Why go paperless?

Eliminate costs associated with managing paper forms.

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Laboratories that go paperless by implementing an ELN for Routine Analyses realize immediate benefits by eliminating paper based forms, controlling SOP requirements, automating analyses and storing results in a searchable database.

Eliminate costs associated with managing paper forms
Ensure the quality and consistency of results while decreasing labor costs
Improve access to data and information

Eliminate illegibility problems created by hard to read manual data recording

An immediate advantage for even the simplest electronic worksheet is that you completely eliminate the problem of having to decipher results that are hard to read because of illegible handwriting. A simple electronic worksheet that let’s analysts key in results eliminates any doubts surrounding “legibility”.

Eliminate problems due to lost or damaged paper forms

Paper forms and note books are extremely vulnerable to being misplaced or exposed to all kinds of damage in the laboratory environment. Electronic forms completely eliminate those possibilities.

Simplify management of the worksheet lifecycle

Even if we assume that paper worksheets never get lost or damaged, laboratories still need to deal with physically moving the paper through the cycle of scheduling, monitoring and reviewing completed worksheets. Knowing where a certain worksheet is in that process can be a real challenge when you are dealing with paper.

On-line electronic management of electronic forms makes it much easier for analysts, supervisors and managers to schedule, monitor, and balance the laboratory workload.

Eliminate paper storage and retrieval costs

With a paper based system, the need for long term storage of documents creates ongoing costs for the physical storage of the paper and can create real problems if a document needs to be retrieved to review a result or for problem resolution.
Converting paper documents to electronic forms saves on physical storage costs and reduces document retrieval time with direct on-line access to completed worksheets.

Eliminate data transcription errors

Collecting data directly from lab instruments right into and ELN worksheet eliminates manual transcription errors (average 3 – 5% error rate) ensuring that the data generated by the instrument is the same data that is recorded in the worksheet, each and every time.

Eliminate calculation errors

Automating manual calculations in an Electronic Laboratory Notebook creates a consistent, accurate and documented process for calculations - that is applied each and every time. This saves time for the analyst and eliminates the review time that needs to be spent on verifying manual calculations.

Automate Limit Checking

A result that comes directly from an instrument or is the result of an automated calculation is usually expected to fall within certain limits or test specifications.

An Electronic Laboratory Notebook can apply those specifications to each sample result, as it is collected or calculated, to see if it is within expected limits. Analysts know right away, at the bench level, if a sample fails the limit check. They can take immediate action to either rerun the sample or to ensure that all of the necessary materials are retained in order to facilitate a proper investigation of the result.

Provide Real-time Control over Test Execution

An ELN for Routine Analysis can include a layer of logic that ensures that every aspect of an SOP is being followed and that procedures are carried out the same way, every time.

Improve access to data and information

Having the data from the analysis available in a searchable database rather than on paper forms or notebooks makes the data accessible and readily available to authorized users and other systems within the organization. This helps the laboratory with reporting of results, problem resolution and mining historical data for trends or specific reports.

Learn More in the Paperless Info Center

Webcast – "Right First Time" Chromatography Sample Prep
Our half hour webcast will show how an ELN for Routine Analyses provides a paperless environment that automates, controls and documents chromatography sample preparation procedures.

Article – Configuring an ELN for Routine Analyses
In laboratories that are performing routine analyses on a regular and on-going basis, there are real advantages to having an ELN that simply records results and observations. Even more benefit can be delivered to the by expanding the role of the ELN, making it a pro-active component controlling the analytical process and ensuring that every aspect of an SOP is being fulfilled.

RELATED TOPICS:

What is an Electronic Laboratory Notebook for Routine Analyses?

Who should go paperless?

Workflow in a paperless lab

How do I go paperless?

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