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Purchasing Guide

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Lab Manager

Purchasing Guide: Informatics

Laboratory informatics can be used to manage inventory, keep track of maintenance schedules,and more

by Lab Manager
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Laboratory informatics can be used to manage inventory, keep track of maintenance schedules, maintain staff training records, monitor instrument status, and store valuable experimental data. Many companies offer easy-to-use, innovative solutions in addition to custom, so you have the exact capabilities you need. For a list of informatics manufacturers, see our online directory: LabManager.com/informatics-manufacturers

7 Questions to Ask When Buying Laboratory Informatics Solutions:

  1. What functions do you need from your informatics solutions?
  2. How many users require access to the software?
  3. What kind of security and user access control features do you require?
  4. Can the vendor work with you to configure the software to fit your exact needs?
  5. Can the software be scaled up as your needs grow?
  6. Will the software integrate with the instruments in your lab or software already in use?
  7. What support and training are available from the vendor?

Scalable Inventory Management

Unless you’re a small research team with only a few instruments, chances are your lab has outgrown Excel for managing inventory. Dedicated inventory management platforms not only foster scalability, they also streamline communication and offer automation. Learn more here: LabManager.com/inventory-management-software

Always Have a Backup Plan

Integrate the files associated with your informatics platforms into your lab’s data backup plan. At minimum, you should have a dedicated onsite backup location (e.g., a server with a high data capacity) and an offsite solution, such as a cloud-based backup service provider.