Glossary

Topics:

Glossary

A |  B |  C |  D |  E |  F |  G |  H |  I |  J |  K |  L |  M |  N |  O |  P |  Q |  R |  S |  T |  U |  V |  W |  X |  Y |  Z

Term & Definition:

A

Access Level:

Refers to both Access Level user security and Repository Access Level.

  • Access Level user security: one of the paradigms incorporated into BSI to maintain the integrity of the database. Access level security differentiates who has certain permissions based on tiers, separating users, administrators, and BSI Support staff. It integrates into Role Based Security, Repository Access Level and Study Level Security to provide robust data protection.
  • (Repository) Access Level: One of the paradigms incorporated into BSI to maintain the integrity and security of the database. Repository Access Level is set when a new repository is created and determines which specimen are viewable and editable by the Repository’s users. It integrates into Access Level security, Role Based Security, and Study Level Security to provide robust data protection. See also All Access Repository, Custodial Access Repository, Advanced Custodial Access Repository and Study Access Only Repository.

Add Batch:

Add batches insert specimen data into the database for new specimens (not previously in the database).

Advanced Custodial Access Repository:

A database repository with security controls that restrict users to:

  • View all specimen data that currently belongs to their repository
  • Add and modify specimens owned by their repository according to their assigned role permissions
  • View and edit subject data only if they have been granted explicit study permissions

They do not have access to view specimen data that belongs to other repositories for studies that require authorization unless their repository is listed as a trusted repository for the repository of the specimens they are trying to view.

Aliquot:

A multi-step Requisition task to facilitate the creation of child specimens (derivatives) from parents (creating new specimens from an existing specimen). See also, Process.

All Access Repository:

A database repository with security controls that allow users to:

  • View and report on all specimen data in the database
  • Add and modify specimens owned by their repository according to their assigned role permissions
  • View and edit subject data only if they have been granted explicit study permissions  

API:

The Application Programming Interface that allows other systems to connect to push data into BSI or pull data from BSI. This module is called BSI Connect.

Approval Status:

See Status.

Assay Run:

Used in the Results manager, an execution of an experiment. An experiment (assay) may be run multiple times on the same specimen. See also Run Properties and Results.

Assignment Pattern Options Orientation:

Location assignment preference that chooses the next specimen location to fill by row (horizontal) or by column (vertical). Used in conjunction with Assignment Pattern Options Pattern to determine specimen location assignment order.

Assignment Pattern Options Pattern:

Location assignment preference that chooses the next specimen location after a row or column has been filled. See graphic in the BSI User’s Guide under Location Assignment Options.

  • Across fills each row from left to right for Assignment Pattern Options Orientation Horizontal and each column from top to bottom for Assignment Pattern Options Orientation Horizontal.
  • Serpentine begins a new row in the next row of the same column for Assignment Pattern Options Orientation Horizontal or the next column of the same row for Assignment Pattern Options Vertical.

B

BarTender®:

Label printing software that can print to any Bartender supported label printer and works with BSI to print pre-formatted labels with specimen data, including barcodes. It requires both software and configuration before use. It creates BTW files that can be uploaded into BSI as a template for creating labels from data fields in the database. Its files end with .btw.

Batch:

A set of changes made to a group of specimens that is committed to the database at one time. For specifics, see: Results, Shipments, and Sample Reservation Batch. “Batch” used alone in BSI refers to a Data Entry batch. All other batches are labeled with their module name. Each batch has a unique identifier called a Batch ID.

A Data Entry batch is the most basic way specimen data gets added to or changed in the database. Specimens being added directly into Locations, create a Data Entry batch (that is committed by BSI). Requisitions create Data Entry batches when a vial status gets marked as reserved, in or out or when tasks create or modify specimens. There are four types of Data Entry Batches that users with permissions can create: add batches, modify batches, delete batches, and change ID batches. All Data Entry Batch IDs begin with “D”.

Batch Properties:

Metadata, associated with the entire Data Entry Batch, not just individual specimens, that tracks and controls who can view or edit the batch, the batch associated study (if applicable), the template used for the batch (if applicable), and other data the batch creator believes will be useful. Batch properties are found in the File menu of the Data Entry editor. See also Properties.

Beta (UAT):

User Acceptance Testing is the environment/instance where new features and bug fixes can be tested before they are released to the production instance.

Blind: 

A requisition task that completely masks the origin of a specimen by creating a new record in BSI with a subset of the data of the original specimen. Typically used when transferring between repositories.

Boolean:

A database field type that allows two possible values: True/Yes or False/No.

BSI Client:

A desktop application that allows comprehensive access to BSI’s features. The client consists of base and optional modules, called managers. Also called the Java client.

BSI Connect:

The BSI application programming interface (API). A set of communication protocols that allows ancillary software to integrate output from other data systems into the BSI database. It allows BSI to link to clinical data systems, result data systems, or other external data repositories in real time. BSI Connect also assists in the automation of commonly executed BSI functions including report generation, data modification, data extracts, and more.

BSI Engage:

A web-based interface to the BSI database, which is often used to give limited access to researchers, PIs, or others who may request specimen or ship specimen to the repository or who need access to some data in the database but don’t need all the client’s functionality.

BSI EZ:

A user preference (available under Tools/User Profile) that shows only three managers upon opening BSI: Dashboard, Locations, and My Specimens. It packs most of the specimen processing functionality found in the client into intuitive options accessed through the Right Mouse Button (RMB).

BSI ID:

A unique identifier for individual specimens (vials) in the database, comprised of the Sample ID followed by a space and then the Sequence. Since multiple specimen records can have the same Sample ID, Sequences must be unique within each Sample. See also Sample ID and Sequence.

BSI ID Reservations:

BSI IDs that have been tentatively assigned (reserved), usually in either a Data Entry Add batch, a Shipments batch or within a Requisition Task. They remain reserved until the batch is committed or deleted. If another batch attempts to use these, an error will be generated.

BSI Launcher:

Software that opens the BSI client desktop software. The BSI Launcher automatically checks for and downloads the most recent version of BSI when launching the client.

C

Canceled:

A Req. Repository Status that indicates the requisition has been canceled from the manager after being saved. To cancel a requisition, no specimens can be included in it or have tasks completed on them.

Centers:

Also called Collection Centers. Locations that will be using specimen collection kits sent to them and tracked through the database. Collection Centers’ data is accessed through the Centers submanager of the Kits manager.

Change ID Batch:

Change ID batches change the BSI ID (or just the Sample ID or Sequence) of the selected specimen. Once a specimen has been committed to the database, the only way to change its BSI ID is through a Change ID Batch.

Change Values:

Editor menu option allowing users to change data for multiple rows of multiple columns at one time.

Child:

Also called Child Vials or Derivatives, specimen created after an aliquot. These specimens may have the same Sample ID as parent specimens.

Choice:

A database field type that only allows values to be entered from a corresponding code list. See also Multi-Choice.

Code List:

A table of predetermined values that can populate a field. Allows users with code list editing permissions to predetermine which values can be selected as data for a choice or multi-choice field. These data dictionaries can be created, edited or viewed by those with appropriate permissions in the Code List manager and from within some editor dialogs.

CodeSoft®:

Label printing and design software that uses .lab files and can export them as .pof files to be used as label templates in BSI. Using those templates allows the user to print preformatted labels from BSI (including barcodes) using specific supported label printers. Once POF files are created as templates and uploaded into BSI, no additional configuration is necessary.

Collection Centers:

See Centers.

Commit:

A permanent change to the database made in data entry batches and sample reservation batches; i.e., a record of that change will always exist even if that change is undone. For any Data Entry batch or Sample Reservation batch that has a Status of Committed, the changes included in it have been applied to the database. See also Submit.

Completed:

A status that denotes that actions pertaining to the item (shipment, requisition, task, review list, etc.) have been concluded. Most filters in BSI default to not show Completed items because their workflows for that batch, requisition, etc. have been completed. Review Lists, Requisitions, requisition tasks, and Shipments all have Completed as a status. Completed does not apply to specimens, samples or subjects.

  • In Requisitions: A requisition has a status of Completed when all tasks on all specimens have been marked as either completed or denied - AND - all specimens no longer have an Include status of Included and a Vial Status of Reserved.
  • For Requisition Tasks: The user changes the requisition task status to Completed when they have completed the specific processing for that specimen or set of specimens.
  • In Review Lists: Items in the Review List have a status of Completed when that status is assigned by the user. A Review List can be given a status of Completed when all items on the list have a status of Completed and there are no unresolved discrepancies.
  • In Shipments: A shipment status of Completed denotes that no unresolved discrepancies are in the shipment and all specimens in the shipment have either been committed to the database, marked as Received in Requisition, or marked as Not Received. See also Status.

Consent:

An optional manager in BSI that tracks authorization given by subjects for studies.

Contacts:

A manager where contact data is stored for users and others who may not have BSI accounts but are involved in the life of database specimens. For example, not every study primary investigator (PI) will have a BSI account, but every PI will receive emails from BSI. Every BSI account will have data in the Contacts manager. Every user can edit their own contact information from the Tools/User Profile/Contact tab. Accounts with an access level of User can only view, not edit, data in the Contact manager.

Container:

Any receptacle (ex. Freezer, Rack, Box) that holds vials or subcontainers. With permissions, can be viewed and edited through the Locations Manager.

Custodial Access Repository:

A database repository with security controls that allow users to:

  • View specimen data for all specimens that currently belong to their repository or have belonged to their repository in the past
  • Add and modify specimens owned by their repository according to their assigned role permissions
  • View and edit subject data only if they have been granted explicit study permissions

They do not have access to view the specimen data that belongs to other repositories for studies that require authorization unless the specimens had once belonged to their repository, or their repository is listed as a trusted repository for the repository of the specimens they are trying to view.

Customization:

A tab on the client interface of BSI that allows those with proper permissions to add new property and specimen fields to the database and to add custom data integrity verifiers.

D

Data Entry Batch:

See Batch.       

Data Set:

In a Results Batch, both the data configured in the Procedure Definition to be submitted in the same file/sheet and the specific set of data submitted in a particular run of a procedure.

Procedure Definition can be table data or grid data. Data Set definition is per procedure definition, not per run.

Data View:

An editor option that displays data in code list fields as it appears in the Value column of the corresponding code list. RMB click on the column label to select View Data (View Data Entry in Shipments). See also Formatted View and Manifest View.

Database (BSI):

An organized, electronic collection of Data that tracks biospecimens’ source, history, storage and processing, and studies related to the specimen. It also refers to the unique name required to access that collection of data in BSI. A database can represent multiple physical repositories, collection centers, and labs as well as users from multiple institutions and studies.

Database Default Values:

Preselected field data (values), found in properties dialogs and user preferences, which are applied across all repositories and all users of a database, but can be updated by users for items they create or edit.

Database Manager:

A BSI account Access Level between a Local Administrator and a System Administrator that allows for cross institutional and cross repository administration. The inherent permissions given to database managers are listed on the User Guide.

Database Owner:

The person(s) on file with the BSI Support team who has the ultimate authority over the data, access, code customization, and support for a given database.

Default View:

The default view applies to editors and is the column visibility and order that is preselected. The System Default View is set for the entire database (not just the repository). This can only be set by a BSI Support team member with approval from the database owner. The User Default View allows users to customize the column visibility and order, but only for their account.

Delete Batch:

Removes the selected specimens from the database. Delete Batches are for removing specimen that never existed. An audit trail is maintained separately to track the specimen’s data that is deleted from the regular audit history tables. A Delete batch should not be used for specimen that have been emptied, lost, destroyed, or broken. See also, Vial Status.

Discrepancy:

Noted difference or incongruence that can be tracked in the database.

  • In Shipments: When the specimens received in an incoming shipment do not match expectations based on data in the shipment’s manifest in BSI. When a specimen has one or more unresolved discrepancies, BSI will set the Vial Status to Discrepant when transferred to Data Entry and committed to the database. The Vial Status will automatically change from Discrepant to In once the discrepancies have been resolved in the Shipments manager.
  • In Requisitions, a Discrepancy can be applied to a specimen to denote it as incongruent with expected data by using the Right Mouse Button (RMB) in almost any field to add a discrepancy or by selecting edit specimen. More discrepancy options (such as editing, deleting, resolving, or marking as irresolvable) are available through the RMB option.
  • In Review Lists: a status that can be assigned to a Review List item (batch or requisition) when the observed data in the batch or requisition is other than what was expected. The Review List user can mark the discrepancy as resolved once it has been investigated.

Dropped:

A temporary requisition Include status. After a Requisition has been submitted for processing, specimens can no longer be removed from that Requisition using Remove Vials. The specimen‘s Include status must be briefly changed to Dropped in order to remove it. This can be done by using the RMB to change the Include status to “Drop Specimens”. After the status changes to “Dropped”, the specimen will disappear from the requisition. A specimen with any task status of Begun, Completed, or Redo cannot be dropped.

E

Editor:

An editor manipulates data for specific items. Users access editors via the managers when they create or edit an item, such as a report, requisition, container, shipment, or Data Entry batch.

Environment:

Also called instance, a unique configuration of both code and data for the database, each with a specific purpose. The database of record where specimens and histories are tracked is the Production Instance. See also Mirror and Beta.

Error:

Alerts users that the value for a particular field is inappropriate. For example, a user will receive an error if they have left a required field blank. Fields containing errors are highlighted in red. Batches with errors cannot be committed. Code list changes with errors cannot be submitted.

Exception:

An event, which occurs during the execution of a program that disrupts the normal flow of the program's instructions. Report to BSI Technical Support.

Exclusive Webservices User:

An optional property for user accounts that designates them as using the Web Services API only. Accounts with this property set to true (checked in the box on the Security Tab of the User Administration manager) do not have BSI Client access and their passwords expire annually.

F

Filter:

Allows the user to choose which data will be shown in a manager. Filters are accessed by selecting the Filter button on the bottom left of the manager.

Formatted View:

An editor option that displays data in the code list fields as it appears in the Label column of the Code List. RMB click on the column label to select Formatted View. See also Data View.

G

Global Parent ID:

In a requisition, the BSI ID of the direct parent specimen of a child created in that requisition. The link between parent and child is solidified when the task is completed.

I

In Batch:

A status for shipment specimens that denotes that a received specimen is in a Data Entry batch but has not been committed.

In Process:

A status that something has not been completed and still has pending expected actions.

  • In Requisitions: A requisition has a status of In Process if it has been submitted and still includes specimens actively being worked on. Included specimens have been reserved for this requisition.
  • In Shipments: a specimen has a status of In Process if the shipment has been marked as Received but the specimens have not yet been scanned or marked as received.
  • In Review Lists: An In Process status will be displayed as long as there exists at least one item in the list with an individual status of Pending or Discrepant.

In Transit:

A shipment status that designates that the Shipment has not arrived at the repository and been received yet. See also Status.

Include Status:

See Status.

Included (Status in Requisition):

Indicates that the specimen is part of a requisition and the requisition has been submitted.

Instance:

See Environment.

Institution:

The group the user belongs to. This determines which reports, labels, and templates the user can access and what roles can be assigned to that user

K

Kits:

Both the specimen collection kits tracked in BSI and an optional manager (module). The optional Kits manager consists of four submanagers (Supplies, Centers, Templates, and Inventory) that track supplies for creating collection kits, the centers to which they are sent, and each kit built and put into inventory and/or sent to a center. Collection containers can be labeled prior to being sent to collection centers for easy scanning of specimen into BSI. Kits Templates is both a submanager of the Kits manager and a database tool for creating multiple copies of a type of collection kit. See also, Centers.

L

Local Administrator:

Also called Local Admin, is a BSI account Access Level that grants the ability to manage user accounts, permissions, and preferences within the account’s assigned Institution and Accessible Repositories.

Location Reservations:

Containers or locations within containers that have been set-aside for specimens from a particular study or that have been reserved in a requisition, shipment, or Data Entry batch that has not yet been committed. See also Reservations.

M

Manager:

A manager is a tab on the main client interface of BSI that facilitates viewing and manipulating items at a high level but cannot change the individual properties of those items. Most managers have an editor that facilitates making data changes to specific specimen, users, studies, or templates. Users will only be able to see those managers for which their Access Level and role permissions allow. Although manager and module are often used interchangeably, the manager is what the user sees in the tab interface and the module is the supporting software. See also Module.

Manifest:

An Excel or delimited text file submitted via BSI Engage containing specimen data for an incoming shipment or requisition. In BSI the term Manifest is specifically reserved for those specimen lists that are submitted through the Manifest field of BSI Engage.

Manifest View:

An editor option that displays data in the Shipments editor as it appears in the imported manifest of the corresponding shipment. RMB click on the column label to select View Manifest. See also Data View and Formatted View.

Mass Change: 

Menu option allowing users to change data for multiple rows of a single column at one time. Mass Change allows user to change data in selected rows or all rows in a column (if selected from the column header when no rows are selected). Options for the data include a set value, an incremented value, an incremented value range, or appended data.

Mirror:

A day-old copy of the production database that can be used for testing and support purposes.

Modify Batch:

Modify batches add or change data for specimens that already exist in the database.

Module: 

Often used interchangeably with manager, but refers to the software that supports the manager function in BSI (i.e., the Requisitions module includes the code for the manager, editor, tasks, etc.). Not all BSI modules have managers, such as BSI Engage.

Monitors:

Monitors are scheduled actions performed by BSI. The most common monitors run reports that are automatically emailed to predefined email addresses on a prescribed schedule. Other monitors deactivate users who haven’t logged in. Monitors can only be created by BSI Support Team members.

Multi-Choice:

A database field type that is restricted to one or more values from a code list or a null value.

N

Non-Repository Users:

User accounts which do not have access to any repositories. Non-repository users:

  • Will not be able to edit any specimen data.
  • Will be able to view any specimens which are not part of a study that requires authorization.
  • Must be given explicit authorization for restricted studies to view specimens or manage study authorizations.
  • Will also require explicit authorization to view subject data.
  • Can create new shipments and requisitions (with the corresponding role permissions) in the client or BSI Engage.

Not Received:

A shipment vial status that indicates the shipment was received but the individual vial was not. Vials with a status of Not Received cannot be transferred to a data entry batch.

O

Operator:

A mathematical symbol representing the relationship between the field and the value for that field in a report. Also used when creating custom verifiers.

P

Parent Container:

Any container with sub-containers. For example, a rack can hold one or multiple box(es). The rack would be the parent container.

Parent ID:

BSI ID of an aliquot’s parent specimen that documents specimen lineage, which gets populated when aliquots are created, manually added, or imported. Only one Parent ID is allowed per child/derivative. See also Pooled Parents.

Parent:

The specimen used to create an aliquot.

Pending:

A requisition has a status of Pending if it has been saved but not submitted. This means that NO specimens have been reserved for this requisition. Specimen will only become reserved for a requisition when the requisition is submitted. No work can be completed by a repository on a requisition with a status of Pending.

Permission:

Authorizations to add, edit, view, or delete data in the database based on the role or study specific permissions assigned to the account. Multiple roles and varied permissions to multiple studies can be granted to an account. Some permissions are inherent to the account’s Access level. When logged into the database an account has access to all role permissions that were granted in any roles assigned to it. See also Role Based Security, Study Level Security, and Access Level.

PI:

The Primary Investigator of a study, who does not necessarily have a BSI account for access to the system. This person may receive notifications relating to the management of the study and its specimens.

POF:

A Printer Object File is a label file created by CodeSoft® software. Its files end with .pof. See also CodeSoft®.

Pooled Parents:

A multi-choice field representing multiple specimens that are combined into a new child/derivative specimen. The value of the field is the BSI IDs of the parents.

Procedure Definitions:

Both a Results submanager and the properties/parameters of an assay. Must be set-up before a Results Batch can be created. Procedure Definitions are created on the submanager. They are then selected to create or add an assay run with the predefined data set properties. See also Run Properties.

Process:

A Requisition task that is treated by BSI the same as the Aliquot task. Some BSI users prefer the Process task when the aliquoted children are a different Material Type. See also Aliquot.

Production:

The environment or instance of the database where specimens are tracked. The production instance is the database of record and will contain a complete and current audit trail. See also Mirror and Beta.

Properties:

A set of attributes that pertains to actions associated with a set of specimens. See also Batch Properties, Received Properties, Results Properties, Requisition Properties, Run Properties, Shipment Properties, and Study Properties. In editors, properties can be viewed by selecting “File” or “Edit” on the Editor menu, depending on the editor.

R

Received:

A status that designates the physical arrival of a shipment or specimens. A status of both a shipment and a shipment vial that designates that the shipment has been received and accepted (for shipments) and for Vial Status that the specimen has also been received. Both the shipment and specimen must be received before the specimen can be transferred to a Data Entry batch. Received specimen belong to a shipment but have not yet been transferred to a Data Entry batch to be committed to the database. In Kits, a kit status of Received indicates that specimen(s) have been received in the kit’s vials from the collection Center. See also Shipments.

Received in Requisition:

A Status for a specimen in a shipment that allows a Shipment to be completed without that vial being committed through a Data Entry batch.

Received Properties:

Metadata for the receipt of a set of incoming specimen (Shipment). Received Properties include conditions, times, package count, estimated number of specimens, and personnel involved in an incoming physical shipment of specimens received. It must include the package count. Received Properties, like Shipment Properties, is found in the File menu of the Shipments editor. See also Properties.

Rejected:

A shipment status that denotes that the entire shipment was rejected. Rejecting a Shipment will change all the vial statuses in the shipment to rejected. See also Shipments.

Repository:

A representation of an entity that is responsible for receiving, storing, processing, and/or disseminating all or part of a specimen collection. These entities might be labs, collection centers, storage facilities, or other types of facilities. Repositories are:

  • A physical or virtual location. Each repository has its own defined storage location hierarchy in the Locations manager.
  • The custodial owner of specimens assigned to them.
  • A property of requisitions and batches. 
  • Used to determine what specimens, requisitions, and batches a user can view/edit, depending on the Current Repository they logged in under.

See also All Access Repository, Advanced Custodial Access Repository, Custodial Access Repository, Study Access Only Repository, and Non-Repository Users.

Repository Access Level:

See Access Level.

Requisition Properties:

Metadata associated with the entire collection of specimen included in or desired for a requisition, not its individual specimens. Requisition properties may include attachments for authorization, instructions, or notes as to why or how the processing is being done. They may also include data related to the billing study, priority, Requisition Task Template used, etc. The Requisition Properties include the Notes and Instructions fields. The Instructions field must contain data for a requisition with zero included specimens to be saved, and thus, submitted.  Requisition properties can be found in the Edit menu in the Requisitions editor under Specify Properties. See also Properties.

Requisition Property Templates:

Both a submanager to Requisition Templates and a saved set of requisition qualities and attributes that allows users with permissions to select which fields appear in the Requisition Properties dialog when a new requisition is created and that template is chosen. It also allows fields to be pre-populated.

Req. Repository Status:

See Status.

Requisition Task Templates (RTT):

Both a submanager in Requisition Templates and a saved set of specimen processing tasks that will be applied to a requisition when that particular template is applied to a requisition. RTTs allow tasks to be easily applied when the same procedure or multiple procedures are routinely performed on specimen.

Requisition Templates:

A manager, consisting of two submanagers, Requisition Property Templates and Requisition Task Templates, that allows users who have specific role permissions to create prescribed processing formats to be applied when processing specimens. See also, Requisitions, Requisition Property Templates and Requisition Task Templates.

Requisitions:

Both a manager and datasets that track work or processes performed on specimens. Typically, a requisition includes a set of specimens worked on at the same time or that have the same processes completed. Requisitions without specific specimens may be submitted with instructions indicating which specimen or traits of specimen are needed. Requisitions may include requisition tasks that specify what processing is done to specific specimen and to help streamline processing tracking. See also Requisition Properties, Requisition Property Templates, Status, Tasks, and Results.

Reservations:

In BSI, may refer to locations, Sample IDs or BSI IDs that have been set aside for specific specimen or studies. BSI’s Reserve Locations Wizard reserves particular locations for specific BSI IDs or Sample IDs. It is found in the Tools menu of the Data Entry and Shipments editors. It is also available in Requisitions while completing some tasks. See BSI ID Reservations and Sample Reservation Batch.

Reserved:

Indicates that the location, specimen, Sample ID or BSI ID is being saved for a particular purpose and cannot be used except for that purpose currently. Most commonly used in BSI as a Vial Status that indicates a specimen is currently included in a requisition and cannot be included in another requisition. See also BSI ID Reservations, Location Reservations, and Vial Status.

Results:

Both an optional manager and a submanager that stores the outcomes of procedures performed on specimens. It keeps a history of machine processed data from each assay run that is manually entered, imported through an uploaded file, or submitted via BSI Connect. The Results manager can be used on its own or with the Requisitions manager for complete specimen processing tracking. See also Procedure Definitions, Results Properties, and Run Properties.

Also, the set of data pulled together to run procedures and record their outcomes. Users may choose to have only one assay run per batch or may have multiple assay runs per batch for quick comparison and analysis. A Results Batch may contain one or more runs of an assay. Each batch is given a unique identifier that will always begin with P for Procedure. See also Results Properties, and Run Properties.

Results Properties:

Metadata for the entire Results Batch, not just individual specimens or runs, that may include details about who created the batch, when it was created and specific assay information. Results properties are found in the File menu of the Results editor. See also Properties.

Return to Inventory:

A requisition task that changes the Vial Status to In.

Review List:

A list of Data Entry batches or requisitions that are grouped together for further inspection. After reviewing items the reviewer changes the status to Completed or Discrepant. Discrepant list items must be resolved before the reviewer can change the list status to Completed.  Review Lists are created and edited in the Review List manager.

Revision:

A Requisition field that denotes when specimen were added to a submitted requisition. The field is incremented when specimen are added after the requisition has been submitted and the initial specimens are Reserved. See also Reserved.

Right-Mouse Button (RMB):

A right mouse button click will open this menu throughout BSI. Various options will be listed depending on the field or menu item over which the mouse was hovering when the right mouse button was clicked.

Role:

A given set of accessing, viewing, editing, assigning, and authorizing permissions that are assigned a specific name. Roles are the building block of role based security. Users, usually Local Administrators, select which specific actions are allowed for a particular role and give that role a name. That role can then be assigned to appropriate users who have the same Institution as the role.  See Role Based Security.

Role Based Security:

One of several security paradigms incorporated into BSI. Within an Institution, roles are created that turn on or off various editing, viewing, assigning, and authorizing permissions, allowing each user to have the access needed to complete their tasks and limiting their access to other parts of the database. See also, Access Level, and Study Level Security.

Row Selection Tool:

An editor function found in multi-line editors that allows the user to easily select specific rows. Found between the Print Labels and Hide/Show columns icons, the Row Selection tool allows the user to select All, None, a Search, the Inverse of Current Selection, a Random Percentage, Parent specimens, Children specimens, etc.

RPTs:

See Requisition Property Templates.

RTTs:

See Requisition Task Templates.

Run Properties:

A set of attributes that pertains to actions or qualities associated with a particular procedure execution on a set of specimens (run). Run Properties fields include Run Label (the name that will differentiate this run from others), the number of specimens, start and end time, etc.

S

Sample:

One set of specimens taken from one subject at one time. Sample specimens may be different Materials Types or may have different Material Modifiers.

Sample ID:

A unique identifier that denotes a set of specimens taken from one subject at one time. Can include many different material types. Ex. AA000000. All specimens sharing the same Sample ID will have the same shared values for all sample-level fields (such as Visit, Date Drawn, Subject ID, etc.). See also BSI ID and Sequence.

Sample Level Field:

Any database field designated as a sample level field is sample specific (collected from one subject at one time). Changing data in that field will change data for all specimens with the same Sample ID.

Sample Reservation Batch:

A way of submitting a list of Sample IDs that will be retained for specimens associated with specific studies or specific subjects. These batches are created, submitted, and edited through the Sample Reservations manager by users with sample reservations role and/or study permissions.

Sequence:

Also called sequence number, differentiates individual specimens within one sample. It is the second part of the BSI ID.

Serpentine:

An Assignment Pattern Options Pattern used to assign locations. See also Assignment Pattern Options Pattern and Assignment Pattern Options Orientation.

Server Locks:

A flat manager that allows Local Administrators and Database Managers to view locks placed on batches and requisitions that prevent others from editing an item already being edited. These locks prevent conflicting data from being entered into the database. Only Database Managers and System Administrators can delete server locks. Accessed most often when a user forgets to close an editor and thus keeps another from performing work on the batch or requisition.

Ship:

In requisitions, a task that tracks a specimen being sent to a place that does not use the same BSI database, which changes the Vial Status to Out.

Shipment Properties:

Metadata for an incoming physical shipment of specimens. It may include conditions, times, package count, transportation tracking, templates used, personnel involved, etc. Shipment properties includes a Notes field to record any information deemed significant that is not covered by other fields. Shipment Properties, like Received Properties, is found in the File menu of the Shipments editor. See also Properties and Received Properties.

Shipments:

Within BSI, Shipments specifically refers to incoming specimens, in other words, acquisitions. Acquisition specimen data received at one time from one source is a Shipment Batch. After receiving both the Shipment Batch and receiving individual specimen within the batch, the specimen can be transferred to a Data Entry batch that will allow the specimens to be committed to the database. Shipment Batch IDs begin with I for “Incoming.” Outgoing specimen are processed through Requisition Ship or Transfer Out tasks. See also Shipment Properties, and Status.

Sort:

Allows the user to choose the way data will be arranged in a window. It is accessed in managers and editors by opening the right mouse button menu on a column header and in Reports as its own tab.

Source ID:

The original specimen in a line of aliquots. I.e., if you create an aliquot of an aliquot, then the Source ID for the first and second aliquoted children would be the BSI ID of the initial specimen.

Specimen:

An individual unit that is tracked by BSI. It is used interchangeably with "vial".

Status:

In Requisitions, there are four possible statuses. The Req. Repository Status is a required database field visible on the Requisition manager and in reports that allows the user to see how far the requisitions have moved through the process from being created to completed or canceled. See: Pending, Submit, In Process, Completed, or Canceled. The other general requisition status is the Include status found in the Requisition editor. Specimens that have an Include status of Requested will be Reserved in the Requisition when it is submitted. For the other Include statuses, visit the User Guide’s article for Include Column Statuses. The requisition task status denotes whether a task has been applied, begun, completed, denied, or marked as a redo. For studies requiring approval, vials in a requisition will have an approval status of Pending, Approved or Denied. No work can be performed on specimens with an Approval Status of Pending or Denied. An approval status of N/A means the study did not require approval.

In Shipments, the state of an incoming specimen. Each vial in a shipment is assigned a Status that tracks the process of an incoming Shipment from being in transit with the courier to specimens being rejected or committed to the database.

Fields, user accounts, studies, templates, and other objects that are no longer being used in BSI cannot be deleted as they must exist for audit trail 21 CFR part 11 compliance. Such items that are no longer being used or selected, have a status of Inactive. For example, Material Types marked as Inactive on the code list will not appear in the drop down selection boxes for Material Type. Similarly, objects such as templates are inactive or draft by default and must be activated to change their status to active so they can be accessed and applied by users.

Vial Status is the state of the specimen with relationship to the repository. Specimens that are available for processing have a Vial Status of In. Specimens with any other Vial Status value are not currently available for processing. A Vial Status of Reserved means that the specimen is saved for a requisition and cannot be used in another requisition. A Vial Status of Out means that the specimen has been shipped to a facility that does not use BSI. Other Vial Statuses include Array Core, Blinded, Destroyed/Broken, Discrepant, Empty, Lost/Missing, On Hold, and Unknown. See also In Transit, Received, Not Received, Received in Requisition, In Batch, and Commit.

Study Access Only Repository:

A type of repository with security controls that allow users to:  

  • View and manipulate specimen data for studies for which they have been specifically granted access
  • View and edit subject data only if they have been granted explicit study permissions

Users at Study Access Only repositories must have both role permissions and study authorizations to view specimens, perform actions on specimens, and view or edit subject data.

Study Level Security:

One of the paradigms incorporated into BSI to maintain the integrity of the database. Used to restrict users’ access to specimens and some subject data based on study permissions. In a Study Access Only repository, accounts may only view or edit those specimens for which they have specific study permissions (for studies that require authorization). Any BSI account with appropriate role permissions can view specimen for studies that do not require authorization. A user may be limited by the Repository Access Level of the repository they are logged into. In addition to role permissions granted to a user, the user may require extra study-specific permissions to complete actions on specimens from studies requiring authorization.

Study Properties:

See Properties.

Study Property Templates:

A set of default values specified in a saved format that can be applied when creating new studies to prefill fields and determine which fields are visible.  Permission is required to access and use the Study Property Templates submanager. Only users with the Access Level of Local Administrator, Database Manager, or System Administrator can be given these permissions.

Sub-container:

A container within another container; e.g., a box that is stored on a rack.

Subjects:

Both the participants/patients (can be humans or lab animals) and an optional manager in the BSI client. Often links the specimen record back to a clinical system.

Submit:

A permanent change to the database for code lists and requisitions; i.e., a record of that change will always exist even if that change is undone.

T

Tasks:

Common processing functions that are built into BSI to track what processing is done to specimens. Permissions to perform requisition tasks are separate from permission to open/view requisitions.

Template:

A set of default values specified in a saved format that can be applied in BSI to prefill fields or determine which fields are visible.  When used alone, template refers specifically to a set of saved default values for specimens in data entry batches or shipments. Templates can also be used to determine the displayed fields in a requisition or to generate aliquots (or complete other tasks). In a Requisition Property Template (RPT), a user can specify which Column View template and Requisition Task Template (RTT) to use, as well as pre-filling other Requisition properties, which allows for exact workflows to be tracked efficiently in BSI. In User Administration, User Configuration Templates are used to apply a set of preferences and default search criteria to BSI user accounts. See also Kits, Requisition Property Templates, Requisition Task Templates, Study Property Templates, and User Configuration Templates.

ToolTip:

Used in conjunction with a cursor, usually a mouse pointer. The user hovers the cursor over an item, without clicking it, and a small "hover box" appears with supplementary information regarding the item.

Tracking Number:

The ID assigned by a courier to an incoming or outgoing shipment.

Transfer Out:  

The requisition task when a specimen is sent for processing at another repository that uses the same BSI database.

Translation:

Schema that allow for data to be manipulated into a form that conforms to BSI standards when the data is entered through importing or scanning and allows exporting to specified formats.

Trusted Repository:

A designation that grants specimen viewing access to users from another repository in the same database. Users in the Trusted Repository will not be able to edit specimen data outside their own repository. Trust view will not allow users in the Trusted Repository to view subject or consent data.

U

UAT:

See Beta.

Unblind

A requisition task that merges data from original and blinded specimens after those specimens no longer need to have identifying data hidden.

User:

Both any person who uses BSI and a BSI account Access level which does not have access to manage other accounts. This type of account cannot modify its own role permissions and access. See also Access Level Security.

User Administration:

A module in BSI consisting of two submanagers (User Configuration Templates and User Administration) that is available to users with an Access Level of Local Administrator, Database Manager or System Administrator. It facilitates the creation and editing of user accounts, including defaults, preferences, and security (including study permissions).

User Configuration Templates:

Both a submanager of the User Administration manager and a set of default preferences specified in a saved format (template) that can be applied to user accounts.

User Default Editor View:

In the Requisitions editor, a tool that allows users to customize and save their editor appearance by selecting the columns they would like to see through Hide and Show Columns, moving the columns (including any tasks added) into the order they prefer, and then selecting View, Save User Default Editor View.

User Defined Frequency:

A report type that returns a specimen count for the criteria displayed in the report.

User Defined Listing:

A report type that returns a listing of items (data) for the criteria selected.

V

Verifiers:

Data validation rules that generate warnings and errors. For example, BSI IDs are required to commit new specimens. A verifier will create an error message for a specimen without a BSI ID and prevent you from committing the batch. Users who have access to the Customization module can create custom verifiers for data entered into specific fields. Verifiers can be warnings, which will not prevent data from being committed or submitted to the database or they can be errors, which will prevent data from being committed or submitted to the database.

Vial:

Used interchangeably with Specimen, denotes a single specimen

Vial Level Field:

Any database field designated as a vial level field is specimen specific. Changing data in that field will only change data for that individual specimen.

Vial Status:

See Status.

W

Warning:

An alert that the specimen information seems inappropriate. There are warnings from the system and there are custom warnings that can be created in the Customization manager by those with appropriate permissions. Fields with warnings are highlighted in blue. Batches with warnings can be committed. See also Verifiers.

Web Attachment:

An option from the Shipments editor, File menu, Import Specimens selection, that allows the user to import a Shipment manifest that was created using the BSI Engage Interface. The manifest must be a comma or tab delimited text file or Excel file in order to be imported.

Web Services:

The BSI Application Programming Interface, also known as BSI Connect. It allows other systems to push data into the database and pull data from the database. See also Exclusive Webservices User.