Welcome to Remote Sampler

With existing paper-based systems, data collected in the field is written down and then copied into LIMS at a later time, often by a different person. In many cases, handwriting may be illegible, the paper sheets may become damaged or lost, or the user copying the data may make a typo. This can introduce all manner of transcription errors to the data finally recorded which obviously has a negative impact on quality as a whole. With Remote Sampler, the data is only ever entered once: by the user in the field. Data is validated against pre-configured limits and checked for typos at the time of entry. This method has been proven to improve quality with our existing customers. Also, reducing the number of people interacting directly with LIMS can often lead to a reduced number of licenses required, saving you money.

All information that passes through the Remote Sampler system is recorded independently from LIMS in our own secure data store, LabCache. This data is all accessible on demand and Remote Sampler provides a full array of reporting options that allow a user to display at a click, all information about a given sample from the point at which it was sent to a sampler, right the way through to the items and data being received by the lab and entered into LIMS. This entirely removes any painful searching through files here there and everywhere for all the various sheets associated with a sample in existing paper-based systems. Sample data recorded in LabCache includes:

• Onsite results for things like chlorine values and temperatures
• Changes of address or location
• Map markers for the target and actual sample point
• GPS co-ordinate stamps for item location and sample location
• Sample chain of custody
• Images taken during the sampling process
• Signatures taken during the sampling process
• User comments
• Instrument calibration checks associated with the sample
• A full audit trail

Remote Sampler features a comprehensive audit trail that records all actions that occur on each handheld device. The audit trail is independent from user control and tamper-proof allowing you to provide objective evidence at audit time for every action that occurred on site.

GPS co-ordinate stamping of user actions allows Remote Sampler to prove definitively that a sample was taken at a given location, improving traceability. New samplers can be on the job faster with the built in route-navigation software to help them find their way to customer houses and other sample points. Remote Sampler can also perform route optimization to ensure that your users are maximising their sampling time.

Lone working users can be monitored remotely to reduce the impact of incidents on the job. Address data provided to the samplers can be combined with existing lists of 'problem sites' and managers can be alerted to situations via email and SMS message.

New work can be sent to a sampler and completed work can be received by the lab wirelessly without the need for the sampler to return physically. This provides the lab with much better visibility of the data and it gives managers a powerful and flexible new way to manage sampler-workloads. Work can be de-assigned and reassigned in real time across the network of users to accommodate situations like a user becoming ill or a van getting a puncture.

Remote Sampler is highly configurable and can one device to handle not just the main sample collection workflow, but also any secondary processes that the users may need to perform during a day, like vehicle maintenance checks, instrument calibrations and refrigerator logs. All data collected by Remote Sampler is stored digitally and is available instantly at the click of a button. No longer will 7 years of paper need to be stored and no longer will regulatory audit time result in hours of searching through archived sheets of paper to find all the data that relates to a given sample.

An unexpected benefit has been that our existing customers have found that their samplers are viewed with greater professionalism by members of the public as a result of carrying a hand-held device when visiting customer houses.