In Clarity LIMS, a workflow is a set of protocols arranged in a sequence that corresponds to the way in which work is performed in the lab. This page explain how to create and configure your workflow.
After protocols are created and configured, add them to workflows that represent how samples move through your lab.
In Clarity LIMS, use the Lab Work configuration screen to view, add, and configure the workflows used in the lab. For an overview of this screen, see #lab-work-overview.
To access the Lab Work tab and configure workflows, the Configuration:update permission is required. By default, only the Administrator role has this permission. For details, see User Roles and Configured Role-Based Permissions.
The Lab Work screen provides an at-a-glance view of all workflows configured in the LIMS, along with the protocols and steps they contain. You can quickly see which workflows are active, which are archived, and which do not yet have protocols assigned to them.
To view workflow details:
On the main menu, select Configuration.
Select the Lab Work tab.
In the Workflows list, select a workflow to highlight it.
The Protocols list updates to show all protocols included in the workflow. These are highlighted and displayed sequentially at the top of the list. A dashed line separates these workflow protocols from the comprehensive list of all protocols in the system.
The Steps list updates, highlighting the steps included in the highlighted protocols.
The Master Steps list updates, highlighting the master steps on which the highlighted steps are based.
Note: You can also select a protocol, step, or master step to view the related workflows.
Below the main navigation panel, review the workflow configuration form. This displays the name of the workflow and its status.
The status of a workflow may be Pending, Active, or Archived. The following table provides an overview of each status setting and describes the implications of each.
The following section shows how to add a workflow to the LIMS and add protocols to it. When configuring workflows, keep the following in mind:
You are not required to add protocols immediately. If you prefer, you can create empty Pending workflows and assign protocols to them later.
You can only activate a Pending workflow if it contains at least one protocol.
When adding protocols to a workflow, reordering protocols within a workflow, or removing protocols from a workflow, your changes are autosaved. You do not have to select Save after every modification.
You cannot add empty protocols to a workflow. The protocol must include steps.
On the Lab Work configuration screen, in the upper-right corner of the Workflow list, select Add.
Below the main navigation panel, the workflow configuration form displays.
To begin, type a name for your new workflow.
Select Save.
The workflow is saved in a Pending state, and displays in the Workflow list of the main navigation panel.
In the Workflow list, select the workflow.
In the Protocol list, locate the first protocol to include and select Add.
The protocol is added to the workflow and displays at the top of the Protocol list. The 1 indicates that this is the first protocol in the workflow.
Repeat step 2 until you have added all required protocols to the workflow.
To remove a protocol from the workflow, select its Remove button.
Drag and drop to reorder protocols within the workflow.
To drag and drop on a mobile or touch-screen device, touch and hold the item you wish to drag. After a moment, the item appears to lift off the page and its color changes to white. You can then drag the item and drop it into its new position.
To view or modify a protocol, select the protocol to display its configuration form below the main navigation pane.
You can now save the workflow as a Pending workflow.
- or -
Select Activate to use this workflow immediately.
NOTE: After you activate a workflow, you cannot modify or delete it.
On the Lab Work configuration screen, in the Workflow list, select the Pending workflow to modify or activate.
Make your changes and select Save to save the workflow as a Pending workflow.
-or-
Select Activate to change the workflow status to Active and begin using the workflow.
When modifying or activating workflows, keep the following in mind:
You cannot activate empty workflows.
You can only modify a workflow while it remains in the Pending state. That is:
You cannot add a protocol to an Active or Archived workflow.
You cannot remove a protocol from an Active or Archived workflow.
You cannot rename or reorder protocols in an Active or Archived workflow.
You cannot delete protocols included in Active or Archived workflows.
While you cannot delete workflows after they have been activated, you can archive them. This makes them temporarily unavailable for use in the lab. You can reactivate an Archived workflow at any time.
To archive a workflow:
On the Lab Work configuration screen, in the Workflow list, select the Active workflow to archive.
In the Workflow Settings area, select Archive. Select Save.
To reactivate an archived workflow:
On the Lab Work configuration screen, in the Workflow list, select the Archived workflow to reactivate.
In the Workflow Settings area, select Activate. Select Save.
On the Lab Work configuration screen, in the Workflow list, select the pending workflow to delete.
On the workflow configuration form, select Delete.
Confirm the workflow deletion:
To proceed with the deletion, select Delete.
To cancel the deletion, select Cancel.
You can only delete a workflow while the workflow remains in the Pending state. You cannot delete Active or Archived workflows.
| Status | What It Means in the Lab | Configuration Implications |
|---|---|---|
Active
These workflows are currently in use - or available for use - in the system.
Samples can be assigned to these workflows so that lab scientists can work on them in Lab View.
Active workflow cannot be modified or deleted.
Protocols in an Active workflow cannot be reordered.
Protocols in an Active workflow can be modified or deleted, and modify their steps.
Active workflow can be made unavailable for use by changing its status to Archived. Samples that are currently queued or in progress for the workflow can complete it, but new samples cannot be added.
When a workflow in Active state is saved, it can only transition to the Archived state.
Pending
These workflows have not yet been activated.
These workflows are not available for use in the lab.
These workflows do not display in Lab View.
Samples cannot be added to these workflows from the Projects and Samples screen.
Pending workflows can be modified, for example, by renaming them, or by adding, modifying, or removing, modifying protocols.
Pending workflows can be activated.
Archived
These workflows are currently not in use in the system.
These workflows do not display in Lab View.
Samples cannot be added to these workflows from the Projects and Samples screen.
Samples that are currently queued or in progress for an Archived workflow can complete it.
After a workflow is saved in Archived state, it can only transition to the Active state.
An Archived workflow cannot be modified or deleted.
In an Archived workflow, protocols cannot be reordered.