To create a protocol  click “New Protocol” to open  the protocol editor (Figure 4). 


Figure 4: Protocol creation editor in Enhanced LaB Execution.


The editor view is separated into four areas: On the left-hand side you find the Building Blocks, the middle area contains “Protocol Metadata” and the canvas, and on the right-hand side you can see the “Workbench”.


Building Blocks

A Building Block is the smallest unit to build and create a protocol in Enhanced LaB Execution. 

Building blocks contain the basic instructions for a laboratory procedure. The actions will be defined by completing the input and output field of the corresponding building block. The latter are categorized by their functions (“Pipet”, “Centrifuge”, “Other”, “Analyze”, “Mix”, “Incubate”, “Capture Eluate”).




Optional Fields

You can add additional parameters to each building blocks on the canvas using Optional Fields (blue-marked section in Figure 4 and  Figure 5). Select the building block on the canvas and expand the blue menu on the lower left side of the protocol editor. Frequently used optional fields already prepopulated by default and can be removed, if required. “Hints” and “Instructions” are free text fields that can be used to enter additional laboratory instruction for up to 250 characters. Once added to a specific building block, they will be displayed during the execution of the workflow.



Protocol Metadata

This area can be used to enter information about the current protocol. You must enter a unique name in the title field (Figure 4).


Workbench

In this area, all the materials and labwares that are used in the protocol are automatically listed and tracked as bricks. You can rename and reuse these bricks. Under Outputs you can define the output labware by dragging and dropping bricks from the labwares area (Figure 4).


Canvas

On the canvas you can add and arrange building blocks via drag and drop to create a protocol.


To delete an individual building block (Figure 5, 2) or a cluster of groups (Figure 5, 1) select the desired items and drag and drop them to the trashcan symbol (Figure 5, 3) in the lower corner of the canvas.

Figure 5: Protocol section in Enhanced LaB Execution.



5.2.1 Creating an Enhanced LaB Execution protocol 


General information:

The information in the protocol editor refers to a sample number of 1. The desired number of samples is specified later during the workflow planning. The information will scale accordingly.



To create a protocol:

  1. Click on the Protocols tab.
  2. Click on New Protocol +. Then the protocol editor opens.
  3. Enter a unique name in the mandatory Title field.
  4. Select a Protocol Type. The protocol will be saved under the respective type in the protocol library.
  5. If required, limit the range of valid samples  to be processed within this protocol during the workflow planning phase (see chapter 6). Please note, that this has no impact on the protocol content itself.
  6. If required, fill out the remaining fields in Protocol Metadata. 

Input Sample Type field is automatically applied to the initial sample in the Workbench area. This initial sample represents the first labware and is indicated by a drop symbol.


  1. Add and arrange building blocks on the canvas via drag and drop. 
  2. Add additional parameters to the building blocks on the canvas using Optional Fields.

(See chapter 5.2 on page 9.)

  1. Complete all input fields according to the placeholder text displayed for each field.
  • Materials are entered as free text. All the substances used in the current protocol are listed as bricks under Materials.
  • All the labware used in the current protocol are listed as bricks under Labwares. Labware bricks are generated by building blocks with a test tube symbol, e.g., as in the case of Transfer. The number of labwares will scale automatically with the number of samples defined during the subsequent workflow planning. Bricks can be reused during protocol design. They can be renamed on the Workbench. The name must be unique.


  • In the building block Document Material, additional information on the material used can be defined. Drag and drop one or more material bricks from the workbench into the corresponding input field and select the parameter that should be captured during the execution of this protocol form the optional field menu. The user will be forced to capture the information in the corresponding step during the workflow execution (chapter 7 on page 21). This information is displayed in the Materials section in the Workflow Documentation.


  • Materials and labware defined during protocol design on the canvas are automatically tracked as bricks on the Workbench.


  • Output labware can be defined by dragging and dropping existing labware bricks into the Outputs field. At least one labware brick must be marked as output labware to make it available for consecutive protocols in a workflow, see chapter 5.2/workbench and chapter 5.3 (Creating a workflow).


  • Bricks can be reused during protocol design. They can be renamed on the Workbench. The name must be unique.


  1. Click on Save to confirm all entries.


To prevent erroneous entries, an automated protocol validation is performed. You can save protocols at any state but use only valid protocols for further processing.


The protocol is listed under the Protocols tab in the library under the corresponding protocol type.


5.2.2 Editing a protocol


Prerequisite

• The Protocols & Workflows is open.


  1. Click on the Protocols tab.
  2. Select the protocol you wish to edit from the library.
  3. Click on Edit.


The protocol editor opens.


  1. Change the entries according to your wishes.
  2. Click on Save to confirm all entries.


To prevent erroneous entries, an automated protocol validation is performed. You can save protocols at any state but use only valid protocols for further processing.


The protocol is listed under the Protocols tab in the library under the corresponding protocol type.


5.2.3 Copying and deleting a protocol


Figure 6: Copy and Edit buttons (red square) in Enhanced LaB Execution.


  1. Click on the Protocols tab.
  2. Select the protocol you wish to copy from the library.
  3. Click on Copy (Figure 6).  ® The protocol editor opens.
  4. The prefix Copy of will be added to the name in the Title field.
  5. If required, change entries.
  6. Click on Save to confirm all entries.


To delete a protocol click “Delete”. Confirm the deletion and click “Yes, delete” to permanently delete the selected file (Figure 6).



Important:

Please note, that an accidently deleted protocol cannot be restored from the database. 

For record keeping please use the export function button as depicted in Figure 6.


To prevent erroneous entries, an automated protocol validation is performed. You can save protocols at any state, but only valid protocols can be used for further processing.


The protocol is listed under the Protocols tab in the library under the corresponding protocol type.



5.2.4 Import and export of protocols


To import or export an already existing protocol please press the “Export” or “Import” button as depicted in Figure 6 in the lower part of the screen. Afterwards, the user must select a protocol from a specific directory.