The
Samples dashboard shows the types of samples available. Click
Sample Types on the main menu to reach this page. This topic describes working with Samples that are already registered in the system.
To learn various methods for adding new Samples and Sample Types, see
Biologics: Create Samples.
View All Sample Types
Sample Type names are listed on the left (and also directly accessible from the Sample Types section of the main menu).
View Samples of One Type
Click the sample type name link to see a grid view of all samples of that type. Details about the sample type, including the Description, Name Expression, and Parent Import Alias(es) (if any) are shown above the grid.
Use the omnibox to filter, sort, and search the grid.
Actions on the menus let you:
- Create: Add new samples (or other entities in the system).
- Manage: Including import, delete, and edit. You can also add a sample to a picklist.
- Jobs: Add samples to workflow jobs.
- Storage: (Available to users with the storage editor role.) Add samples to freezers, check them out or in, and discard when finished.
- Charts: View any charts created in LabKey Server for this Sample Type.
- Paging Controls.
- Grid Views: Select among any custom grid views created in LabKey Server for this Sample Type.
- Show Samples menu: Use checkboxes to select Samples and Aliquots. Possible values for this menu:
- All Samples (both Samples and Aliquots)
- Samples Only
- Aliquots Only
Learn more about Aliquots in this topic for Sample Manager:
Aliquots, Derivatives, and Sample Pooling
Edit Samples
You can edit multiple samples of a given type with two different interfaces. Edit in a grid to make individual changes to each sample row. Choose to edit in bulk if most of the values you are setting will be the same for all the edited samples.
- View the grid for the Sample Type that contains them.
- Select one or more samples using the checkboxes.
- Choosing one of these options from the Manage menu:
Edit Selected Samples in Grid
This option opens a grid where you will see current data for all the selected samples.
- Type directly in the grid to change Sample Data values as necessary. Note that you cannot change the Sample Id.
- Fields that offer selection menus, such as Status, Text Choice fields, and list lookups, will show options on a menu. Type ahead to narrow the choices and click or tab to select.
- Users with the "Storage Editor" role can switch to the Storage Details tab to edit the stored amount, units, and freeze thaw count for the selected samples. Any samples not currently in storage will not be editable here.
You cannot edit storage locations from this grid. Instead, navigate to the storage location of the sample to move it. Learn more in this Sample Manager topic:
Move Stored Samples
- Switch to the Lineage Details tab to edit parent information for these samples.
- Edit existing parent relationships for these samples, or add a new type of parent by clicking Add Parent and choosing the type to add, then populating the rows in the grid.
- Fields that offer multi-select will let you choose additional values from the menu.
Click Finish Updating # Samples when finished. The number you are editing will be included on the button.
Edit Selected Samples in Bulk
This option is useful when you want to change one of the columns of your sample data to the same value for a set of samples. Note that if you select any aliquots and choose this option, only the aliquot-editable fields will be shown for editing.
- For each field that you want to update, click the Disabled/Enabled selector to set it to Enabled.
- Enter the desired value, or to delete existing values enter nothing in the field.
- Fields marked Disabled will not be changed.
Click Edit With Grid to open the grid editing interface with the values updated in bulk. You can continue to make further changes to individual rows in the grid before clicking Update Samples to save the changes.
Edit Parents for Selected Samples in Bulk
When you Edit Parents for Selected Samples in Bulk, any values provided will replace the existing parents of the chosen type(s) for the selected samples. Lineage for Aliquots cannot be changed and will be ignored if selected.
- Select the Parent Type 1 that you want to replace for the selected samples.
- Select the Parent ID to assign to the selected samples.
- Note that if you leave this selection blank, it will remove any current values for that type of parent.
- To choose multiple parents of the same type, select one, then click elsewhere in the entry box to reopen the selection menu.
To provide a new value for another Parent Type, click Add Parent and repeat the selection process for Parent Type 2
Click Update Parents when finished.
Delete Samples
You cannot delete samples once they have had other samples derived from them, or have assay data dependencies. If you attempt to delete samples with these conditions, you will see this information in a popup and be able to continue to delete any eligible samples of the once you selected.
To delete one or more samples:
- View the grid for the Sample Type that contains them.
- Select one or more samples using the checkboxes.
- Select Manage > Delete Samples.
Learn more about sample deletion and how dependency restrictions are handled, review this LabKey Server topic: View Sample Types and Samples.
View a Single Sample
From any Samples grid view, click a Sample Id (name) to see details of that sample. More information about what is shown on all the tabs is provided in this topic:
Edit Sample Details
On the Overview tab, you can click the under the title to add or edit the description. You'll see the Storage Location (if any) and Aliquots (if any) in panels below the title. Click the icons to edit details for this sample.
If your Sample Type includes a field of type File, you will be able to upload a file attachment in the Details panel here. Learn more in the Sample Manager documentation: Attach Images and Other Files
Edit Sample Lineage
To edit sample lineage, use the to edit the Parent Details panel.
Learn more in the Sample Manager documentation: Edit Sample Lineage
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