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    OpenSpecimen Forums

    Container level metadata forms by type

    Technical Questions
    #1

    OpenSpecimen community, we have a need for capturing additional metadata for freezer containers for inventory, insurance and liability compliance. Currently container custom fields can only be applied globally to every container type to generate forms. This is not workable as we need additional metadata for top level types such as freezers rather than vials or boxes.

    Do other sites have this type of need and how to do you use OpenSpecimen for this or if you don’t use OpenSpecimen for this purpose why or what is impending you. We’d like to solve this as we have freezers, have child specimens and generating a list of freezers with types of specimens should be possible but we need additional metadata to complete the list and this type of of functionality in OS would be ideal. Would like to hear everyone’s thoughts.

    #2

    Have you asked about modifying the form level to Containers instead of Container Type? Is the data you are trying to capture for the actual containers or for the specimens?

    #3

    Hi Randy

    I’m reaching out to a few of my labs to get their input. More flexibility in container forms would be useful. In the past, I’ve had labs who wanted extra fields but other who did not. Right now I believe it’s all or nothing in regards to attaching the form to containers.

    Lee

    #4

    Hi Sean, this would be metadata for containers. Specifically only parent types of containers like freezers. Currently only custom fields can be added globally to all containers regardless of type, which is too broad. The needed feature would be to restrict a form to a container type, in this case a freezer or tank or the like. Yes we have asked but I’d like to understand how others are solving this or may have need to put a priority on this request.

    #5

    Thanks Lee, yes that’s what we’re seeing as well. Would love to hear what you find out, appreciate the help.

    #6

    Hi Randy- are you using version v11.2.RC14 of OpenSpecimen? We were able to add custom form to our freezer, LN tanks, etc. As for reporting, we are using POWER BI for flexibility and able to generate the inventory report on all our storage containers with relevant info.

    Regards,
    Tina

    #7

    hi Randy / Lee / everyone,

    At the moment, you have to create a form with all the custom fields for containers and associate it at the Storage Container Custom Fields Form level. There is no way to show these fields for a particular group or freezer or site or level. It appears in the container page for every single container. So it is all or nothing. It would be great if they could enhance it based on container type or site or level (only freezer level).

    Thanks,

    Amritha

    #8

    Hi Randy,

    One challenge with supporting export/import of container CSV files is that all containers currently share the same template, since custom fields are global. If we support this feature, the CSV templates will be specific to the container type. We will have to redesign the UI to decide from which page the import/export should be supported.

    Overall, this is a valuable enhancement. We’ll review it internally and determine whether it can be included in a future release.

    Easier workaround is:

    1. Retain the common form
    2. Provide an enhancement to add skip logic to show fields based on container type

    This way you can show fields based on container type and also wont have the complications of type based forms.

    Thanks,
    Tushar

    #9

    Hi Randy,

    You can configure skip login directly in the form XML. Please refer to Example 4 from the wiki page.
    If you need any assistance, feel free to create a support ticket and we’ll help you.

    Thanks,
    Tushar

    #10

    @Tushar_Tajane I think for now the skip logic would work for the purposes of restricting to top level containers. We’ll evaluate setting up the skip logic and reach out if we need help. I do think this type of enhancement overall, to set without editing the xml, would be an ideal feature in the future.

    1 Like
    #11

    @Tushar_Tajane
    I like this solution for now. But since the field that determines if a container is a parent container is the lack of a value in the ‘Parent Container’ field, would it be possible to instead use skip logic based upon ‘parent container name’ ‘does not exist’? If so, what would that attribute look like?

    Then labs would not be restricted to use only certain container types when creating a top level freezer or other type of container.