The LIMS Glossary includes LIMS and Technology "often-used" terms. If you can't think of how to spell a word or are looking for a definition, use our online glossary.

Accuracy
The closeness of agreement between the measured value and the true or accepted reference value. It is a measurement of the bias of a method.

Acceptance Testing
Formal testing conducted to determine whether or not a system satisfies its acceptance criteria and to enable the customer to determine whether or not to accept the system.

ACIL
The American Council of Independent Laboratories.

Address
An identification (number, name, or label) that uniquely identifies a computer register, memory location, or storage device.

Algorithm
A computational procedure containing a finite sequence of steps. A set of rules that specify a sequence of actions to be taken to solve a problem.

AIA
The Analytical Instruments Association.

AIM
Automatic Identification Manufacturers, is an organization that is supported by manufacturers and suppliers of automatic identification products and services.

Analog signal
Any form of data transmission where the pneumatic, mechanical, or electrical energy signal varies continuously in direct proportion to the intensity of the physical quantity, property, or condition represented.

ANSI
The American National Standards Institute, a non-governmental organization responsible for the development of standards such as manufacturing.

Application Software
A program that performs a task or process specific to a particular enduser's needs, or solves a particular problem. Enterprise applications are typically large scale business systems that organizations use to manage their operations.

Architecture
A structured set of protocols that implements a system's functions. A network architecture defines the functions, formats, interfaces, and protocols required for end users to exchange information.

Artificial Intelligence
The concept that computers can be programmed to assume capabilities such as learning, reasoning, adaptation, and self-correction.

ASCII
The American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a binary character code used to represent a character in a computer. It consists of 128 seven-bit codes for upper and lower case letters, numbers, punctuation, and special communication control characters.

Aspect Ratio
The ratio of bar height to symbol length.

ASQC
The American Society for Quality Control.

Association
A relationship between entities or data elements in a logical data model.

Assurance
A measure of confidence that the security features and architecture of a LIMS accurately mediate and enforce the security policy.

ASTM
The American Society for Testing and Materials.

Attribute
A piece of information that represents a single property of an entity.

Audit
A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the documentation and procedures associated with the LIMS to verify that resulting LIMS Raw Data are of acceptable quality.

Audit Trail
A system that tracks the changes to a database.

Autodiscrimination
Capability of reading and decoding more than one bar code symbology in a single piece of equipment

Automation
1) The conversion to and implementation of procedures, processes, or equipment by automated means.
2) The entire field of investigation, design, development, application, and methods to render or make manual processes or operations partially or fully automatic.
3) A system or operation that automatically compensates and adjusts itself to complete a task, or series of tasks, to predefined parameters without human interaction.

Background
Area surrounding a bar code including quiet zone and spaces.

Backup
The process used to copy software, especially in regard to a database to another area or method of storage to protect the information.

Bar
The darker (black) element of a bar code symbol.

Bar Code
An array of parallel bars and spaces encoding information. Also see Symbol.

Bar Coding
An automatic identification technology that encodes data in a printed pattern of varying-width bars and spaces in accordance with predetermined rules.

Bar Length
The bar dimension perpendicular to the bar width.

Bar Width
The thickness of a bar measured from the edge closest to the symbol start character to the trailing edge of the same bar.

BASIC
Beginner's All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, a simple programming language widely used for personal computers.

Batch
A prepared quantity of material during one process operation.

Benchmark
A fixed point of reference or a standard for comparison. An outstanding example that is appropriate for use as a model.

Bias
The systematic error between the measured value and the true or accepted value.

Binary Code
A representation of information using a sequence of zeros and ones. The basis for calculations in all digital computers.

Bit
A digit in Binary Code, ex. 0 or 1

Blank
An element of the analytical measurement process distinguished by the absence of the component to be measured.
1) Field Blank - A blank that is used to measure the environmental contamination of a sample in the field.
2) Method Blank - A blank composed of reagents, apparatus and testing materials used in the test method.

Buffer
A storage area that temporarily holds data transmitted between a peripheral device and the central processor to allow for differences in working speeds.

Bus
A high speed pathway shared by signals from several components of a computer.

Byte
1) A fixed number of bits, often corresponding to a single character and processed as a unit.
2) A collection of eight bits capable of representing an alphanumeric or special character.

Cache Memory
A high speed, buffer-type memory filled at medium speed from the main memory.

Calibration
The process of determining and/or adjusting an entity or device to meet or match a predetermined set of conditions or standards.

CAS
The Chemical Abstract Service number.

CCD
A Charge Coupled Device is a bar code scanner which senses the light and dark areas of a symbol.

CD-ROM
Compact Disc - Read Only Memory systems use digitized multimedia signals to recreate text, video, and graphics.

Certificate of Analysis
A document that reports and certifies the test results of a product.

Certificate of Conformance
A document confirming that a product or service meets the required specifications, regulations or contractual agreements.

CGMP
Current Good Manufacturing Practice, CGMPs are updated versions of GMPs released by the federal government.

Chain of Custody
Represents the record of a sample, including its collection, preservation, transportation, transfers, analysis and final disposal.

Change Control
Management and implementation methodologies associated with increasing or correcting system capabilities, a partial system redesign, or determining software obsolescence.

Characteristic
A distinguishing property of a sample or population that can be measured or counted.

Check Digit
A character included within a symbol which used to perform a mathematical check to ensure the accuracy of the scanned data.

Check Standard
A stable in-house standard that is re-measured periodically to determine if a measurement process is in control.

CIM
Computer Integrated Manufacturing.

CIMS
Corporate Information Management System.

Class
A group of objects with common properties.

Client
A user's workstation in a client/server architecture, typically a PC or workstation. The client serves as a user interface, as well as a processor for many time consuming tasks, allowing the server to devote itself to central storage and other tasks.

Client/Server Database
A variation of the relational model with the tables stored on the server and SQL or some other programming interface residing on the clients.

CLP
(Superfund's Contract Laboratory Program) The program that issues contracts to laboratories for superfund cleanup of the environment.

Codabar
A numeric only bar code consisting of seven black and white bars. Two bars are wide (Code 27).

Code 39
A full alphanumeric bar code consisting of nine black and white bars. Three bars are wide (Code 3 of 9). Code 39 is the most frequently used symbology in industrial bar code systems today.

Code 128
A full alphanumeric bar code capable of encoding all 128 ASCII characters.

Code 16K
Multi-row (stacked) code in which each symbol can have between two and sixteen rows or stacks. Each row is separated by a one module separator bar, and consists of 18 bars and 17 spaces. The code is analogous to sentences in a paragraph.

Coercivity
Value of the opposing magnetic intensity that must be applied to a material to remove the residual magnetism when it has been magnetized to saturation.

Compatibility
The ability of two devices to communicate with each other understandably, or the ability of software to run on a particular hardware platform.

Concatenate
To link together.

Control Chart
Process Control Chart The graphical representation of process data, consisting of 1) the lines for the control limits that provide a statistical boundary within which the process measurement is expected to fall and 2) a plot of the measurements of a process characteristic or statistic over time or sequence that can be used to control and improve a process.
Quality Control Chart A graphical representation of sampling data, consisting of 1) the lines for the control limits that provide a statistical boundary for which the sample measurements is expected to fall within and 2) a plot of the measurements of a sample characteristic or statistic over time or sequence to improve the control of the quality of a measurement.

Control Limits
The upper and lower boundaries that signify a process or a test procedure is out of control.

Control Samples
Pooled or composite test samples that are analyzed to check the proficiency of the lab measurements. Control samples in a manufacturing laboratory may also be taken to check a production run.

Control Substance
Any material minus the test substance that is monitored in a study for establishing a basis for comparison with the test substance. Controls in a study represent the absence of the test material and are analogous to a blank in an analytical method.

CPS
Characters per second.

CPU
The Central Processing Unit controls the operation of the entire computer system and executes the arithmetical and logical functions contained in a particular program.

CRT
Cathode Ray Tube. Also called a terminal or monitor

CSA
(Computer Security Act) A list of requirements for computer security.

CuSum Chart
The cumulative sum control chart used to detect abrupt changes in the process.

Data
A general term used to denote any or all facts, numbers, letters, and symbols that refer to or describe an object, idea, condition, situation, or other factors. It denotes basic elements of information that can be processed or produced by a computer.

Data acquisition system
Any instrument or computer that acquires data from sensors via amplifiers, multiplexers, and any necessary analog to digital converters. Typically associated with process industries.

Data Collection
The act of bringing data from remote points to a central location and organizing it into understandable information. Typically associated with discrete manufacturing.

Data Encapsulation
The separation of internal object information from external demands upon the object.

Data Matrix
Variable size two dimensional matrix symbology that is inherently omnidirectional Data Matrix has a high degree error correction capability and is used primarily for part marking and tracking.

Data Model
A standardized representation of data objects used as a container for transactions, a framework for analysis, and a vocabulary for management.

Data Warehouse
A database for query and analysis, as opposed to a database for processing transactions. Separating the two functions improves flexibility and performance.

Database
A collection of structured data that is application independent.

Database Integrity
A term that refers to the validity, consistency, and accuracy of the database.

DBMS
Database Management Systems access data stored in a database and present multiple data views to end users and application programmers.

Decoder
A software or hardware means of translating bar codes into alphanumeric data. A bar code reader is required to scan the information into the decoder.

Default Value
The option taken by a computer in the event of the omission of a definite instruction or action.

Density
The term used to designate the compactness of a bar code which measures the narrowest element (usually in mils) of that bar code.

Depth of Field
The distance between the maximum and minimum plane in which a bar code reader is capable of reading symbols.

Design
The stage that specifies the automated and manual functions and procedures, the computer programs, and data storage techniques that meet the requirements identified and the security and control techniques that assure the integrity of the system.

Detection Limit
The minimum quantity of a substance that can be measured with a predetermined confidence level for presence of the substance.

Direct Thermal
A process in which a set of pins on a printhead are selectively heated onto heat-sensitive paper (or label stock). In turn, the paper turns dark and a bar code is formed. Over time, a Direct Thermal image will eventually fade. Also known as Thermal Printing.

Documentation
The process of gathering written or electronic information describing, defining, specifying, reporting, or certifying activities, requirements, procedures, or results.

DPI
Dots per inch.

EAN
A voluntary, non-profit standards development association active in numbering, bar coding, and EDI messages for products, services, utilities, and transport units and locations. The EAN system is fully compatible with the Universal Product Code (UPC).

EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Electronic Mail
(e-mail) or Internet mail: Electronic mail is a method of transmitting text messages and files digitally over communication links, allows users to exchange mail with people all over the world via a unique address.

Entity
Something about which information is stored, either tangible or not, such as an employee or a part on the one hand; an event, an account, or an abstract concept on the other.

Ethernet
The standard for local communications networks developed jointly by Digital Equipment Corp., Xerox, and Intel. Ethernet baseband coaxial cable transmits data at speeds up to 10 megabits per second. Ethernet is used as the underlying transport vehicle by several upper-level protocols, including TCP/IP.

Expert System
A computer program that uses knowledge and reasoning techniques to solve problems that normally require the abilities of human experts. Software that applies human-like reasoning involving rules and heuristics to solve a problem.