Introduction

Specimens are sometimes taken out of a box, but users may also need to reserve the position for when the specimen is returned. This process is known as 'Specimen check-out' when retrieving the specimen and blocking the position, and 'Specimen check-in' when storing it back in its original location. When a specimen was previously retrieved, the box position would become available for reuse with a different specimen. Now, with the 'Check-Out' feature, users can reserve the position, preventing its reassignment.

note

Introduced in v10.1

Introduced in v10.1

Video

Check-out specimens

You can check out specimens from multiple places using the 'Actions' button.

List pages

All specimen list pages have the ‘Action → Retrieve' option. This has an additional checkbox for check-out. Below are the pages that support 'Specimen check-out' from list-view pages:

  1. Specimen list

  2. Carts

  3. Container Specimen list

  4. Query Result

  1. Select specimen>> Click on ‘Action’>> Select 'Retrieve'

    Retrievecheckout.png

  2. In the pop-up, there is a checkbox for ‘Checkout’

    Retrievecheckout1.png

Overview Page

A specimen can be directly checked out from the specimen overview page

From the Specimen overview page, click on ‘More' and select 'Checkout’

Retrieve 6.pngnote

Check out option is not visible if specimen is not stored in a box

Check out option is not visible if specimen is not stored in a box

Check-out status

Specimens are labelled with a checked-out status to simplify identification.

  1. When the samples are checked out, there is a transfer event added with the storage status as ‘CHECK-OUT’.

    1. From the specimen overview page click on to the 'Transfer Event'

      Transferevent1.png

    2. Details of check-out will be displayed

      Transferevent2.png

  2. The container position is blocked with the specimen label and cannot be used to store any other sample until the position is unblocked.

    Retrieve 8.png

3. Specimen status updated to ‘Checked Out’ on the overview page

Retrieve 9.png

Check-in specimens

Once you are done testing the specimens, you can check in the specimens. While doing so the original location is populated automatically for these specimens

  1. A specimen can be checked in from the specimen overview page.

    Check in 3.png

  2. A pop-up will be displayed to check-in the specimen, where you can also add details in the comments field

    image-20240816-120758.png

  3. Using the 'Transfer' option multiple specimens can be checked in.

    Check in 4.png

Unblock checked-out specimen position

You can unblock the check-out specimen positions from the container in bulk. For example: If the specimens were distributed and not returned, the container positions that were blocked during distribution check-out need to be freed for utilization.

Option 1

  1. Navigate to the container list page->Actions->Unblock

    Unblock 1.png

  2. You can either add labels or barcodes for which the positions are to be unblocked.

    Unblock 2.png

  3. On adding the labels, the blocked positions will be displayed. These will be unblocked once you click on ‘Unblock’

    Unblock 3.png

Option 2

  1. Navigate to the container locations tab of a container that has blocked positions and click on ‘Unblock All’ to vacate all the blocked positions.

    Unblock 4.png

Distribution

You can check out specimens while distributing specimens from the user interface.

  1. Select the specimen, click on ‘Action' and select 'Distribute’

    Distributecheckout.png

  2. Select ‘Yes’ for ‘Checkout Specimens’ option

    Checkout while distributing.png

Return

Specimens listed in the order can be returned to their original locations from which they were checked out during distribution.

  1. From the distribution protocol page navigate to the orders by clicking on 'View Orders'

    Return1.png

  2. Click on ‘Return Specimens’

    Return2.png

  3. Add labels or barcodes of the specimens that were checked-out during distribution and are to be returned.

    Return sp 1.png

  4. For the samples that were checked out, the container location will be auto-populated. Once you click on submit the specimen gets returned and stored in the location specified.

    Return sp 2.png

Bulk Import

You can use the bulk import ‘Update’ function to check out specimens in bulk. Please see the 'Specimen' CSV below to check out the samples. For more details, refer to the wiki page for specimen CSV.

  1. To check-in the specimens, you need to provide values in the ‘Location#Container’, ‘Location#Column' and ‘Location#Row' fields.

    CSV.png

  2. Similarly, for distribution, you need to add yes/true in the ‘Checkout Specimens’ column to check-out specimens while distribution.

Here is the sample CSV file:

Query

You can query for the checked-out specimen using the reporting module, for more details refer to Query currently checked-out samples.