The Best Software for Contract Testing Labs
Between increasing throughput and changing compliance regulations, labs across industries face countless challenges, but few are as hard-pressed as contract testing labs.
In this pursuit to keep up with client demand and meet strict regulatory requirements, many contract testing labs that rely on manual methods for sample, inventory, and test management are at risk of falling behind. And that risk increases with each passing year.
In this guide, we’ll highlight the seven biggest hurdles contract labs face—and show how specialized software can solve them
7 Key Challenges Contract Testing Labs Face And How Software Solves Them
As throughput and demand increase, contract testing labs face greater challenges now than ever before. Here are the top seven challenges facing these labs today:
- Sample management
- Test method standardization
- Client communication
- Results Reporting
- Quality control
- Turnaround time (TAT)
- Invoicing
Sample Management
Sample management is a major challenge for contract testing labs, especially considering that they process thousands of samples monthly from diverse clients with different requirements, testing parameters, and priorities.
From receipt to disposal, each sample follows a unique journey with varying storage conditions and retention periods in your lab. This can quickly get out of hand if you track everything with paper or an Excel file. For example, a food testing lab might simultaneously manage shelf-life studies requiring weekly testing for six months, urgent pathogen testing with same-day results, and routine nutritional analysis—all with different sample preparation methods, testing workflows, and reporting requirements. Without software, your lab will probably resort to error-prone spreadsheets or paper systems, leading to misplaced samples, missed testing deadlines, and confusion about sample status. In contrast, software like a LIMS automatically captures each sample’s metadata at check-in, assigns barcodes, and tracks its journey until disposal, saving hours for your team while also preventing future mishaps or compliance failures.
Test Method Standardization
Test method standardization is another major challenge, especially if your lab has staff running tests across multiple shifts or locations.
To be compliant and efficient, methods must be performed identically, regardless of who conducts them. Should staff turnover occur or new testing procedures be introduced, this can render standardization impossible. For example, let’s say we have a pharmaceutical contract lab where slight variations in sample preparation techniques between two analysts resulted in different dissolution profiles for the same drug product. This discrepancy could trigger a costly investigation and client concerns about data reliability – all because of a small difference in preparation between two individuals.
Software like a LIMS allows you to create standardized test procedures for your staff to follow, eliminating the risk of procedural failures.
Client Communication
Contract labs serve as critical partners to their clients, who often need real-time updates on testing progress and immediate access to results for making business decisions.
Traditional communication methods, such as emails, phone calls, and faxed reports, create delays and information gaps. They also require the customer to contact you, resulting in your lab staff reacting to client demands rather than getting work done.
With competition fiercer than ever, it’s not enough to simply get the job done – your lab must communicate with customers in a timely manner as well.
Cobbled-together solutions allow communication to slip through the cracks, but modern software solutions can streamline customer communication and reduce the administrative burden on your staff. A client portal integrated into your LIMS lets clients submit samples, view status updates, and receive results without manual email chains.
Results Reporting
Reporting on results is one of the most time-consuming tasks for contract testing labs. Between copying and pasting data from spreadsheets and formatting reports, your staff can easily spend hours per day generating reports for clients.
Add to this the complexity of serving clients across industries. You may need to generate different report formats, certification statements, and compliance documentation. Should changes or last-minute edits be needed, you’re only adding more work to your team’s plate, which means less time spent on testing.
A LIMS comes with built-in reporting tools, allowing you to generate and share reports internally or with customers, all with the click of a button.
Quality Control
Maintaining testing accuracy across thousands of samples requires organized quality control processes that detect and address deviations before they affect final results. This is especially important if your lab wishes to meet regulatory requirements such as ISO 17025, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, or EPA standards.
To be compliant, your lab must monitor instrument performance, analyst proficiency, and method suitability through systematic controls. For example, suppose we have a food testing lab using chromatography systems to detect contaminants, nutrients, or additives in food samples. The detection limit of these systems needs to be routinely monitored and calibrated, otherwise, it could gradually increase and render test results unreliable. Not only does this put the lab at risk of failing compliance standards, but it also requires hours of re-testing.
Not to mention compliance documentation as well. For instance, pharmaceutical clients will require FDA-compliant documentation, while manufacturing clients will require ISO-formatted documentation. While ISO 17025 does not require a LIMS per se, it strongly implies that a robust system is needed to manage data and documentation. Again, manual methods for compliance and quality control fall short of specialized software.
Turnaround Time (TAT)
Contract labs face intense pressure to deliver accurate results within ever-shrinking timeframes to meet client expectations in competitive markets. Turnaround time (TAT) is just one of many metrics that contract testing labs need to quantify and improve upon.
This pressure intensifies when unexpected sample volumes arrive or instrument downtime occurs. When competitors can guarantee faster SLAs than your lab, it’s more important than ever to have a clearly defined TAT that your lab can stick to in order to retain clients. There’s only so much you can do to improve turnaround time with manual methods, but specialized software platforms can shave off hours, which adds up considerably over time.
Invoicing
There’s another key piece of customer communication beyond relaying test updates: invoicing.
Contract labs often deal with complex invoicing scenarios involving different price structures for different clients, rush fees, volume discounts, panel pricing, taxes, and specialized testing packages. Tracking these variables and generating accurate invoices can be a nightmare if you need to parse through Excel files to do it.
Platforms like a LIMS can track all testing activities and automatically generate invoices based on actual work performed to ensure proper revenue capture while providing detailed financial analytics on profitability by client, test type, and department.
These challenges may be difficult to overcome with manual methods, but that’s where software can help. Read on for the best software platforms available to contract testing labs today.
Top Software Platforms for Contract Testing Labs
Labs relying on manual methods for data and test management face the risk of falling behind (not to mention failing to meet compliance requirements).
Of all the software platforms available to contract testing labs, the best options are:
- ELN
- QMS
- Client portal software
- LIMS
ELN
An ELN (electronic lab notebook) digitizes the traditional lab notebook, providing secure cloud storage for experimental data, observations, and procedures.
While ELNs do provide a step up from pen and paper (modern ELNs offer searchability, version control, electronic signatures, and collaboration features), they fall short of providing the support contract testing labs need.
ELNS are primarily designed for research labs. Most (but not all) contract testing labs offer well-designed testing methods, meaning they are focused more on high sample throughput rather than experiments that need an ELN.
Some contract testing labs do research projects or sequences of steps where an ELN might be useful, but there are other software platforms that are much better suited to their unique needs.
QMS
A QMS streamlines quality assurance through comprehensive document control, deviation management, and compliance tracking. These platforms manage everything from SOPs and training records to instrument calibration schedules and corrective/preventive actions (CAPAs). They help support regulatory compliance by maintaining audit trails and enforcing review/approval workflows.
For contract labs, a QMS addresses critical quality and compliance needs but may lack sample management and client-facing capabilities.
Client Portal Software
Client portal solutions provide a secure, branded interface for customers to submit test requests, track sample progress, and access results in real time. Advanced portals offer customizable dashboards, automated notifications, and self-service certificate generation. They transform client communication from a reactive burden into a competitive advantage by providing transparency while simultaneously reducing inquiry calls and emails that interrupt lab operations. Still, many of these platforms may not be perfectly suited for labs, and most will lack data management, sample management, and compliance features.
LIMS
Modern contract labs need a software platform to manage lab data, help support compliance initiatives, and provide an interface for customers. You could purchase several platforms and sync them together or a LIMS to bring everything under one roof.
A LIMS serves as the operational backbone for contract labs, orchestrating the entire testing lifecycle from sample receipt to result reporting. Modern LIMS platforms automate workflows, manage samples, integrate with instruments, enforce methodologies, and generate compliance-ready documentation. They provide real-time visibility into lab operations, enabling data-driven decisions about resource allocation and process optimization. For contract testing labs specifically, a LIMS with client portal integration, invoicing capabilities, and configurable workflows offers the most comprehensive solution to address their challenges. Add in a built-in QMS, and your lab has everything it needs.
The Best LIMS for Contract Testing Labs
Of all the LIMS available on the market today, which will you choose?
We’ve covered the best LIMS available, and among the leaders in the industry, QBench is the leader for contract testing labs looking to get more done and scale.
QBench takes a unique approach to LIMS by creating a highly configurable and flexible LIMS. This puts the power to make changes into your hands. Since all labs operate and evolve differently, they need a flexible LIMS that adapts with them over time. QBench offers other powerful features for contract testing labs, like:
What’s more, QBench releases software updates every three weeks, signaling a strong pace of improvement and innovation.
Boasting powerful automation features, the ability to configure your LIMS to adapt to your lab's needs, and a growing list of integrations, it’s no wonder that QBench was awarded numerous badges in 2025 from G2, currently ranks #1 on G2's Highest-Rated LIMS list, reached #1 on G2's Easiest to Use LIMS List, and has ranked #1 on G2’s Highest-Rated LIMS in North America list for the last year.
QBench also ranks highly for Ease of Use, Ease of Setup, Ease of Doing Business With, Quality of Support, and Ease of Admin. G2 Winter 2025 LIMS category awards for QBench include Momentum Leader, Best Results, Best Relationship, and Best Usability Small Business.
Ready to Buy a LIMS? Read Our Free Buyer’s Guide First
The demands on contract testing labs are only increasing, so it’s time to put away spreadsheets or whiteboards and start using a LIMS. To help you make the right choice for your lab, download our free LIMS Buyer’s Guide to help you choose the right LIMS for your lab.
You’ll learn:
- What a LIMS is
- What the different types of LIMS are
- What features to look for in a LIMS
And more!
Click the button below to download the free buyer’s guide and take the first step toward improving your lab’s systems and software.
