About labware inventory management

About this topic

This topic provides the background information on how to use the VWorks Inventory Editor to track labware moving into and out of storage devices, such as the Labware MiniHub.

Barcode tracking versus inventory management

Barcode tracking

Barcode tracking without an inventory system is limited because the labware locations are stored in memory and are lost when you exit the VWorks software.

Inventory management

The inventory management system allows long-term tracking of microplates because barcode data is permanently stored in a database. This is useful for lab automation systems with devices that store microplates for a long time, such as the Agilent Labware MiniHub.

Required database

To use inventory management, you must have a MySQL database set up on the computer that runs the VWorks software.

How labware is stored

The long-term storage devices supported by the VWorks software store labware in cassettes and slots. A cassette is a vertical rack that has many slots, where each slot holds one labware.

Information that is stored

The inventory database maintains a list of labware located in long-term labware storage devices. Each labware entry in the database includes the following information:

•	Device in which the labware is located

•	Cassette and slot location of the labware

•	Names of the location and plate groups to which it belongs

•	Labware type

•	Any north-side, south-side, east-side, and west-side barcodes

•	Volume of the wells in the labware

How to access data in the inventory database

You use the VWorks Inventory Editor to access the data in the inventory database. In the Inventory Editor, you can:

•	View the information in the inventory database.

•	Add or import labware information in the database.

•	Remove labware information from the database.

•	Create or modify plate groups.

•	Import plate groups from a barcode file.

•	Create or modify location groups.

•	Inventory the labware in a storage device.

•	Export and import the entire inventory database.

The list of labware in the database is automatically updated every time the robot moves a labware into or out of a storage device. If you have a Liconic storage device, you can also re-inventory the device to keep the list up-to-date.

Figure. Inventory Editor window

 

Plate groups and location groups

With long-term storage devices, typically only a subset of the labware stored in the device is used in one protocol. You can set up two different types of labware subsets, called plate groups and location groups. Which you choose for a particular protocol depends on what you are planning to do.

•	A plate group consists of a group of labware where the group membership is often based on the labware’s unique database identifier.

•	A location group is a group of slots in a storage device.

For more information, see About inventory groups.

Inventory management tasks

The following protocol tasks interact with the inventory database:

•	clearInventory

•	exportDatabase

•	ImportCsvToInventory

•

Load

•

Unload

•	Incubate at microplate storage device

For more information about the tasks, see Setting parameters for microplate storage tasks.

About adding labware into inventory

You can add labware information into the inventory database using one of the following methods:

•	Run a protocol to physically move labware into the storage device. During the run, the system will update the inventory.

•	Use the Inventory Editor to:

–	Add an individual labware into the inventory.

–	Add multiple labware by importing a CSV file.

For detailed instructions, see Adding labware information in the inventory database.

Terminology

The following terms are used to describe the movement of labware in the system.

 

Term	Definition
Unload	The act of moving labware from a storage device into the system.
Load	The act of moving labware from the system into a storage device.
System	Labware that are being processed by the current protocol are considered to be in the system. For example: • Labware on a platepad is in the system. • Labware being incubated in an incubator is in the system. • Labware half-way up a Stacker rack is not in the system, unless it will be moved during the current protocol. • Labware being stored in a Labware MiniHub is not in the system unless it will be moved during the current protocol.

Database backup

You can back up the inventory database by exporting it to a SQL file. For instructions, see Exporting and importing the inventory data.

To back up the inventory database along with the VWorks software system files, see Backing up and restoring files. For assistance, contact Automation Solutions Technical Support.

Related information

 

For information about...	See...
Inventory groups, plate groups and location groups	About inventory groups
Setting up the database	Setting up a Windows 7 MySQL database
Moving labware in and out of a storage device	• Adding labware information in the inventory database • Removing labware information from the inventory database • Moving labware between storage devices
Incubating labware	Using a plate group to process labware
Using barcode input files	Creating a plate group with a barcode input file