[FP]-LIMS - What is LIMS software?

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The term LIMS means Laboratory Information and Management System and concerns an IT solution for the laboratory. There are many types of LIMS and the specific definition depends on its individualistic laboratory use. LIMS solutions are standardized until a certain point and can also be customized to fulfill specific requirements.

To summarize the main definition of LIMS we can affirm that a laboratory information and management system (LIMS) is an IT application as well as a database developed to support laboratory operations. The scope of its development is to fulfill administrative and coordinating tasks of sample processing, management, data-recording, and evaluation.

LIMS software is developed to work within a workflow due to their pre-structured, standardized, and generic form for various industries. Their structure and functioning concerns sample registration for a specific purpose of the analysis. At the same time, LIMS software takes into account the data acquisition, the measurement results, evaluation, as well as the reporting. LIMS software offers an integrated solution, which can be adapted or optimized for the required functions and to the specific needs of your laboratory.

How can you choose the most suitable LIMS software for you? The overview below is just a list of functions you need that you should check before getting your LIMS:

• documentation requirements,
• audit trail,
• traceability
• quick detection of quality problems
• remote access to the lab and research database for the company, customers, and partners.

Who will work intensively with LIMS? LIMS must be a reliable, structured, and open system, in order to support properly a lab technician.

The following functions make LIMS the right lab assistant:

• order and sample management
• specification of the investigation-scope
• support of sample distribution and processing
• data integrity
• sample tracking
• regulatory requirements
• laboratory management, including workflows
• release of test results
• real-time data import and analyses
• reporting
• evaluation
• data recording

However, LIMS is flexible and extendible: open interfaces to measurement devices for various methods and scalable modules should be considered next to the basic package.

Besides, the LIMS software solution allows you to assign your documentation (for ex. in lab notebooks) to the laboratory process and thus keep it audit-proof.  

[FP]-LIMS, the software solution designed by the German company for software development Fink & Partner GmbH, integrates all these functions… and many more! [FP]-LIMS is a practical implementation for complex work processes.

The certified interface to ERP systems, such as PCS, PLS, and SAP S/4HANA®, is not only used to manage master data but also to process inspection lots, test orders or production orders to be implemented into the laboratory processes. [FP]-LIMS can also be connected to many lab devices, and, as an upcoming IoT-technology to connect them with each other according to the concept of M2M communication.

The connected measurement devices can automatically supply measurement data to the LIMS software solution to improve efficiency. Reports, certificates, and attestations belong to the advantages of a LIMS and can be generated automatically with test and production data. These can be supplemented with relevant process information if required. Test results of raw materials or pre-products can also be mapped to certificates, even if several production orders are assigned to them.    

Through the central client-server installation, you have access to:

• Documentation 
• Statistical evaluation of all test orders 
• Measurement equipment capability analyses 
• Web access to your data 
• Fast reaction to problems in production through macros/workflow management. 

With [FP]-LIMS you can optimize your quality management processes, not just for being intuitive and user friendly, but also for its sophisticated modular structure. Important modules are analysis management, quality inspection, recipe management, ICP, input dialog, ERP to SAP, Web interface.