LIMS Project Pitfall #1

"We got a quote and demo over a year ago and now have the budget to pursue the project. We are ready to sign contracts and cut a PO!"

Congratulations, your LIMS project has finally been approved! LIMS is a big investment and the LIMS selection process can take several months or even several years!  Many changes can occur over this time frame both for the laboratory and the vendor and software. 

To Avoid this LIMS Project Pitfall:

1. Request the Release Notes of the most current software version or request a new demo.  Many LIMS software vendors release minor version updates approximately every 6 months and new major feature version releases every 12 to 18 months. New versions typically provide additional out-of-the-box functionality and features that previously had to be handled through configuration or customization.  This can free up quite a bit of money in your budget which can now be utilized for new requirements or nice to have features that the Lab couldn’t previously afford.

2. Review the quote and your requirements with your LIMS vendor.  Lab processes and requirements change over time.  In the span of a year or more most Labs have changes in personnel, instruments, or analyses. Workflows, processes, procedures, and regulatory requirements also change over time. It is important to make sure you have a quote that reflects the current state of the Laboratory and your most current requirements.

3. Check the expiration date of your quote.  Most vendors include an expiration date or state a period of time in which the quote is valid.  Vendors may not honor a quote that is expired and your accounting department may not allow a purchase order to be cut against a quote that is not current. 

4. Request a new quote.  The best way to avoid this LIMS Project Pitfall is to request a new quote that reflects the most current software version, the Lab’s most recent requirements, and the current date.  A new quote doesn’t necessarily mean more money.  New out-of-the-box functionality or updated requirements can sometimes result in a lower quote than the one you received previously.

 

DON’T MISS THE NEXT INSTALLMENT IN OUR LIMS PROJECT PITFALL SERIES.

LIMS Project Pitfall #2: “LIMS is just like buying an instrument or off-the-shelf software. All I have to do is plug it in, turn it on, and boom – I’m ready to process samples!”

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