Manage animal samples

This guide explains how to collect, update, view, and delete animal samples in a Benchling In Vivo tenant. Learn how to collect, update, view, and delete animal samples with Benchling In Vivo, including bulk actions, filtering, and exporting data. This guide covers both individual and multi-animal workflows, as well as tips for managing sample metadata.

Collect animal samples

Note: Only one sample type per animal can be collected at a given time. If you need multiple samples of the same type, repeat the process as necessary.

You can collect samples from the animal profile, from the animal page, or via Workflows. To learn how to collect animal samples via Workflows, see the How to configure and use Workflows article.

From an animal profile in a study

This method allows you to collect multiple sample types from one animal at the same time.

1. Navigate to a Study
2. Go to the Animals section
3. Click the desired Animal Name
4. Select the Samples tab
5. Click Add new
6. Specify the Date collected
7. (Optional) If there are specific sample IDs that you would like to record, uncheck Auto-generate sample IDs to manually assign sample IDs. If you would like unique numerical IDs generated automatically, leave this box checked.
8. Select the sample types to collect
9. Click Collect samples
10. For each sample type, optionally enter:
    • Metric values (must be pre-defined by a Team Admin in Manage Teams)
    • General comments
    • Storage conditions and uses
    • Sample metadata
11. Click Save and next to collect another sample, or click Save and close to complete sample collection
    
     

Via bulk actions

This method allows you to collect samples from multiple animals simultaneously.

1. Navigate to a Study
2. Go to the Animals section
3. Select one or more animals
4. Click Bulk actions > Collect Samples
5. Specify the Date collected and Sample type
6. (Optional) Add metric values, comments, and metadata for all samples
7. Click Next to review and edit details in the sample table
8. Click Save and collect another to collect another sample type, or Save and finish to complete sample collection
   • Note: Each sample will be assigned a unique ID automatically

Update animal samples

From an animal profile in a study

1. Navigate to a Study
2. Go to the Animals section
3. Select the Samples tab
4. Click the … icon and select Edit
5. Update the necessary details
   • Note: If you need to switch the animal that the sample came from, or the sample type, you must delete the sample and recreate a new sample with the correct details
6. Click Save
   
    

Via bulk actions

1. Navigate to a Study
2. Go to the Samples section
3. Select one or more samples (must be of the same type)
4. Click Bulk actions > Edit Sample details
5. Edit Sample IDs or metadata as needed
6. Click Save

View animal samples

Within a study

1. Navigate to the Samples section of the Study
2. Use Show to select visible columns
3. Apply filters via Filter and stack multiple conditions if needed
4. Click Export to download results (filtered if applicable)

Across all studies

1. Click the Samples icon in the global navigation menu
2. Use Show, Filter, and Export as described above

Delete animal samples

Warning: Deleting samples is a permanent action and cannot be undone.

From the animals page

1. Navigate to a Study
2. Go to the Animals section
3. Select the Samples tab
4. Click the “…” icon > Delete
5. Type DELETE to confirm
6. Click Delete samples

Via bulk actions

1. Navigate to a Study
2. Go to the Samples section
3. Select one or more samples
4. Click Bulk actions > Delete
5. Type DELETE to confirm
6. Click Delete samples

Frequently asked questions 

Q: I accidentally deleted a sample. How can I get it back?
A: You cannot restore deleted samples in the UI. Contact Benchling Support (support@benchling.com) with the Study name, sample details, and the user who performed the deletion.