Excel Interface

When importing formatted analysis results such as “< 0.1” and “ND” from Excel it is not uncommon to encounter an “Invalid result” status. Formatted analysis results can be imported from Excel. However, it is important to review how LIMS...

One distinct advantage to an LIMS Full System license is the ability to customize any LIMS report. If you want to alter the layout of a report, you can simply make a copy of the system report, use the Access report design surfaces to mak...

LIMS’ integrated Excel interface is a powerful tool. Exporting LIMS data to your own Excel export template is a dynamic method to control the presentation of your data. However, when something goes wrong, troubleshooting Excel’s often cr...

Is it possible to [automatically create] an Excel spreadsheet with a certain range editable by the client? We were trying the attached template. However, all cells could be edited instead of certain cells. The cells to be edited are unde...

When you use MSC-LIMS’ Excel interface to calculate and import analytical results, you should be aware of the difference between a cell’s actual stored value, and the numbers displayed in the cell. One MSC-LIMS user called us recently wi...

While querying samples is often the most effective method to locate specific samples for most tasks, occasionally using a sample pick list is convenient.

LIMS’ Excel interface is widely used to import final results and to export LIMS data. A main benefit of the Excel interface is reducing or eliminating duplicate data entry. If your customers or users already submit sample information ele...

Q: “I need to import our customers into a newsletter application on our new website in something like a CSV file but apparently I can also do it from a table within a database. Can you tell me how I can export our customer details into a...

New users implementing LIMS to automate their former paper-based records management often want a report equivalent to their original sample logbook. While a user-defined report (UDR) in LIMS is one solution, an Excel template offers bett...

LIMS includes four container label styles to print sample container labels at sample login. All four label styles are sized to fit 30252 (1” x 3.5”) address labels on inexpensive Dymo LabelWriter printers. Two of the four label styles in...

Whether you are trying to solve a cell’s #NAME? or #VALUE! error or you just want to understand a lengthy cell formula, Excel’s ‘Evaluate Formula’ feature is a very helpful tool. Let’s look at a couple of examples.

We all learn something new every day. You are probably aware that it is easy to export data from any LIMS report to Excel. But did you know you can also quickly export data from some screens to Excel?

Q: [In the] workstation configuration screen, when I select folders and the import and export templates browse button there are no excel files to choose from but I know they are in those directories.

Q: “Where is the best place to put a note on an export template such as ‘BDL-Below Detection Limit’?”

Q: “Currently our IT has control over user permissions. Since Admin status is the only one who can map the directory of export and import templates locations in the network, is there an alternative so that all users can access the templa...

“The results reported in my excel spreadsheet and those imported into LIMS don’t seem to be matching up. The problem seems to be caused by that value being produced by an equation. When I delete the equation and just enter in a number it...

Unless you are proficient with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros in Excel you should only create new Excel templates used with LIMS by copying an existing template file. All Excel templates used with LIMS must be in Excel 97-200...

The example Excel export templates installed with LIMS use formulas to display LIMS data on a report worksheet. Some of the formulas may be lengthy and difficult to comprehend. If you need to modify one of these formulas, wonder why your...

This article describes the procedures necessary to interface Dupont/Qualicon’s BAX® DNA-based detection instrument (hereinafter “BAX”) with the LIMS software.

Q: “In the large black block of space under the test results (merged cells at C35), I would like to drop text in from LIMSData!S2. Is it as simple as typing =LIMSData!S2 in the template?”

A custom created Excel barcode does not print

A user modifying an Excel export template recently asked:

A user developing an Excel final report template with calculations asked:

LIMS’ integrated Excel interface allows importing analysis results from Excel into both the Results by Analyte and Results by Sample screens. Result values, result types (i.e. short pre-defined text), and a combination of result type and...

“I had to reinstall Excel 2010 on one of the LIMS computers but now I am having trouble exporting reports. The excel template opens but is not transferring all the data.”

Recently, a user submitted this question:

If you are a new LIMS user or new to Excel-based reporting with LIMS, this article will get you started using Excel templates. LIMS includes many internal system reports such as the Analyte Comparison, Sample Summary, Work Order, and Inv...

When you use Spreadsheet | New to initialize an Excel template from the results by sample screen, the data exported to the template’s LIMSData worksheet does not include sample characteristics. This article describes the steps necessary...

When you export data from a LIMS report, only the data from the report’s underlying recordset is exported to the Excel template’s LIMSData worksheet. This article describes the steps necessary to retrieve and display data from a LIMS rep...

In addition to the LIMSData worksheet, an Excel template used with LIMS’ Excel interface may include several worksheets used to produce a final report. Analysis data, lookup table, pivot table, and customer data worksheets are examples o...

Since Microsoft Word can use an Excel file as a mail merge data source and LIMS can export report data to Excel, Word mail merges can be performed with data maintained in the LIMS. This article describes the steps necessary to perform ma...

When exporting data from an LIMS report to an Excel template, cell formats unexpectedly change when the final report worksheet is displayed.

Exporting data from LIMS to Excel using LIMS’ Excel Interface is a powerful means to gather and analyze LIMS data. You can use the Excel Interface to export data from any LIMS report to an Excel template. However, when you cannot retriev...

If you have been using Excel templates to report LIMS data you are probably well aware of the power and flexibility Excel provides. Excel’s conditional formatting feature offers another technique you can use to improve the readability of...

LIMS’ integrated Excel interface has become an indispensable tool for many LIMS users. With appropriate templates, the Excel interface is widely used to create custom reports, export data to other information systems, import instrument d...

This is the third in a series of Insights articles designed to provide a better understanding of the macros used in Excel templates. In our first two installments (see “Introduction to LIMS’ Excel VBA Macros” in LIMS Insights No. 15 and...

Each LIMS sample includes fields to record the following dates and times:

Many newcomers to LIMS find the use and manipulation of Excel template files less than intuitive. This overview should alleviate any reservations and help you put your own Excel templates to use.

We frequently receive emails from users who need to get the results for one analyte across many samples into Excel.

Q: We are having a few issues with customers filling the [spreadsheet] properly for the date. Like 827/12 and it imported as 12/1/287. Is there any way to have the fields automatically demand the appropriate format to work with LIMS?

If you began using LIMS prior to version 4.0 and you use Excel templates in your implementation, it is likely that one or more of your templates include a LIMSAccessVersion setting. An improper value for the LIMSAccessVersion option in t...

Q: The AnalysisResultFormatted and AnalysisResult fields found in Excel templates that display analytical results can be a source of confusion. When do you use one vs. the other?

In “Create Electronic Data Deliverables from a Report Template” in LIMS Insights Issue 26 we saw how to create electronic data by modifying an example Excel report template. Similarly, we can create a report from an electronic data deliv...

The “Import” checkbox on the Excel Data Import form is read-only. You cannot uncheck it.