Editing Containers

Container Labels

Users can generate, track, and print unique label IDs for storage and shipping containers in the containers and subcontainers of all locations, except for buildings and rooms.  Labels can be generated in the Location Editor, Subcontainers Editor, and in the Specify Shipping Container Data dialog in Requisitions.

To generate a Unique Label ID:

1. Select the container of interest and select the Edit button. Alternately, highlight multiple containers and select Edit Subcontainers.
2. In the Location Editor, select the Generate button next to the Label field or click Tools > Generate a Unique Label ID.
3. In the confirmation message, select Yes to allow system-generated labels to replace the Label for the selected rows or No to cancel the option and return to the editor.

Replace Values in Container Labels

Text strings can be automatically replaced within container labels in the Subcontainers dialog.  Using this option will only change the targeted text within the label, any other text will be left unchanged.

To change specific text within the Container Label field:

1. Select rows in the Subcontainers dialog.  Highlight multiple rows by clicking on the row numbers while holding down the Ctrl key.
2. Right click on the column header for the Container Label column to open the column header menu.
3. Select Replace Values in Label from the column header menu.  The Replace Text in Label dialog will open.
4. Enter the text that is to be replaced in the Current Text field.  The text must be entered exactly and in the correct case.
5. Enter the text that will be used to replace the existing text in the New Text field.
6. Press OK to replace the text within the Container Label field for the selected rows.  Press Cancel to exit the Replace Text in Label dialog without making any changes.

Reset Container Labels to Default

Container labels within the Subcontainers dialog can be automatically changed to the default values defined by BSI.  This option is useful when the container hierarchy represented by the label is no longer correct, for example, after containers have been moved to a new location.

To reset the container labels to default values:

1. Select rows in the Subcontainers dialog.  Highlight multiple rows by clicking on the row numbers while holding down the Ctrl key.

2. Right click on the column header for the Container Label column to open the column header menu.

3. Select Reset Labels to Default from the column header menu and then click OK.  The labels for selected rows will be changed to reflect the containers current location.

Reserve Containers for a Study

Locations can be reserved for particular studies from the location tree.

To reserve a location for a study:

1. Right click on the container you would like to reserve and select Reserve For Study.
2. The Study Location Reservation dialog appears.  Check the box next to "Apply to all subcontainers" to set all subcontainers of that container to that particular Study ID too.  If the box is not selected, the study reservation for all subcontainers will be left unchanged.  Select the ellipsis button to choose a Study ID from the Select Codes dialog. Click OK on the Select Codes dialog.  Click the OK button on the Study Location Reservation dialog to save all of the requested study reservations in the database. 

To edit or delete a location from a study:

1. Open the Study Location Reservation dialog by selecting Reserve For Study on the right-mouse button container menu and select a different study from the drop-down list to change the study or reset the field to blank to delete the reservation.  
2. Click OK to save the changes.

When a location is added to a study, a non-editable study reservation setting will be added to the Locations Editor so the reservation can be viewed.

Changing Container Dimensions

If there is a container in the Locations manager that has the incorrect container type specified, follow the applicable instructions below to modify the dimensions:

• Expanding/contracting containers with vials

• Expanding/contracting containers without vials

• Editing container dimensions in the code lists

If row/column formats of a container need to be adjusted, any user with the appropriate permissions to edit containers may do so, regardless of whether or not the container has specimens stored in it. If specimens are stored inside a container, when the formats are updated, the specimens’ row/column values are updated to match. If row/column formats may not be changed due to size limitations, an error will be displayed and you will not be able to change the formats.

Change Container Type Dimensions

If users would like to permanently change the row/column dimensions of a particular container type, then they need to edit the lkup_container_type code list.  Within the Code List Editor, users can edit the row and column dimensions of any container type. However, this functionality does not do anything to any containers of that type already created in the system.  Instead, the change only affects each container of that type created after the code list change is made.

Keep in mind, that container types listed in lkup_container_type are shared across repositories within a particular database. If a user changes the dimensions in the code list, users from all repositories on a particular database will be affected. It is most likely that users will never or should never modify the row/column dimensions in the code list, especially if a container of that type has already been created in the system. Instead, the best way to handle this would be to add a new row to the lkup_container_type code list and specify the row and column dimensions that meet user needs.

Change Dimensions of Specific Containers

It is much easier to change the size of a container when there are no specimens occupying locations within the container.

To correct the size of a container without vials:

1. Navigate to the Location Editor.

2. In the Location Editor, select the correct container from the Container Type drop-down options.

Keep in mind, changing the container type field in the Location Editor simply changes the dimensions of that particular container. Users are restricted within that category of containers when modifying container type. For example, a user may not change a container from a box to a rack or vice versa. Users can only change from one type of box to another type of box or from one type of rack to another type of rack. If a user accidentally creates a rack and meant to create a box, then they must delete the rack from the system and create a new box from scratch.

If a container has been created in Locations, but the row/column dimensions are incorrect, then it is possible to correct this.

To correct the size of a container with specimen:

1. In the Locations manager, highlight the box, either click the right mouse button and select Edit or use the Edit Container Properties icon to open the Location Editor.
2. In the Location Editor, select the correct container from the Container Type drop-down options. Click the Save icon. If none of the specimens in the container require a change in row or column assignment to fit into the new container, then the save will automatically complete.
3. If the new container type size does not accommodate all of the specimens assigned to the container, you will receive an error when trying to save it. If, the new container type accommodates the number of specimens in the container but requires a change in row or column assignment, upon trying to save the new type, you will receive a warning. Clicking OK will re-assign row and column to specimens based on the new box size, in the pattern based on your user preference. BSI pulls the specimens from the original box size in the order for your User Preferences and reassigns them to the new box layout in order of your User Preferences.

If multiple specimens are in a single location and are automatically re-assigned a row/column, they will be kept as multiple specimens together in a single location.

For example: Dr. Smith’s lab is getting new freezer racks. To maximize the number of specimens in each rack, they are changing to 7x7 boxes instead of their 9x9 boxes. Most of their boxes are not full, but they are concerned about keeping the specimens in order as they get moved into smaller boxes. In her Location manager, Dr. Smith clicked on the box and selected Edit to choose a 7x7 Box in the Container Type field. When she clicked the Save icon, the specimens were auto-assigned new row and column values based on their former locations within the box and Dr. Smith’s User Preferences, filling each row from left to right.

Dr. Smith’s Preferences from Tools/User Profile/Locations:

Dr. Smith was pleased that the specimens were auto-assigned new locations that kept the integrity of their box position when their box size changed from this 9x9 layout to the 7x7 layout below.