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3 | Adding samples to your order

Add and organize your samples and plates, assign markers, define controls, and finalize your order before sending it to the lab.

Charlotte Jans avatar
Written by Charlotte Jans
Updated over 5 months ago

Once your order is created, the next step is to add samples and assign markers. This is where you define the biological material that will be genotyped, organize them into plates, and optionally add controls. When everything is ready, you mark the order as shipped to hand it off to the lab.

After you've selected on of these options, all other options are still available. You can still use the actions menu to use samples screen:

Adding samples individually

Perfect for small or simple orders, this option lets you click into individual wells and enter sample names manually. You can:

  • Name each sample freely, add them to a(n existing) plate

  • Add markers one or in bulkt one

  • Assign controls (like NTCs) by clicking a well and selecting an option
    This is great for quick jobs or when plates aren’t completely filled.

From the table, you can tab (and shift-tab) much like you would manage a spreadsheet. You can assign all the markers assigned to the specific crop/variety and order. You can create a new plate by typing a new plate name or add the sample to an existing plate by typing the same name. Optionally, you can add a plant name, number and plot.

Import plates without samples

This workflow is typical for bulk, plate-based orders that are anonymously uploaded into Lab Portal (for instance: a purity order for 50 plates, each representing a bag of seeds).

In this modal, you can rapidly generate plates and samples. Here's how it works:

  1. Define the amount of negative template controls and how they need to be positioned

    1. Column-oriented, last X positions (always as last x positions)

    2. Column-oriented, after last sample (immediately after the last sample)

    3. Row-oriented, last X positions (always as last x positions)

    4. Row-oriented, after last sample (immediately after the last sample)

  2. Choose a sample name generation method

    1. Plate + Well position (e.g. {{PlateName}}-A1)

      Plate + Number (e.g. {{PlateName}}-001)

  3. Type in (or copy paste from a CSV/ spreadsheet) your plate names

  4. Choose marker assignment per plate, or the same for all plates

Once you've done this, you can still edit the details of anything on your plate, or start over by deleting (a selection) of your samples.

Bulk import samples

In case you're working with bigger import, you can als choose to upload a CSV file. An example with all the possible fields is available right from the samples start screen:

The file will contain all the possible values, but for a full technical specification of the file, read this article:

Sample CSV specification

This file can be prepared manually, edited in Excel or Google Sheets, or downloaded and modified directly from the application.

Format Overview

The system expects a column-based file with:

  • Fixed columns (1–6): standard sample metadata

  • Variable columns (7+): marker assignments

Column Definitions

Column

Field Name

Required

Description

1

Sample name

Yes

Unique identifier for the sample. This is the only required field.

2

Plant name

No

Optional identifier, often used for plot/plant combinations

3

Plot

No

Plot ID (can be used with plant number to structure names)

4

PlantNumber

No

Plant number within the plot

5

MasterPlateName

No

Name of the plate to place the sample on

6

MasterPlateWell

No

Specific well position on the plate (e.g. A1, H12)

Marker Columns (Column 7 and beyond)

Each column starting from column 7 should be named after a marker in your marker catalog. Accepted values (all case insensitive) in marker columns:

Value

Meaning

1, Y, YES

Marker is assigned to the sample

0, N, NO

Marker is not assigned

(blank)

Marker is not assigned (default)

Behavior Notes

  • The sample name must be unique within the order.

  • Plate and Well are optional. If they are missing, you can still add them in the Samples view

  • If a sample with the same name already exists, uploading a CSV with that name will update the existing sample.

  • You can download a current CSV of your samples at any time, make changes in a spreadsheet tool, and re-upload it.

  • Marker names must exist in your marker catalog. If a column header doesn't match a known marker, this will be ignored

Changing status to 'Shipped'

Now that you've added samples to your order, you'll need to add a tracking URL to ship the orders to the laboratory.

In this article, we'll explore how you can process orders in more detail.

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