Overview	Top

Prior to adding and managing Arrays you must first define Array Master Data to identify the different types of Arrays you will create, and define a method for processing the Array. See Master Data Setup for more information.

Most Array operations are performed from the Plates and Gels List page. First, create an Array. Next, process it through the various steps of the Array life cycle. Once created, you can Load Arrays using rules previously defined in Array Layouts and Array Methods. Access the Plates and Gels list page from either Lab Admin → Arrays → Arrays or LIMS → Tests → Plates and Gels menu.

Following is a list of the Array Operation buttons and tasks you can perform from the Plates and Gels List Page. See Transfers for information about Transfer Operations.

Within the Life Cycle Menu:

The following fields are displayed in the Plates and Gels list.

Fields	Description
Array	Number automatically generated when the Array was created.
Status	Status of the Array: Created Status directly after the Array is created, but nothing else is done to it. Applied Array Method has been applied but the loading of an Array has not yet started. Loaded Either Array Item or Zone loading has started per the definition of the Array method. Sent to Instrument The Array has been sent to an Instrument. Data Entered Results have been entered for the Array either manually or automatically. Completed Arrays that do not require Review after data entry move to Completed upon promoting the results to the Samples. Reviewed Array results have been reviewed. Disposed Final status of the Array. Once disposed the Array cannot be used. Cancelled When all applied Array Methods are cancelled, the Array status becomes Cancelled.
Description	Description of the Array.
Active Array Method	Active Array Method. See Applying Array Methods for information about Applying Multiple Array Methods.
Array Layout	Array Layout.
Array Type	Array Type.
Samples	Number of Samples associated with the Array. Click the number to view the Samples in the Sample List page.
Custodial User	The Custodial User of this Array.
Custodial Department	The Custodial Department to which this Array is assigned.
Location	The Location path of an Array when placed in a Storage Unit.
Genealogy	Clicking the Genealogy icon opens the Genealogy Viewer where you can see parent-child relationships. See ASL Grid Transfer
Executions	View the details of a Transfer Execution. See View Transfer Execution Details for more information.

Creating/Adding Arrays	Top

In the Plates and Gels list page, click "Add". The Add Array dialog opens. 

You can either apply an Array Method now (the Layout is defined on the Array Method), or choose just an Array Layout and apply an Array Method before Loading. Should you choose only a Layout, you will need to apply an Array Method manually before loading can take place. Changes made to an Array Method after it has been applied to an Array, are not reflected in the Array. You will need to create a new Array with the changed Array Method. Choose an Array Layout or Method, then click "Add". An Array ID is automatically generated, the Array is saved, and appears on the Plates and Gels List Page.

Applying an Array Method

The Array Method defines the procedure for the execution of a Laboratory technique. This includes both how the Array is to be loaded, as well as how it will be analyzed and on which instrument. See Master Data Setup → Array Methods for details about defining an Array Method.

Typically, when the Array is created, the Array Method is automatically applied. However, there are cases when you need to apply an Array Method separately.

For example, in complex situations you may need to send the Array to multiple instruments for data collection. You will need to apply a new Array Method for each step of the process (an Array Method would need to be Applied each time the Array is sent to an Instrument in order to collect that Instrument's data).

When Transferring Source Arrays to new Target Arrays, the new Target Array will need to have an Array Method applied.

To Apply an Array Method, select the Array then click the "Apply Array Method button" on the Plates and Gels list page.

See Creating Overlays for detailed information about applying multiple Methods to an Array.

Loading Arrays	Top

When Loading Arrays, you are loading content (such as a Sample or Consumable) into a position in the Array, specifying how much and of what concentration. Arrays can be loaded:

This section describes loading Arrays from the Plates and Gels list page.

From the Plates and Gels list page you are given two loading options. You can either Load individually (Array Item by Array Item), or entire Zones at a time. Typically, Unknowns are loaded individually, as you may want to choose content more specifically. Alternatively, you may choose to load a single Consumable into an entire Control Zone, exactly the same, in each Array Item.

The Level you define in the Array Method determines whether you are loading at the Array Item level or Zone level. The content displayed is also determined by the level, Item level content is available during Item Loading and Zone level content when Zone Loading. Load Arrays from the Plates and Gels List page, choosing Load or Load Zone:

From the Plates and Gels List select the newly created Array and click "Load". The Load Array page opens.

The Load Array page has two panels.

The Left panel displays the Array ID (automatically generated when the Array is added) and the available Content (SDIs) as determined by the Content Detail tab on the Array Method.

The right panel provides information about the Array based on the Layout and Method chosen when Creating and Loading the Array.

Choose Content

In the left panel a list of available content displays (such as Samples or Consumables). The list of available content is dependent on what you choose in the Zone Selector (such as whether you want to load the Unknown or Control Zone) and what you choose in the Content Selector.Typically only one Content Type is defined per Zone. However, if you define multiple Content Types for the same Zone in the Array Layout, all will be available here. You can toggle between each when selecting the Content Type. Select the content you want to load into the Array.

Scan Icon

Use the Scan Icon to quickly locate Content within the list. Clicking the Scan Icon opens the "Scan find and select" dialog. Scan the Samples you want to load into the Array. As each is scanned, those found are selected in the list (a check indicates the Sample was found). Those not found display with a warning icon.

Select the Array Items to Load

In the right panel, the Array, as defined in the Layout, is displayed. You can load the Array automatically by selecting the content to load, then clicking the Load button. The Array is loaded according to the Arrangement defined in the Array Layout. An error message displays if you have not selected (or the Zone does not contain) enough Array Items for the Arrangement.

Manual Loading

You can optionally load content manually. Click a Sample(s) in the Left panel and drag it to any Array Item in the Array. That Array Item serves as the starting position (first Array Item). The content is then loaded according to the Arrangement including all repeats and dilutions.

Confirm Loading Pattern

Loading direction defaults to Horizontal. You can optionally change it during loading.

Load the Array

Click "Load". The Volume and Concentration dialog displays. See Volume and Concentration or Viewing Loaded Array for further details.

Zone Level loading allows you to load the same Content (such as a Consumable, Control or Master Mix) to an entire Zone. From the Plates and Gels List, select the newly created Array and click "Load Zone". Any Zones defined as Zone level display.

If, in the Array Layout, you defined a Zone as Adhoc you can Load Samples into Array Items as desired. Choose to load a single Sample into multiple Array Items, or a single Sample into a single Array Item. You cannot load multiple Samples into multiple Array Items using Adhoc Loading.

When loading multiple Array Items from a single Sample the Source Sample is decremented according to the number of Array Items selected. If you select 5 Array Items, and the defined Content to load is 10 ul, the source Sample will be decremented by 50 ul.

The Sample is loaded into the selected Array Items.

On each Load of an Array Item, LABVANTAGE presents a Volume Dialog. This Volume Dialog manages 3 different volumes whenever loading an Array Item.

After clicking Load, the volume Dialog opens showing volume values defaulted from the Array Method. You can change them here or accept the defaults.

The following table describes the fields in the Volume Dialog.

Click "Ok" to load the Array Items.

When loading multiple contents a grid displays where you can enter volume information for all content at the same time.

When the Array Method does not specify the Volume and Concentration but does specify the Amount, one of the following calculations is used to determine Volume and Concentration: Volume=Amount/Concentration, or Concentration=Amount/Volume. The volume dialog may present the default volume, or default concentration, based on the supplied Amount in the Array Method.

In the following simple example, we selected two Samples in the left panel, selected the Unknown Zone in the right panel, then clicked "Load". The Samples were loaded starting in the first Array Item in the Unknown Zone (A2, it would have been light green indicating that it was the next Array item to be loaded), then loaded horizontally.

Note that each Sample was loaded twice (repeats = 2).

Once loaded the Sample ID, Volume and Concentration values display in the selected Array Item panel. Make changes to these values as necessary. As changes are made to Volume, the Total Volume is recalculated. If the Total Volume exceeds the maximum value allowed for the well (defined in the Array Type) a warning displays. 

The Loaded/Unload icon appears next to the Sample. Clicking the icon will unload the Sample from that Array Item. If the Array was previously persisted, unloading will not increment the source volume. If a Serial Dilution had been defined that information would also display in the Array Item. See Viewing Loaded Arrays below for details about viewing this and more detailed information about the Samples loaded into each Array Item.

In the above example, the Array Items are zoomed so that the Sample information is visible. In the case of very large Arrays, a smaller version of the entire Array is displayed to the right to show into which portion of the Array you are zoomed. You can move the red bordered box over the entire grid to zoom to a particular location. Use the toolbar to zoom in and out in order to view the content of the Array Items or search for specific content.

Selecting a Sample in the left panel highlights the Sample in the Array with a red box, allowing you to quickly locate a Sample within the Array.

Content information is diplayed in the Array Item Panel. When a particular well on the Working Grid is selected (and it already has Content loaded) the following details are displayed.

If you find you incorrectly loaded Array Item content click the Unload icon next to the Sample in the Selected Array Item Panel.

Note: You can only unload content loaded at "Item" level. Content loaded at the Zone level cannot be unloaded.

Clicking the icon will undo the Load and the Array Items are cleared (all repeats and dilutions are also cleared). If you have also loaded Treatments Unload only unloads the Sample, the Treatments will remain.

Unload Multiple Array Items

Select (ctrl click) multiple Array Items within the working grid and click the "Unload" button.

The selected Content and associated repeats and dilutions are cleared.

Unload by Content

When a Content Sample is loaded in one or more Array Items the Unload icon displays in the Content List. Hovering over the icon highlights the Array Items (loaded with this Sample) in the Working Grid. Click the icon to unload all the Array Items loaded with the Sample.

Apply as many Array Methods as needed to an Array creating overlays. Doing so creates a new Array Method instance. At any given point, only a single Array Method is in play at a time on an Array. Each time a new Method is Applied, the previous Applied Method must have a status of either Completed or Reviewed, if not, that instance will be cancelled and the latest Method Applied will be the Active Method.

When all Applied Methods are Complete, the Array is complete. You can manually Cancel an Applied Method using the Cancel Array Method button on the Plates and Gels list page. If all applied Methods are cancelled the Array is cancelled.

Clicking the Array link in the Plates and Gels list or selecting the Array and clicking "Edit" displays general details about the Array including any Applied Methods and their status.

Historical Arrays	Top

The Historical Plates and Gels List page displays Arrays that have been Stored, Disposed or Cancelled.

Navigate to: Lab Admin → Arrays → Historical Arrays:

Arrays move to the Historical Plates and Gels List when any of the following occurs:

Loading Samples to an Array	Top

Optionally, as a quick alternative to the Array Loading page, load selected Samples into an Array from the Samples List page and the Biobanking Lab Operations List page. This is a non visual means of loading Samples onto one or more Arrays, and may be more efficient for high volume, high throughput situations. When using this approach:

Choose the Samples to load and click, More options, Miscellaneous, choose "Load into Plate". The following dialog opens.

Define the following information about the Array to be created:

Clicking OK creates a new Array and Loads the selected Sample(s).

Viewing the new Array you can see that it has been loaded with the Sample according to the Array Method.

Note that the selected Sample is referenced in the selected Array Item panel when an Array Item (A2) is selected. 

Miscellaneous Operations	Top

Perform the following miscellaneous operations from the Plates and Gels List page. 

When you are finished with an Array, but do not want to dispose of it, you can place it into Storage. From the Plates and Gels list page select the Array you want to store then click "Life Cycle → Assign Storage". The Assign Storage Unit dialog displays. Use the lookup to open the Storage Explorer where you can find available Storage.

Clearing Storage

Once assigned to a Storage Unit you can easily clear an Array from storage using the "Clear Storage" button on the Historical List Page.

 You can dispose an Array at any time. From the Plates and Gels List page select the Array you want to dispose then click the "Dispose" button. The operation is confirmed with the following message.

Disposed Arrays are moved to the Historical List Page. Once disposed an Array can no longer be used.

Arrays are cancelled when all Applied Array Method instances are cancelled. From the Plates and Gels list page select the Array you want to cancel then click the "Cancel Array Method" button. This cancels the active Array Method instance and, provided all other Array Method instances are cancelled, the Array Status becomes "Cancelled" and moves to the Historical Arrays List Page. See Multiple Array Methods for more information about Array Method instances.

Note: Each time a new Array Method is Applied any previous Array Methods are cancelled (provided the Array Method status has not already reached "Reviewed" or "Completed").

Should you need to Ship Array(s) to an internal or external Shipping Location select the Arrays and choose "Ship" from the Lifecycle → Ship menu. The Add Package dialog displays. See Move Samples (Custodial Management) for more information about creating a Package for shipment.

Clicking the Genealogy icon on the Plates and Gels list page opens the Genealogy Viewer. Here we see that Array Pla-181001-00001 is a child of Array Pla161202-00001. A View of the Array details is provided.

Note that when viewing the Child Array the Parent Array is referenced in the Array Item details.

Transfers involving an ASL Grid will include information about the ASL Grid to or from which the Array was transferred.