LIMS - Sample Forms

Table of Contents

Purpose

The Sample Forms page is used set up forms used in the Sample Tracking process. Sample and Specimen forms are configurable and used in the field when gathering samples that will be tested in the lab.

MetaField DIY Library for Integrated Sample Forms

Several Integrated Sample Forms are available for use. They can be used "as is" or they can be customized to your business needs. Sample Forms are associated with a Material. Only one Material can be assigned to a Sample form. However, multiple Sample Forms can be assigned to the same Material.

Sample forms will have, at a minimum, the following (fixed) system fields on them:

Field	Description
Sample Number	System-assigned unique number
Technician	Name of the technician gathering the sample
Sample Date	Date the sample was gathered
Lab Instructions	Grid to define the lab tests that should be performed
Specimens	Sub-form to add specimens to the overall sample See the Specimen Forms section below

Specimen Forms

The Specimen Forms area is where configurable specimen forms are created and maintained. Specimen forms become sub-forms of the Sample form. When a Sample form is added in Administration, a related Specimen form is automatically created.

Specimen forms will have, at a minimum, the following (fixed) system fields on them:

Field	Description
Specimen Number	System-assigned specimen number Starts at 1 for each different sample
Specimen Size	Size of the specimen Specimen sizes configured in Administration
Picked Up By	Who picked the specimen up to deliver it to the lab
Pickup Date	Date the specimen was picked up
Pickup Time	Time the specimen was picked up
Pickup Comment	General comments related to the pickup
Checked In By	Who checked the specimen into the lab
Check In Date	Date specimen was checked into the lab
Check In Time	Time specimen was checked into the lab
Check In Comment	General comments related to the check in
Lab	Lab the specimen was checked into
Received Date	Date the lab received the specimen into their workflow
Received Time	Time the lab received the specimen into their workflow
Received By	Who received the specimen into the lab workflow
Tests	Sub-form to add tests to the specimen See LIMS - Tests Forms

The universal Form Designer is used to configure specimen forms. Information on the Form Designer can be found here - Form Designer.

Adding a New Form

To add a Form select the Add Form button. Enter the Form name, an optional description and choose Save.

When the form is added, the system fields noted above will default into your Form. These fields are required by the system and you will not be able to remove them. You may change the field label that will be presented to your users.

Assigning a Material to a Sample Form

A Material must be assigned to a Sample Form in order for the system to pair the appropriate tests in the Lab Instructions section. To assign a Material, first open the sample form in Form Designer by selecting the link in the Name column.

Once the sample form is opened, select Form Settings. The Sample Material value will default to "To Assign". Select the edit icon and update the value to the appropriate Material. The list of materials available to select is maintained in Administration within General > Material. See the General - Material help page for more information.

Optional Sample Form Settings

along with assigning a Material to a Sample form, the following are other option settings that can be applied:

Form Setting	Description
Allow WBS	Short for Work Breakdown Structure Allows the specifications of the WBS levels within the Billing Cost section of DIY forms If "Require WBS" is checked, then at least the first WBS level must be entered before saving the form
Bypass LIMS Test Assignment	Allows the system to bypass the Tests To Assignment workflow step in the LIMS queues Can be set at the Sample Type level for Sample forms with the CGM Sample Specification form setting
Capture Costs	Turns on the ability to capture field costs that are associated with the form record Form specific costs can be added in the form settings after enabling "Capture Costs".
CGM Default Test	Selected test form defaults in the Test pick list inside the Lab Instructions data grid User can only see / select tests where the material for the test matches the material for the sample form
CGM Sample Specification	Requires the user to pick a CGM Sample Type Creates input fields for Location, Supplier, Plant, and Mix Design Creates a specification section containing CGM specification fields based on the sample type
Dashboard - Behaves like Discrete	If this setting is NOT applied, all Forms will show in the Activity PM Tile on the Home Screen If this setting IS Applied - the Form with this Form Setting will appear in the "Field Testing" and "Lab Testing" tiles.
Geotechnical - Boring Sample	Not available yet in Prod (as of 03/14/25). This setting will add System Fields used for Boring Log forms.
Hide Scheduling Prompt	Turns off the scheduling & dispatch specimen retrieval message. Useful for samples that are collected and taken from the job site right away (e.g., collect a bag a soil that you are bringing back to the lab for testing)
LIMS Search Results	Allows user to select which columns appear in LIMS when pushing through a Sample Form
One Specimen Sample	Tells the system that the sample will only have one specimen (controls are removed that allow users to add additional specimens in Field & QC)
Prevent Edits in Field - 1 Plus Specimens Checked In	If one Specimen or more is checked in, Field will no longer see this Sample to prevent them from making changes.
QC Search Results	Configures columns that display in QC grid when you filter the grid in QC to a specific form
Specimen Sizes	Controls the specimen size options in the Specimens section on the Sample Form. For more information, see LIMS - Specimen Sizes.
Subcategory	Assigns a Subcategory to the Form – this is used in Forms Store and Forms Library so this appears in the table under Subcategory. It's more for Internal use.
Turn Off Specimen Retrieval	Turns off the scheduling & dispatch specimen retrieval message. Useful for samples that are collected and taken from the job site right away (e.g., collect a bag a soil that you are bringing back to the lab for testing)

Creating a New Form from an Existing Form

You have the option of copying an existing Form to create a new Form. When copying a Form, Fields and Field attributes are copied; as well as the Report settings.

To copy a form, follow the steps below.

Step	Description	Example
1.	Find the Form you want to copy and choose the copy icon.
2.	Copy Form dialogue will open. Enter the new form Name and optionally provide a Description. Select Save.

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