Save Trees
Save Trees! (and money, errors, and headaches)
Going paperless. That’s been a call of many different computer systems for year, especially LIMS. And yes, there is a real, tangible benefit based on the cost savings involved in less paper. It manifests itself quickly and is completely sustainable. It is fiscally responsible. Plus, it immediately checks a box in the environmentally friendly category – as it should!
Going paperless is a lot more though. No one who has ever worked in a laboratory under the “old style” of using paper documents can claim to have never made or found a transcription error. They happen. No matter how good the scientists involved, all humans can and do make honest mistakes.
Further that, new method development, new instrument validation, MDL studies, analysts’ validations and so on bring a wealth of work with them. No matter how exciting a new higher is or how much a new instrument is wanted, the breadth of paperwork involved in mind numbing. Performing MDL study after MDL study is not a recipe for an exciting day of work using a calculator and paper notebook.
LIMS do a lot more than save trees when it comes to saving paper. LIMS automate both technical and mundane tasks, holistically creating not only a better, more robust, and accurate system, but one of savings – in both time and paper.