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Specimen Check-in Check-out
Introduced in v10.1
Introduction
While specimens are frequently removed from storage for processing or shipping, users often need to reserve the specimen's original storage position for its eventual return. OpenSpecimen now facilitates this through the Check-Out and Check-In features.
Key Workflows:
Specimen Check-Out: When retrieving a specimen, users can choose to "block" the position. This ensures the location remains reserved and cannot be reassigned to a different specimen while the original is away.
Specimen Check-In: When the specimen is returned, it is stored back into its reserved location, automatically updating its status to "stored."
What has changed?
Previously, when a specimen was removed, its box position immediately became available for reuse. With the new Check-Out functionality, you can hold that space, preventing accidental reassignment and maintaining organized storage records.
Video
How to check out specimens?
You can check out specimens from various pages listed below:
Via list pages
Specimen overview page
CP → Specimen list
Carts
Container specimen list
Query result view
This can be done using the Retrieve option, available under the Actions menu on all specimen list pages.
Select specimen/s>> Click on ‘Actions’>> Select 'Retrieve'
In the pop-up, check the box for ‘Checkout.’
Via specimen overview page
From the Specimen overview page, click on ‘More' and select 'Checkout.’
Check out option is not visible if the specimen is not stored in a box
What changes after check-out?
Specimens are marked with a checked-out status.
A transfer event gets added with the storage status as ‘CHECK-OUT’.
Checked-out positions are blocked by the specimen label and remain unavailable for new samples until unblocked.
How to check in specimens
You can check in specimens from various pages listed below:
Via list pages
You can check in from various list pages similar to checkout.
This can be done using the Transfer option, available under the Actions menu on all specimen list pages.
Select specimen/s>> Click on ‘Actions’>> Select 'Transfer'
The previous location will appear under “New Location”. Click “Submit” to check in the specimen.
Via specimen overview page
A specimen can be directly checked out from the specimen overview page
From the overview page, click ‘More’-> ‘Checkin’.
A pop-up will be displayed, and click ‘Checkin’.
Check-out/check-in using CSV
You can use the bulk import “Update” function to check out and check in specimens in bulk. In the ‘Specimen CSV’, there is a column named “Checkout”, which accepts the following values:
TRUE / Yes → Check-out
FALSE / No → Check-in.
To perform a check-out, ensure that the specimens are currently stored. For a check-in, you must provide values for the following fields: Location#Container, Location#Column, and Location#Row.
Here is the sample CSV file:
Unblock container positions without checkin
You can unblock container positions in bulk to free them for reuse. This is useful when specimens are distributed and not returned, requiring their reserved positions to be cleared for new samples.
Option 1
From container list page->Actions->Unblock
Add labels/barcodes for specimens whose positions are to be unblocked.
On adding the labels, the blocked positions will be displayed. Click ‘Unblock’ to release positions.
Option 2
Using this option would unblock all positions, i.e., blocked during specimen checkout or otherwise.
Go to the container’s Locations tab and select Unblock All to vacate positions.
Check out during distribution
You can check out specimens while distributing specimens from the user interface.
Checkout:
Select the specimen, click on ‘Actions'-> 'Distribute.’
Select ‘Yes’ for the ‘Checkout Specimens’ option.
Checkin (Using Return option)
From the distribution protocol page, navigate to the orders by clicking on 'View Orders.'
Click on ‘Return Specimens’
Add labels/barcodes of the specimens that were checked out during distribution and are to be returned.
For a checked-out specimen, the container location will be auto-populated. Click on submit to return the specimen and store it in the location specified.
Checkin during return specimens
You can use the “Return Specimens” feature when specimens are returned after distribution. When a “checked out” specimens is returned, it will be automatically checked in without any extra steps.
Query
You can query for the checked-out specimen using the reporting module, for more details refer to Query Checked-Out Specimens.