Sampling Frequently Asked Questions

Obzervr Capture’s sampling management workflow has some elements which are frequently asked about. We have compiled the key questions in this article, so that you can get the summary, or follow the link to another article for more detail.  These are the sampling FAQs:

1. What is the difference between Sampling and Quality Control?

2. What is the Sample Reference Number?

3. What is the Chain of Custody ID?

4. What is QC Copy for?

5. What is Replicate for?

6. When is the electronic Chain of Custody sent to the Laboratory?

What’s the difference between Sampling and Quality Control?

In Obzervr Capture, Quality Control is in the Plan phase and Sampling is in the Work phase.

Field QC (i.e. blanks, spikes and duplicates) is in both the Quality Control and Sampling sections.

A Field QC will be in the Sampling section if, when sent to the laboratory, it has the same containers as the primary sample set.

The Sampling section is configured based on the Laboratory Quote entered or uploaded (using our Wizard) into Obzervr Manager. Your Laboratory Quote outlines the containers/bottles that the laboratory will test upon arrival. However, not all Field QC have containers, and therefore, they are not accounted for on the quote.

The Quality Control section accounts for the QC such as Trip Spikes or Blanks which are collected once a trip and are in different containers to the primary sample set.

Read Quality Control on Obzervr Capture for more detail. 

What is the Sample Reference Number?

A sample reference number is a number used to identify a sample set and group your containers. For example, this reference number could align with a site ID or QA ID. 

The sample reference number is important as containers are now displayed according to their sample reference number on the Sampling page.

This means that after you add Samples, you will not see all the samples displayed as bottles. Instead, the sample set will be displayed, and containers will be grouped by their reference number.

To clarify, the sample set is the group of containers with a specific sample reference number.

Read How to use the Sampling workflow on Obzervr Capture for more detail. 

What is the Chain of Custody Number?

The Chain of Custody Number is an automatically generated, human-readable number which identifies an electronic Chain of Custody (eCOC) and matches it to the esky of samples. The esky will carry a simplified Chain of Custody, called a sample submission receipt, to allow lab technicians receiving and processing the samples to correctly identify and match samples to their respective eCOC.

The COC Id is created when the COC is created in Obzervr Capture. For your information, it is a twelve-digit number (i.e. 1234-5678-9012), which is made of the following:

• 1234 – the day and month of the COC;
• 5678 – a user specific ID;
• 9012 – random four digits to make the COC ID unique.

Read How to create a Quick Chain of Custody for more detail. 

What is QC Copy for?

Obzervr enables samplers to collect duplicates and triplicates by using QC Copy. To create a duplicate or triplicate:

• Select one bottle – QC Copy button
• Copy parent set once – duplicate
• Copy parent set twice – triplicate
• Attempt to QC COPY parent set third time – Original container copy message
• Attempt to QC COPY duplicate or triplicate – Duplicate/Triplicate copy message 

Read The difference between Replicate and QC Copy for more detail. 

What is Replicate for?

The main purpose of the Replicate button is to copy an existing sample set and replicate the containers with the same test plan, table and suites. Replicate is used to copy samples and edit the Sample Reference Number, date and time for automatic sampling.

Read The difference between Replicate and QC Copy for more detail. 

When is the electronic Chain of Custody sent to the laboratory?

The electronic Chain of Custody (eCOC) is created when you attach and relinquish your samples. HOWEVER, the eCOC has not been sent to the laboratory.

When the eCOC is sent depends on your Tenant Settings. The default setting sends the eCOC when the Assignment or Trip is marked as Complete on Obzervr Capture.

However, the Tenant Settings can be changed so that the eCOC is sent when the Samples in the Chain of Custody are validated and submitted on Obzervr Manager.  

To summarise, the eCOC is sent when:

• The Assignment or Trip is marked as Complete on Obzervr Capture;
• The Submit Samples button is selected, and the Chain of Custody is Approved in Obzervr Manager.

Want to hear more about Obzervr? Check out our support videos, website (www.obzervr.com), or social media pages (LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook). 

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