Keeping a Research Batch and Lot Log
A research batch and lot log should let you trace an assay result back to the container, the supplier’s lot code and the report you relied on. Give each container its own identifier, even when several vials arrive with the same supplier lot.
Minimum fields
| Field | What belongs in it |
|---|---|
| Supplier and product | Trading name and exact material description |
| Supplier lot | Identifier copied from the container |
| Internal container ID | Your identifier for that individual container |
| Receipt date | When your organisation received it |
| Quantity or presentation | Container size and the stated quantity basis |
| Document reference | Report/specification identifier, version and file location |
| Storage location | Your location reference, with applicable instruction reference |
| Current status | Your recorded acceptance, hold, use or depletion status |
| Research record | Experiment, assay or project reference |
| Change history | Date, person and reason for corrections or status changes |
Keep the report itself, its version and a stable file reference in the log. Record who checked the match and when. If a certificate is missing, use the document retrieval guide and mark the request as outstanding until the correct record arrives.
One lot, two containers
In this fictional receiving example, DEMO-C01 and DEMO-C02 both carry supplier lot DEMO-LA. A lot-level report can be linked to both containers. If only DEMO-C02 arrives with a damaged seal, enter that observation against DEMO-C02 and record the laboratory’s decision for it.
A later delivery, DEMO-C03, carries lot DEMO-LB. Open a new lot entry and link its own report when received. The product name may be identical across all three containers. Their receipt status and document history remain separately traceable.
| Container ID | Supplier lot | Document and receipt entry |
|---|---|---|
| DEMO-C01 | DEMO-LA | Link the report for LA. Enter this container’s receipt observation. |
| DEMO-C02 | DEMO-LA | Link the same applicable report. Record the seal concern on this container. |
| DEMO-C03 | DEMO-LB | Request the report for LB and record its arrival and review separately. |
Correct a record without losing its history
If a report is replaced, retain the original file reference, the new revision and the reason for the change. If a lot code was mistyped, record the value as entered, the corrected value, the date and who checked it against the label.
For a working sample, add the preparation or aliquot ID to the source container’s entry. Test the log by choosing one assay result and following it back to a single vial and the applicable document. Record any missing link in that chain before relying on the result.
Build the log around your records
Use lot numbers and traceability to distinguish a supplier identifier from a local one. The batch report library provides the route to request a record. For a new lot of a familiar material, use batch-to-batch comparison.
Link the preparation record and aliquot and freeze–thaw history to the source container. Keep any future lot-reservation request in the purchasing record. The research guides cover related receiving and calculation questions.
Supporting checks
| Resource | Why open it |
|---|---|
| Batch Reports and Certificate Library | Request the document for the relevant product and lot. |
| Research Tools | Check which record and calculation resources are available. |