Checklist

LIMS & ELN selection and integration checklist

Interactive checklist to evaluate LIMS and ELN candidates, define required integrations and data contracts, and capture migration and acceptance criteria that preserve provenance and reproducibility.

Interactive Tool

LIMS & ELN selection and integration checklist

Use this checklist when comparing vendors or preparing an internal requirements package. Each item asks a clear question, offers acceptance criteria, and provides a place to capture evidence, gaps, and next actions. Save the form to retain team notes and compare vendors later.

Does the system support sample tracking, configurable protocol templates, versioned SOPs, audit trails, and electronic signatures? (Yes means minimal custom dev required.)
List must-have features, gaps, necessary customizations, or feature workarounds.
Can you map assay/sample metadata to your data catalog and preserve provenance (timestamps, user, instrument, parameters)? Is schema extensible?
Capture required metadata fields, ontologies/vocabularies, and migration considerations.
Does the vendor provide stable APIs, instrument connectors, or adapters for automation systems and analytics pipelines? Can it stream instrument files or structured measurements into the record?
Name required instrument types, automation platforms, analytics tools, and desired integration patterns (push, pull, streaming, event-driven).
Does the system integrate with your identity provider (SSO), provide role-based access, field-level permissions, and immutable provenance/audit logs?
Record SSO method, RBAC model, audit retention policies, and any gaps impacting regulatory needs.
Does the solution support relevant regulations (e.g., 21 CFR Part 11, GLP, HIPAA) and produce evidence for validation/audits?
List certifications, validation packages, change-control support, and vendor support for audits.
Is there a clear data migration plan, test/validation approach, training plan, and rollback strategy? Can the vendor assist with ETL or mapping scripts?
Capture expected data volumes, critical datasets to migrate, validation steps, and training requirements.
Does the vendor provide timely support, a documented roadmap, a stable API, and reasonable customization options?
Record SLAs, reference sites, ecosystem partners, and any lock-in risks.
Can the solution meet retention policies, scale to expected data and user load, and provide reliable backups and DR options?
Document expected retention windows, RTO/RPO, and performance test outcomes.
Are licensing, hosting, integration, customization, and ongoing maintenance costs within expected budget?
Capture one-time and recurring costs, hidden fees, and estimated admin overhead.
Is there a defined pilot with success criteria, test datasets, and acceptance tests that demonstrate provenance and reproducibility?
List pilot scope, datasets, test scripts, stakeholders, and success criteria.
Rate how ready this solution is for your organization (1 = not ready, 5 = ready to pilot).
Capture a short summary, recommended next steps, and owners for follow-up.
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