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Products Overview

"Why do I need Aspen LIMS?"

Because you are looking for a solution. A solution to the problems you face every day in your lab. How to do more with less How to reduce labor costs and errors at the same time How to meet regulatory requirements How to enforce standard operating procedures How to share laboratory information with other departments How to keep up with constant change and growth.

The Telecation family of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) can manage your data better, so you can better manage your lab. With one of our Aspen LIMS, the process of sample login, tracking and reporting becomes far more efficient and accurate. Your staff will work smarter, not harder.

Aspen LIMS directs the flow of large volumes of data, providing instant access to the information you need. A configurable design allows you to add functions as your needs change. Aspen LIMS quickly and easily adapts, with built-in flexibility that lets you continue working with familiar terms, reports, forms and procedures.

An intelligent interface between your instrumentation and Aspen LIMS greatly reduces labor costs and practically eliminates transcription errors. Additionally, Aspen LIMS provides complete and accurate documentation of all data changes and historical information needed to comply with regulatory agency guidelines.

Aspen LIMS provides one solution for all your laboratory information needs. Brochures specific to various industries are available for download from the Literature area of this website. The brochure will provide an overview of the Aspen LIMS solution, its benefits, and decribes the major functions of Aspen LIMS as they apply to that industry, including:

• Customizable, flexible data entry
• Interfacing to virtually any instrument
• Fast, flexible, easy report generation
• Flexible data security for greater ease of use
• Comprehensible audit trail for timely, accurate response to regulatory inquiries
• Database flexibility and sharing
• Easy integration within your corporate computing environment
• Open system design

Easy data entry in the format that's right for you.

"We have many differenty types of test results. How can these results be stored in a LIMS?"

Aspen LIMS works the way you want it to. You won't have to fit your work procedures to its format. Entering test results is particularly easy.

Exact Storage of Results: With Aspen LIMS you can enter a wide variety of result types, including "less than","greater than" and "pass/fail" menu observations - as well as the usual numeric result types. You can even enter results that are observations in the form of a picture!

Rules-Based Results: This extremely powerful feature lets you closely tailor your LIMS to your lab's specific ways of operating. You can define rules for each result entry field, to determine how the results will be interpreted. And you can easily and flexibly define requirements for text, numbers and allowable text.

Significant Figures: Significant figure enforcement is built into Aspen LIMS. You may define the number of significant figures and/or set number of decimal places for each field. Aspen LIMS will then check the results to ensure that they are reported to the desired number of significant figures.

Intelligent two-way instrument interfacing helps save time and improve productivity.

"Can I transfer data from instruments directly to the LIMS?"

It is easy to connect an instrument to a computer and transfer data to a database. The real benefit for laboratories is the communication between instrument and computer, turning data into useful information.

One or two-way communication with Virtually Any Instrument: From simple connections of pH meters and balances to complex integration with spectrophometers, autoanalyzers, and chromatography data systems we have tools to enable virtually any laboratory instrument to achieve one or two-way communication with your Aspen LIMS database.

Data Transfer Saves Time and Increases Accuracy: Intelligent instrument interfacing is the key to successful laboratory automation. Automatic data acquisition reduces operator and transcription errors, increases the accessibility of sample data and frees up valuable time for laboratory personnel to pursue other important laboratory activities.

Ease and speed for generating standard or custom reports.

"We constantly get requests for different reports. How will Aspen LIMS help me meet these requests?"

Aspen LIMS includes a wealth of capabilities to make report writing easy, fast and accurate. You can use text and graphics, and easily create reports as needed.

Ad-Hoc Reports: Creating reports as needed is fast and easy with Aspen LIMS. For management use, QC or similar purposes, Aspen LIMS Ad-Hoc Report Writer offers a convenient windowed interface that lets you select any or all database fields, queries, and formats. Even novice users can create a report in minutes.

Powerful, Highly Flexible Report Writer: For more complex reporting, Aspen LIMS provides report generation using the capabilities of either Microsoft Access or Crystal Reports. Each of these report writers' procedural language eases the task of revising report formats and makes running reports particularly easy. For example, you can run a report by selecting that report from a user-definable menu. In addition, Aspen LIMS ships with over 120 reports which can be used "as is" or used as templates for user modification.

Graphics: You can create plots, line, bar, scatter diagrams and others, defining the labels and colors as needed. Also, include pictures, logos, and other images on any report or graphics.

Effective security and auditing features for regulatory compliance.

"How will Aspen LIMS help us ensure data security and comply when regulatory agencies ask to see all changes to test results?"

Aspen LIMS provides the most security features of any commercial LIMS system. You may enable or disable security features as required for a given application. A user may be given access to any combination of Aspen LIMS functions, and he or she will be able to access only those which are allowed.

Sample Audit Trails: Aspen LIMS also maintains a comprehensive audit trail for all information. It creates a complete list of all changes made to a sample's information, including date, time and user, as well as previous and new results. With Aspen's "high level" of audit, users are also prompted to give a reason for each change. You can recall this information at any time for inspection or reporting.

Security: Aspen LIMS uses an ID table to assign security as appropriate to a user's function. For example, you may configure Aspen LIMS so that a user may test and enter test results, but not approve a sample.

Fast, easy response to changing laboratory needs.

"There's always something new at our lab. Will I be able to modify Aspen LIMS quickly and easily as my lab changes?"

Aspen LIMS was designed to respond to change.

User-Defined Screens: Using Microsoft Access you can modify Aspen LIMS screens. You can easily design screens that have functions and text specific to your laboratory's needs. This flexibility makes Aspen LIMS exceptionally easy to use.

User-Defined Functionality: You may use MS Access to define and label special function buttons, icons and menu options that appear on your screen. They provide single-keystroke access to your most commonly used functions, or to special functionality required by your lab. Virtually any command, program, or reports may be attached to this menu, button, or icon.

User-Defined Database: You may use the exceptional flexibility of Aspen LIMS to add or delete fields in the database as needed. In addition, you may create completely new tables or "attach" to tables present in other user applications.

Automatic data transfer for seamless information sharing.

"Will Aspen LIMS share information with other systems in my company?"

We have provided multiple ways to communicate Aspen LIMS data to your corporate database. As an Aspen LIMS user, you will receive full documentation of the Aspen LIMS database definitions. In addition, Aspen Enterprise LIMS users receive scripts for Oracle and SQL Server that not only document by create the triggers, stored procedures, tables and fields. Your MIS professionals can use these to create their own "front end" to the Aspen LIMS database.

Partnerships: Telecation maintains partnerships with leading software and hardware vendors to assume proper communication between Aspen LIMS and third-party products. These partnerships have enabled Telecation to provide solutions for customers who need inter-system communication.

Your corporate MIS standard is Aspen LIMS standard.

"It is increasingly important for our lab's data to be integrated with the corporate computing environment. This often means Microsoft Access, MS SQL Server or Oracle. Does Aspen LIMS support these databases?"

Telecation has worked closely with both Microsoft and Oracle to develop our Aspen family of LIMS. Aspen LIMS was defined to provide exceptional performance for smaller laboratories wishing to use Microsoft Access as their LIMS database of choice. With Aspen Enterprise LIMS, you have the flexibility to use either the Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle relational database. Support of these two databases allows your MIS department to work with your laboratory in a familiar, industry-standard, distributed-database environment, helping to improve productivity.

Simple Configuration: Aspen LIMS provides a predefined database structure so that your laboratory doesn't require a database administrator to install and implement the LIMS. Aspen Enterprise LIMS features powerful tools in the form of special installation scripts which allow a user not familiar with either Oracle or SQL Server to easily build the LIMS database structure. Aspen Enterprise LIMS gives you the power of Oracle or SQL Server without having to understand complex SQL commands.

Direct Read/Write Access: Aspen and Aspen Enterprise LIMS places no special restrictions on use of the LIMS database. Direct access is allowed by incorporating the database security. In fact, it is possible to mix and match user-defined screens and programs with Aspen LIMS screens on one active system. Your MIS department may utilize any standard SQL tool to access the LIMS data.

Error Prevention: Aspen Enterprise LIMS utilizes "referential integrity" and "stored procedures" to prevent errors from occurring when you or MIS enter data or alter database structures.

Easy Database Changes: Every software system evolves. Over time, you will need to make changes to not only your database but also the LIMS screens, such as adding tables, adding fields, modifying screens, or even adding user-defined programs. Telecation's "open LIMS" approach enables you or MIS to make these changes quickly and easily, without the need for expensive consultants or even returning to the LIMS vendors to make these changes.

If improved productivity and efficiency are important for your laboratory, Telecation can offer a comprehensive LIMS solution. Our core LIMS products, Aspen and Aspen Enterprise LIMS, provide a uniquely flexible and configurable combination of connectivity, ease of use, convenience and modularity for affordable growth. To learn more how our Aspen LIMS family of products can work for your specific requirements, please contact Telecation for more information.