Workflow jobs organize related tasks into a sequence of work to be completed. A set of samples to be worked on can be associated with the job, and it can include direct links to upload data for the necessary assay tests performed on those samples.
To start a job, you can either start by selecting the samples you want worked on, or add them to the job later. It's also possible to have jobs that do not involve samples, if that supports your lab workflow.
Start a Job
There are several ways to open the job creation wizard:
- From the home page, click Start a New Job.
- From the sample or assay dashboard, select Create > Job.
- You can also select Jobs > Start a Job from any samples grid.
- Select some samples and then use Jobs > Start a Job with Selected Samples.
This final option is described next. If you are creating a job without pre-selecting the samples, skip ahead to the
Job Details and Priority section.
Start a Job with Selected Samples
If you already know the set of samples you want to include:
- Select the sample type of interest from the Sample Types section of the main menu.
- Use filtering and checkboxes to select the Samples of interest on the samples grid.
- Select Jobs > Start a Job with Selected Samples from the menu above the grid.
- Note that if you select Jobs > Start a Job, the new job will not include the selected samples.
Job Details and Priority
On the first panel of the job creation wizard, enter details about the job:
- Job Name: Provide a name for the job, or leave blank to have one generated for you.
- Description
- Job owner: This can be the user who "owns" the overall job completion, or the user to whom you assigned the first task.
- Notify these users: Add users who should get notifications as this job progresses.
- Job start and due dates: Use the date picker to select the begin and end dates.
- Priority level: Use the pulldown menu to select one of the options:
Define Job Tasks
Click the
Define Job Tasks section to open it.
Any job can be composed of several tasks to complete in sequence. For each task in your job, enter the name in the
Task column, select any
Assays to Perform as part of that task, and use the dropdown to select an
Assignee.
Use the six block handle on the left to reorder the tasks.
Each task can also be opened using the
(expansion) icon, where you can add a more verbose
Task description and use the date picker if you want to assign a
Due Date for the task (independent of the due date of the job at large).
Assign Samples
Click the
Assign Samples section to open it. If you created this job from a set of samples, it will open on the
Included Samples tab and you will see them listed. If not, skip ahead to
search for samples
Included Samples
- If you like, you can use the Search for Samples tab (described below) to add more samples.
- When you are satisfied with the selection of samples, click Next and skip to the Attach Files section.
Search for Samples
- If you did not start creating this job from a selection of samples, when you open the Assign Samples panel, click the Search for Samples tab (if it is not open by default).
- You can search for names or attributes in the search box. Click Search.
- Click Show Filters to see a set of selectors for filtering to find the samples you want. Options:
- Of Sample Type
- Created by
- From Parent
- Date Range From/To
- Make selections for some or all filters, then click Search. This will populate the search results in a grid below the filter section.
- Scroll, or use the omnibox to sort and filter to find desired samples.
- You can also change the Filters above the grid and click Search again if you haven't found what you need.
- Check the boxes for the samples you want to include. Once samples are selected, the "Add to Job" button will be activated.
- Click Add to Job.
Now, if you click the
Included Samples tab, you will see the samples you added. You can return to
Search for Samples again if you need to add more.
Attach Files
Click the
Attach Files section to open the final wizard panel. You can drag and drop to upload any files needed for the job. For example, an SOP document or other instructions related to the job could be included here.
Any files you upload will be listed; if you need to delete one, click the
to remove it.
Finish Creating Job
Before finishing job creation, consider whether you want to make this job available as a template for creating similar future jobs.
Creating a template from a job is offered only during initial job creation.
- Click Finish Creating Job to start the job without creating a template.
- Use the dropdown menu option Save as Template and Start Job to create a template and start this job.
You will see the job overview. Note the tabs along the top edge for viewing
Tasks, Samples, Assays, and Files in addition to the
Overview.
Create Template from Job
As you finish creating a job, you could select either one of two alternate ways to save the job as a template.
- Save as Template
- Save as Template and Start Job
Either of these options will turn the task sequence you just created into a template that can be used to create future similar jobs. In a popup, you will name the template and provide an optional description.
Note that you can only create a template during initial job creation - once the job has been started, you cannot generate a template from it.
Learn more about creating job templates in this topic:
Create a Job Template
Create Job From Template
You can create a job from a template you have already saved, with or without the preselection of samples. Creating a job from a template follows the same wizard process, but the description, tasks, and other details are preconfigured.
- At the top of the job creation page, click Choose Job Template.
- Select the template from the dropdown - typing ahead will narrow the options.
- Click Choose Template.
A banner message will confirm the selection, and the template tasks and files will be prepopulated in the job wizard. You can click
Remove in the banner to remove the template if desired.
Add Job Details and Priority
The template does not prepopulate the
Job Details and Priority panel; complete it as when you are creating a job without a template
as described above.
Define Job Tasks
The job tasks from the template are prepopulated in the job creation wizard. You can assign these to users.
By default, the task names and assays are read only. If you want to make changes in the tasks, click
Edit Tasks and edit using the same interface as when you create tasks without a template.
Complete Wizard
When you are defining a job starting from a template, the sections to
Assign Samples and
Attach Files are the same as
above for creating a job that did not start from a template.
When you have completed all the sections of the job creation wizard, you have the same options for finishing as described
above. Your new job created from a template can be used to create a new template, just be sure to give that new template a new name.
Jobs that were created from templates show the template name on the Overview tab of the job details. Click the job name to open the job details, then click the template name to open the template itself.
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