LIMS: Lab Test Ordering & Results
Order tests, run them, and release certificates of analysis.
Last updated July 2026
The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is Olto's test-ordering and results platform, the flagship feature of the Lab plan. It connects two sides of a testing relationship: a requester who needs assays run, and a provider lab that runs them, enters results, and releases a Certificate of Analysis. Both sides live in the app, with notifications, invoicing, real-time updates, and analytics built in.
The Two Sides
- Test Hub: the requester's workspace. Browse provider catalogs, create and submit orders, register samples, track status, read released results, and pay invoices.
- Lab Console: the provider's workspace. Receive incoming orders, register and store samples, run assays, enter and verify results, release Certificates of Analysis, issue invoices, and manage staff.
Setting Up as a Provider
To run tests for others, register a provider lab and build its assay catalog. Each catalog assay defines the test, its method, turnaround, price, sample requirements, and the reference ranges used to flag results. Providers can list accreditations (CLIA, CAP, ISO 17025, ISO 15189, GLP, GMP, FDA-registered). A seeded demo reference lab with example assays is available to explore the workflow.
Creating & Submitting an Order
- From the Test Hub, choose a provider and add one or more assays from its catalog to a new order.
- Add order-level detail: project, priority, and instructions.
- Save as a draft, then submit the order to the provider. The provider can accept or reject it.
Order Status Lifecycle
An order moves through a defined status machine, with each transition recorded and surfaced to both sides:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Being assembled by the requester |
| Submitted | Sent to the provider for review |
| Accepted / Rejected | Provider has taken the order, or declined it |
| Received | Samples logged at the lab |
| In Progress | Testing underway |
| Results Ready | Results entered and released |
| Completed | Order closed out |
| On Hold / Cancelled | Paused, or stopped before completion |
Sample Registration & Chain of Custody
Samples are registered against an order and tracked through their own lifecycle: registered, in transit, received, in storage, in analysis, exhausted, disposed, or rejected. Every handling event is recorded in an append-only chain-of-custody log (collected, shipped, received, stored, aliquoted, analyzed, transferred, disposed, rejected, or comment), giving you a complete, auditable history of who handled each sample and when.
Entering Results & Reference-Range Auto-Flagging
Technicians enter a numeric or qualitative result for each assay. Olto compares the value against the assay's reference range and auto-flags it:
| Flag | Indicates |
|---|---|
| Normal | Within the reference range |
| Low / High | Outside the range, non-critical |
| Critical Low / Critical High | Outside the critical threshold, and triggers a critical notification |
| Abnormal / Inconclusive | Qualitatively flagged or indeterminate |
A result progresses through preliminary → final, and items track pending → in progress → resulted → verified.
Verify, Amend & Electronic Signatures
A reviewer verifies results before release, applying a 21 CFR Part 11-style electronic signature that captures who signed and when. If a result must change after the fact, it is amended rather than overwritten. The amendment is recorded with its own signature and the result is marked amended, preserving the original for the audit trail.
Certificate of Analysis (CoA)
Once results are verified, the provider releases a Certificate of Analysis: a formal PDF listing the order, each assay, its result and flag, the reference range, and the signing reviewer. The requester is notified and can download the CoA from the Test Hub.
Invoicing
Providers can generate an invoice for an order, priced from the catalog. Invoices move through draft → issued → paid (or void) and can be downloaded as a PDF. An invoice card and an activity timeline appear in the order workspace so both sides see billing status at a glance.
Notifications & Real-Time Updates
A notification bell delivers in-app alerts on the events that matter: submission, acceptance, status changes, new messages, result release, and critical results. Order workspaces update in real time, so a result entered on the Lab Console appears in the requester's Test Hub without a refresh.
Messaging
Each order has a threaded message channel so requester and provider can ask questions, clarify requirements, and document decisions in context.
Analytics & Export
The LIMS analytics dashboard summarizes throughput, turnaround, and result distributions with SVG charts computed by a pure, unit-tested analytics module. Order and result data can be exported to CSV for external reporting.
Provider Staff Roles
A provider lab can add staff by email and assign each a role:
| Role | Capabilities |
|---|---|
| Lab Admin | Full control of the provider: catalog, staff, orders, invoicing, and release |
| Technician | Registers samples and enters results |
| Reviewer | Verifies, amends, and releases results with an electronic signature |
| Viewer | Read-only access to the provider's orders and results |