One of the most important ways to increase freezer efficiency is through creating a sample inventory that is constantly updated.
-
Common Problem:
-
Most find sample inventorying a waste of time and decreases research efficiency by adding another action item to the list of things to do.
-
-
Benefits of more attention to Sample management:
-
Saves money: By knowing how many freezers your laboratory requires, you can eliminate buying unnecessary freezers.
-
Saves energy: By Increasing freezer efficiency: With less unnecessary samples in freezers, there can be more space to circulate cold air, keeping the temperature in the freezer constant and throughout.
-
Saves time in searching for a sample: With multiple freezers in a lab, some may find it helpful to know which freezer desired sample is stored in before going to the freezer to look for it. This saves freezer energy consumption as well.
-
-
PICK AN INVENTORY METHOD:
-
Traditional inventorying using an excel spreadsheet or google sheets [FreezerChallenge]
-
Accessible to all shared members via phone and computer
-
Typically not integrated with barcode reading
-
Rely on handwritten labels, which may become hard to read or peel off through time.
-
Time investment
-
Typically Free
-
-
Mobile inventory management
-
Incorporate software to scan barcodes on labelled samples
-
With barcode labelling, a cloud-connected label printer can be integrated to eliminate legibility issues.
-
Readily accessible with real time data
-
Some upfront costs like label printer and stickers.
-
To learn more about mobile inventory management and QR codes for samples visit the FLUICS CONNECT website.
-
-
-
Please see page FREEZER CLEAN OUT for tips on how to clean out!
Here is an example table of how you may inventory your samples. A value of 10 is very valuable and a value of 1 is least valuable.
Sample Inventorying
Sample Descriptions |
Value 1-10 |
Unlabled |
0 |
Expired Sample |
1 |
Common Sample Date Unknown |
1 |
Researcher Gone, Sample Unknown |
1 |
Results Published, No Further Study Likely |
1 |
Researcher gone, More then 3 years |
1 |
Just In Case Samples, Saved As Backup But No Longer Needed |
2 |
Short Term Samples |
2 |
Researcher Gone, Valuable DNA Sample |
2 |
Sample Redundant |
2 |
Analysis Complete, Store Until Published |
3 |
Researcher Gone, Still in Contact |
3 |
Researcher Gone, Unprocessed Sample |
3 |
Most Samples converted to RTSS |
3 |
Raw Sample, Analysis Likely |
4 |
Analysis Pending |
5 |
Researcher Gone, Valuable Sample With Documentation Pending |
6 |
Valuable Series of Samples, Potential for Retro Studies |
6 |
Results Published, Likely Further Study |
7 |
Irreplaceable or Moderatly Precious Sample |
8 |
Irreplaceable And Extremely Precious For Ecological Work |
9 |
Irreplaceable And Extremely Precious For Disease Control |
10 |
Citations:
[1] Dr. Claudio Rolli, FLUICS GmbH, Munich, Germany. rolli@fluics.com