How to create a duplicate container?

When an existing freezer (container) becomes full, users may need to create another freezer with identical dimensions, hierarchy, and restrictions (e.g., specimen type or CP restrictions).
This can be achieved in two ways, depending on whether the Container Type (template) already exists.

Method 1: When the ‘Container Type’(Template) for the Freezer exists

A freezer (e.g., MVE-800) was originally built using a predefined Container Type. Since the template already exists, you can quickly create a new freezer of the same structure without exporting/importing CSV files.

Verify Container Type: Navigate to the required container and confirm that the ‘Container Type’ is present.

Create a New Container Using the Template:
- Return to the Container List page.
- Click Create → Select Container Hierarchy.
- Choose the existing Container Type from the dropdown.
Apply Restrictions (If Needed)
- If the original freezer had restrictions (e.g., allowed specimen types, CP restrictions), make sure to add the same restrictions while creating the new freezer.
Refer to the Managing containers and Container Typeswiki page for more details.

Method 2: When the ‘Container Type’(Template) doesn’t exist for the Freezer

The original freezer was created manually, not from a container-type template. In this case, you can duplicate the freezer structure by exporting its definition and recreating it via CSV.

Export the Existing Container Definition: Go to the Container List page → Select the container → Click Export → Choose Containers.
In the exported CSV:
- Update the container, tower/rack/shelf, and box names to ensure they are unique.
- Save the file.
Recreate the Container:
- Return to the Container List page → Click Import Containers.
- Upload the updated CSV file and run the job using the Create option.
- Refer to the https://openspecimen.atlassian.net/wiki/x/S4HJBgfor more details.
This will copy all the restrictions added to the original container.