Keeping track of equipment usage is essential for lab efficiency, compliance, and reproducibility. Accurate records support experiment replication, maintenance planning, and regulatory readiness. The Equipment Usage Record and Usage Log streamline documentation by integrating directly into the Equipment Element, ensuring complete and traceable records. For more on equipment management, see Managing the Lab’s Equipment.
Recording Equipment Usage
To document equipment usage within an experiment, first add an Equipment Element to the experiment page. This element acts as the container for equipment-specific data, including the usage record function. For step-by-step instructions on adding and managing Equipment Elements, refer to this guide on Equipment Elements.
Before adding a usage record, equipment must first be added to the Equipment Element in the experiment. Once equipment is included:
Click Add Usage Record next to the relevant equipment.
A new row of fields will appear, allowing key details of the equipment's usage to be documented.
Usage Record Fields
Each usage record captures the following details:
Operator – The person responsible for using the equipment. This field is automatically filled with the name of the person entering the record but remains editable for workflows involving multiple researchers.
Used At – Automatically populated when the record is created but can be adjusted to reflect the actual time of use.
Operating Time – Specifies the duration of use, with options to select the appropriate unit (e.g., minutes, hours, days).
Usage Details – A flexible text field for adding context, such as experimental conditions, deviations, or special handling instructions.
The recorded data is immediately reflected in the Usage Log, maintaining traceability and consistency across records.
Reviewing the Usage Log
The Usage Log compiles all recorded equipment usage into a structured table, accessible via the Usage Log tab on the equipment’s show page. This table consolidates data from experiments, with columns corresponding directly to the fields documented in the Equipment Element.
To efficiently navigate and analyze records, the log includes search, filtering, and sorting capabilities. Entries can be filtered by operator, experiment, date, or duration, while sorting allows records to be viewed in ascending or descending order. Pagination ensures smooth browsing of extensive datasets, allowing researchers to quickly locate both recent and historical equipment usage. Each entry links back to the original experiment, providing full traceability of how and when the equipment was used.
Key Advantages and Benefits
The Equipment Usage Record and Usage Log offer essential tools for both operational efficiency and scientific rigor. By systematically documenting equipment usage, this functionality supports:
Traceability – Maintains a complete history of equipment use, ensuring regulatory readiness and quality assurance.
Operational Efficiency – Helps prevent scheduling conflicts, optimize maintenance planning, and extend equipment lifespan.
Research Reproducibility – Ensures detailed documentation of usage conditions, allowing experiments to be accurately replicated.
Collaboration – Provides a shared system of records, simplifying knowledge transfer and coordination between team members.
Scalability – Establishes structured equipment tracking processes, supporting small labs as they grow and expand operations.