The term “LIMS” is, in many ways, a vague term. At a high level, it is a system that supports laboratory workflow. However, within that support of workflow, there are numerous features. Deciding which of those features your laboratory wants or needs can be an important factor for selecting your LIMS provider. Some features to consider are: Specification Management, SPC (statistical process control) Charting, Reporting, Portal, etc. We recommend starting with what processes your laboratory does today, sometimes creating a flow chart helps. Then, insert points in the process where you want a system to do something, such as automatically create samples/tests from an ERP system or automatically import test results. Use this breakdown as a guide when discussing your needs with LIMS providers.

Wavefront LIMS has created a tool that might help you in this process. Request our “LIMS Requirements Checklist” (click here to direct to that request form) to help guide you through common features available with most LIMS providers.