Lookup Columns and Lookup Tables are two methods for users to reference structured data that has already been captured elsewhere. Both methods allow you to conveniently view information about your sample while you are running your experiment, without having to leave your entry.
Using Lookup Columns
Adding Lookup Columns
Lookup Columns can be added to any new structured table in either Entries or Entry Templates by navigating to the dropdown option on the column header and selecting one of the lookup column options.
You will be able to use Lookup Columns in the following structured tables:
-
Result
-
Registration
-
Lookup
-
Transfer
-
Mixture Prep
-
Box Creation
-
Plate Creation
Note: For Fill-in Entries, users will be unable to modify Lookup Columns or add new ones in order to ensure the data referenced is not changed.
Configuring Lookup Columns
Once you've added a lookup column, you will need to specify the path the system should follow in order to pull the information into the lookup column. To start, you will need to specify the Column to base the lookup on.
Then you can optionally specify the Entity in Column (if it is not already indicated).
Specifying this will allow you to:
-
Lookup specific registry information in the next step
-
Select a different linked entity as the starting point of the lookup.
After specifying the starting step, you can add other Lookup Steps. The steps that will be presented will be based off of the information in preceding steps. There is a limit of 5 steps.
The summarized list of options are:
-
Registry
-
Inventory (containers, Plate, Box)
-
Results
Once you have added your steps, you will click Continue to then select the field you want to be populated into the Lookup Column. You can optionally add a filter in this step to constrain the result.
Configuring Lookup Tables
Lookup Tables are another method to surface captured structured data when visibility of data is needed. If you have a use case to bring in additional information about entities/containers not present in other structured tables OR you simply want to consolidate a lookup into one place, you can insert a Lookup Table.
You can add a Lookup table from the Insert menu:
You will need to specify your starting entity schema.
Once you have your table, you can add Lookup Columns as described above.
Example Use Case
I want to run a Cell Count, and I am recording the Count, Volume, and Viability. Each cell line is associated with a certain plasmid, and I want to ask myself what the effect of an inserted Gene can have on my viability. I can accomplish this work by creating a Lookup Column to pull the Inserted Gene field from the Plasmid in my Cell Schema, rather than jumping back and forth between my entry and the cell line's entity page.
