LabVantage allows you to create a storage hierarchy to track where items are stored so they can easily be located and used/tested again.  There are also more storage unit types and these can be added or configured to be parent/child types.  In the example below, we're using a hierarchy built for Des Moines QC retain room storage (Row -> Columns -> Shelves -> Boxes).


Creating the storage locations

  • Create the main storage location and initial children locations.
    1. In the LIMS Menu, go to the Storage -> Storage Explorer tramstop
    2. Click the Add button and you should see a new page to create storage units
    3. Select the Storage Unit Type and add any children you want to add at the beginning.  You can add child storage units by clicking the + icon next to the parent storage unit.  In this case, we are going to add a Row with 4 Columns.  I selected Row and clicked the + icon next to Row 4 times to add 4 children, then set those to Column.  Click Next.
    4. Enter Label and Descriptions to the storage units to be created.  Since we are creating 4 Columns, the system will automatically append an incrementing number to them (4 "Column" entries will become "Column1" through "Column 4").  Click Next.
    5. You should see a successful creation message.  Click Next again to go back to the list page showing your new parent storage unit.
  • Create any additional child locations
    1. To add additional storage locations, you can browse to where you want to be by clicking the + icon on the row for the new location or selecting it and clicking the Explore button in the toolbar.
    2. I'm going to add 3 shelves with 3 boxes on each to the first column.  to do this, I'll select the first Column then click the Add Child button.  It takes you to the same Create Storage Units page from when the parent and columns were created.  The parent type is shown.  I'll add 7 shelves with 3 boxes each.  So I'll click the + icon next to Column 7 times and add 7 shelves.  I'll also click the + icon next to each Shelf 3 times to create 3 boxes on each shelf.  Click Next.
    3. The page to set the Labels and Descriptions of each should appear.  The UnSorted Boxes are a final location that will get their own uniquely assigned Ids and you cannot set a Label for them.  Set any label and Descrioptions necessary.  In this example, there are now Max TI Allowed entries.  These are defined by the storage unit types.  A Shelf has been configured that it can have 20 items stored on each.  These can be UnSorted Box, Rack, or ArrayRack and the UnSorted Box is set to have no limit (-1).  You'll also see that the boxes have a Moveable Flag of Yes.  That means the boxes can be moved to other shelves.
    4. Click Next and you should see the successful creation message again.  Click Next to move back to the list page.  If you created a top parent storage location this time, it will show you that again on the list page.  If not, you will see a blank page.  In my case, I created only child locations with other child locations so I have to refresh the page by clicking the search button.
  • Check your storage location to confirm it's created correctly.
    1. I'm going to find my new RowB row that I created and explore it (either with the + icon on the row or select and click the Explore button)
    2. It will show a collapsed version of the hierarchy so far.  To expand a section, click the + icon.
    3. This will show all 7 shelves I just created with 3 boxes assigned to each shelf.
    4. I would now continue creating shelves and boxes for each shelf to finish the new RowB storage location.
  • Repeat as necessary until all needed storage locations (parent and child) are created.



Deleting a storage unit will also delete the child storage locations.  In this case, deleting RowB will delete all columns, shelves, and boxes as well as RowB itself.  I've stored a sample in /RowB/Column1/Shelf6/BX-00000151.


Trying to delete RowB, now that I have a sample stored in one of the related boxes, results in an error.  You can't delete storage locations that have anything stored there.



Printing box labels

  • Go to the LIMS Menu -> Storage -> Boxes tramstop
  • You can find all boxes related to your new main storage location that you've created.  Select the By Physical Store query and do the lookup.  I searched for "row" to show a list of all locations containing "row" in them.



You can also find the LabVantage documentation on the Storage Explorer here.