Use a Results table

Benchling Results is comprised of structured tables that allow you to capture experimental or assay data in a lab notebook entry.

Results manages your data in three primary ways:

1. It captures critical experimental data in a centralized and queryable manner of an entity (such as the ELISA result from a cell culture experiment).

2. It standardizes result capture between scientists, eliminating variation or ambiguity, and maps those results back to your samples in the registry.

3. It syncs to your Benchling data warehouse for advanced analytics and data visualization.

Results tables need to be configured to meet your specific needs based on the type of experiments and assays you perform.

Results in the Lab Notebook

The example above shows a Results table inserted into a lab notebook entry. The 'Cell Line' column of the table includes the registered entity chip for Cell Line 20 and the two other columns record the metrics for this assay.

View of Results in the Registry

The Results tab in the Registry will aggregate and display all data that is recorded in Results tables across the organization by any scientist. This data can be exported, and includes a link to the lab notebook entry where it was recorded.

Tip: The Results tab combined with the Registry field values provide you with a full picture of this entity.

Inserting a Results table

Before utilizing the Results table feature, first a Results table must be configured by an admin. This guide explains how this can be done.

To insert a Results table into a Notebook entry, navigate to Insert on the Notebook toolbar > Results table > Select the Results table from the dropdown and press Insert.

Adding entities to the Results table

Adding entities to a Results table can be done in multiple different ways, all methods require you to first press the blue + icon. The following options will be available:

Add from structured table - Pull multiple entities from other structured tables within the same Notebook entry.

Add from worklist - Add entities listed in a worklist. To find out more about worklists have a look at this help article.

Import from spreadsheet - Use a spreadsheet to add entities and their corresponding results to the Results table in bulk.

Submitting results

Results must be submitted to be saved by selecting the blue Submit button in the top right corner. Unsubmitted rows are marked with a blue line on the far left side of the row and will not appear in the Results tab of the entity until they are submitted. Rows with incorrect values (e.g. text in an integer field) or missing values in required fields cannot be submitted until the errors are corrected.

View results recorded against entities in the Registry

Within the Registry, search for the entity you want to view. On an entities page navigate to the Results tab, here all results recorded against this entity will be displayed. The Results table fields will be included as well as a link to the entry the Results table can be found within.

Submitted results from Results tables will appear on the Results tab in the Registry.

Bulk import samples into a Results table using spreadsheets

When importing a spreadsheet into a Results table, ensure the column headers match the Results table. You can use an external spreadsheet editor, like Microsoft Excel, or a regular Benchling table.

To import your data:

1. Click the + icon next to the table title.
2. Click Add from spreadsheet.
3. Select the import method from the drop-down menu. If you select:
   1. Spreadsheet - Drag and drop your spreadsheet into the upload box
   2. Raw Text - Copy and paste the raw text from your spreadsheet, including column headers
4. Click Next.
5. Confirm the columns match, correct any errors, then click Next.
6. When the data is validated, click Import.
7. Rows containing your data are added to the Results table. Click Submit to submit your results after import.

Benchling supports ingestion of localized numbers and dates. You can configure your Locale in the user settings. To learn more, visit Updating user locale.

Archiving results

Incorrect, invalid, or out-of-date results can be archived after submission by selecting the down karat on the number cell, then selecting Archive Row. The reason for Archiving can be selected as Made in error, Archived, or Other. Archived rows will be marked by a gray line on the far left side of the row.

Note about deleting Results tables with data: In a previous version of our Results tables, results could be archived by deleting the table in the Notebook entry. This is no longer the case. Deleting the table from the entry will not archive the results, and they will still appear in the data warehouse. If you accidentally delete a Results table, simply revert the Notebook entry to a previous version to regain the Results table and archive the incorrect rows.