scheme type of sample preparation.

When an analyte is added to sample scheme, then weights and volumes are propagated in the following situations:

  1. Where the newly added analyte is a preparation other or analytical type analyte (the scheme version analyte's Analyte Type is Preparation Other or Analytical) that requires a correction factor (the scheme version analyte's Apply Correction Factor is checked), and:
    1. The same sample scheme contains weight and volume type analytes (determined by the analyte's Code being WEIGHT and VOLUME, respectively), then the new sample scheme analyte's Weight and Volume default to the sample scheme Weight analyte's Numeric Final Value and the sample scheme Volume analyte's Numeric Final Value, respectively.
    2. The sample sample scheme does not contain weight and volume type analytes, but a linked-from sample scheme contains weight and volume type analytes (determined by the analyte's Code being WEIGHT and VOLUME, respectively), and then the new sample scheme analyte's Weight and Volume default to the linked-from sample scheme Weight analyte's Numeric Final Value and the sample scheme Volume analyte's Numeric Final Value, respectively.
  2. Where the newly added analyte is a weight or volume type analyte (the analyte's Code being WEIGHT or VOLUME, respectively) and a linked-from sample scheme contains weight and volume type analytes (determined by the analyte's Code being WEIGHT and VOLUME, respectively), then the new sample scheme Weight analyte's Numeric Final Value defaults to the linked-from sample scheme Weight analyte's Numeric Final Value, and the new sample scheme Volume analyte's Numeric Final Value defaults to the linked-from sample scheme Volume analyte's Numeric Final Value, respectively.

Updating the Sample with Additional Schemes/Analytes that have Existing Linked Scheme Relationship

When a sample has a master scheme with weight and volume results already recorded, the weight and volume values are persisted across all the analytes of the related child scheme. When new analytes are added to the sample, either by adding analytes to an already existing sample scheme or adding new scheme analytes, then the weight and volume results are also persisted to the newly added sample scheme analytes provided that the added analyte is a child scheme there and the master scheme is already existing in the sample. The propagation of the weight and volume results are made possible when the new analyte is added manually, via Add Tests from Samples or via the Trigger Check Analysis service.

When a sample initially has a child scheme registered without a corresponding master scheme, and the master scheme is added afterwards, any weight and volume values entered in the master scheme’s sample scheme will be automatically persisted to the child scheme and its analytes provided the child scheme had no previous values on its weight and volume.

However, if the sample was already registered with a child scheme, and weight and volume values were recorded directly within the child scheme's sample scheme, subsequent addition of a master scheme will not overwrite those existing values. In such cases, weight and volume entries made in the master scheme will be ignored for propagation, preserving the child scheme’s original data. The user must first clear the weight and volume results of the child scheme of the sample if the intent of adding the master scheme retroactively is to propagate the weight and volume from the master to the child scheme.