Chromatography Forum

How do you all record your instrument runs? Hardbound log book? Database? Word, excel?

Logbooks. It has to be paper because notations in the other media may be easily erased and the software validated.

Sewn hard-cover composition books have always served me well. They're a lot less expensive than "proper" lab notebooks, but still make it obvious if someone has torn a page out.

We went all electronic years ago. I save each instrument sequence with the instrument ID and Date in the file name and use a new one each day. All of the standards and samples are tracked through the LIMS for traceability, where all standard COA are scanned and linked to each stock standard and the LIMS keeps track of the Analysis Sequence and Preparation Batches. So much easier to sit at one computer and pull up everything the auditor wants to look at instead of running around finding logbooks.

The only thing I don't really like is the instrument maintenance logs, which are kept in Excel spreadsheets, but we are trying to get those into the LIMS also.

We went all electronic years ago. I save each instrument sequence with the instrument ID and Date in the file name and use a new one each day. All of the standards and samples are tracked through the LIMS for traceability, where all standard COA are scanned and linked to each stock standard and the LIMS keeps track of the Analysis Sequence and Preparation Batches. So much easier to sit at one computer and pull up everything the auditor wants to look at instead of running around finding logbooks.

The only thing I don't really like is the instrument maintenance logs, which are kept in Excel spreadsheets, but we are trying to get those into the LIMS also.

I keep a master log book and assign a sequential number to each standard that I prepare. I was thinking I might keep a spreadsheet of the COA information (e.g. vendor, S#, Lot#, etc) But keeping pdf scans of the COA's does have an appeal also.

I assign year,instument, and date to each run sequence and print them out after each run for binding into a log book. I like the idea of also scanning them for reference just as I already do for every COC that comes in, after I have added my lab COC number and lab sample numbers. But I don't put run log data into my data reportable because of client privacy.

I've been debating whether I can get along with regular paper lab notebooks such as $20 BookFactory Black Lab Notebook/Laboratory Notebook or have to invest 5 times the cost in the $100 Nalgene 6300-1000 Polyethylene Paper Laboratory Notebook. How picky are regulators about the paper quality?

Would anybody be kind enough to share an example of their digital logbooks? Maybe google doc template for me to view. Want to get an idea what others find useful in an excel style logbook.
My boss just asked me to create a maintenance plan and logbooks and I'm not quite sure what would be best. I want to setup the logbook with a simple title for each maintenance, frequency, and place for person to initial/date for completion.

I've been debating ... How picky are regulators about the paper quality?

Not at all. They're far more concerned with what's in them and whether they pass muster with respect to data integrity (which means that they can't be so cheap that they fall apart on their own, nobody uses any erasable ink/pencil etc.). Beyond that, they don't care what you've spent on the logs.

Wow - we didn't keep logbooks like that at all. We had Agilent ChemStore which the new pointy-haired boss didn't like, so he got a separate network installed and upgraded software to Open Lab.

After I left, I heard he went back to separate data storage stuff.

Specifically with instrument logbooks, we did have a binder which stuff like liner changes were recorded for instruments used for cGMP OTC assays.

I work in an environmental contract lab and we've never used logbooks to track instrument runs. Sequence files from MassHunter and Chemstation are considered just fine. We do use logbooks to track instrument maintenance and repairs, but we've just recently transitioned from using a folder with some bits of paper in it to a spreadsheet that's communally updated. I assume that the need to keep logs of runs is if you're in a lab that subject to more regulatory scrutiny than your average enviro lab.

Custody docs are all scanned into our LIMS as is are the processed results. Standards are logged in our inventory database (another spreadsheet) and I've just updated that with the ability to store CoA PDFs... just waiting for a bored junior staff member to scan the hundreds that are sitting in binders in a small office around the corner.

I work in an environmental lab and we've never used logbooks to track instrument runs. Sequence files from MassHunter and Chemstation are considered just fine. We do use logbooks to track instrument maintenance and repairs, but we've just recently transitioned from using a folder with some bits of paper in it to a spreadsheet that's communally updated. I assume that the need to keep logs of runs is if you're in a lab that subject to more regulatory scrutiny than your average enviro lab.

CoCs are all scanned into our LIMS as is are the processed results. Standards are logged in our inventory database (another spreadsheet) and I've just updated that with the ability to store CoA PDFs... just waiting for a bored junior staff member to scan the hundreds that are sitting in binders in a small office around the corner.

One of the reasons I really like getting standards from Restek, how easy it is to download each CoA from their website. Some other companies are pretty easy, but a few are horrible and some you just can't find the CoA at all. So much better quality than scanned ones.

All of those are stored in the LIMS attached to each entry for the standard.

Before having a LIMS with the standard log, I actually learned to make one using MS Access. It was crude but did the job. If you learn a little programming like that, even the maintenance logs can be done in a database, which overall is more secure than an Excel spreadsheet because it is easier to protect the data from intentional or unintentional changes.

Can also find a college student who is learning database programming and get them to make one for little cost.

Can also find a college student who is learning database programming and get them to make one for little cost.

Let me know if you'd be interested to collaborate on this. Judging from what you mentioned before I think I already have something close to what's needed.