Why Your Lab Should Invest in a LIMS

Most labs know that their duct-taped system of spreadsheets and notecards is a liability. 

The trouble is that ripping that out means budget conversations, change management, and the risk that whatever you replace it with will create new problems.

We understand the hesitation. A LIMS is a significant investment, and not every platform delivers on its promises. Some require so much customization that you're paying for consultants indefinitely. Others look simple until you try to adapt them to your lab's actual workflow.

If you’re debating whether a LIMS should be a “this year” priority or a “next year project,” then this guide is for you. We'll cover the core benefits of a LIMS, walk through a real-world ROI calculation, and flag the questions you should ask vendors.

What is a LIMS?

A LIMS is a comprehensive software platform designed to manage and track samples, tests, and results throughout the entire lab workflow. 

LIMS are information management and automation powerhouses for modern labs, available in multiple deployment models and configurations:

• They can be built from scratch and self-hosted or licensed
• You can host them yourself (on-prem) or access them via the cloud
• Some require heavy customization to make changes, while others offer in-app configuration
• Some are industry-agnostic, while others are industry-specific
• Some are enterprise platforms with pro services, while others are self-service

A LIMS can be a fantastic platform for automating workflows and strengthening compliance. Some of the top features of a LIMS include:

• Sample management and tracking
• Workflow automation and optimization
• Instrument integration and data capture
• Quality control and assurance
• Reporting and data analysis
• Chain of custody management
• Product lot tracking
• Batch test re-runs
• Equipment scheduling and calibration

Sure, some of this stuff can be done in spreadsheets or by your staff if you’re very good at staying organized, so read on for the benefits of a LIMS beyond the features.

Beyond Features: How a LIMS Can Benefit Your Lab

A LIMS can track samples and inventory and help generate reports. You’re already doing that, right? Here are the other benefits of a LIMS beyond the feature list:

• Accessibility anytime, anywhere: With cloud-based LIMS, your staff can access data and workflows from anywhere, provided they have an internet connection. Sure, Google Sheets allows you to access spreadsheets in the cloud, but spreadsheets can’t help you with the items below.
• Scalability on demand: As your lab grows or needs change, cloud-based LIMS (such as QBench) can scale up or down and adapt to support your processes. 
• Automation: This is where a LIMS stands out from manual-based systems. A LIMS can alert you of low stock levels, inventory in danger of expiring, batch-run tests, generate reports, and so much more. We’ve spoken to labs that spent hours managing all of this manually every week – imagine how much more you could get done with a LIMS.
• Improved compliance: Some LIMS (such as QBench) offer features specifically geared toward compliance. While a LIMS differs from a QMS, it can help you meet certain regulatory requirements and maintain quality control.
• Billing and invoicing support: QBench LIMS has built-in invoicing capabilities that allow you to generate quotes and invoices and integrate with your accounting software.

When you factor in the automation, compliance, and scalability of a LIMS, spreadsheets pale in comparison. If you’re still wondering if this investment is “worth it,” then we’d caution you about the cost of manual work.

The Cost of Manual Work

As shared above, spreadsheets are common and adequate solutions for data management. The issue with manual systems isn’t that they don’t work – it’s that they do not scale well.

Without a LIMS, labs often manage the functions above manually, usually using a mix of spreadsheets and physical lab notebooks. The latter of the two can be especially problematic, as was the case for a lab we spoke with recently.

A cosmetics lab used a 4x6 notecard system and paper notebooks to manage all their data. Auditors refused to handle the documents at all, calling them “disgusting” and demanding digital copies. 

This lab experienced the following, thanks to these manual systems:

• Difficulty in digital audit preparation and compliance.
• Inability to manage or access data remotely or efficiently.
• A lack of digital training/document storage for employees.
• The absence of standardized, automated, and easily accessible workflows.
• Difficulty in assigning and tracking tasks and approvals.

Manual methods may work to a point, but they’re an accident waiting to happen. Whether it’s double-testing samples because data is spread across spreadsheets and notebooks or a compliance failure, it’s not a matter of if but when.

4 Reasons Why Your Lab Should Invest in a LIMS

Clearly, a LIMS can be a great value-add for a lab looking to scale, but the temptation to kick the can down the road another year is understandable. Here are four reasons we recommend prioritizing a LIMS this year:

1. Improve data management and integrity
2. Automate processes and save time
3. Improve compliance
4. Optimize lab resources

Improved Data Management and Integrity

It’s in the name: a LIMS helps manage lab information. That means tracking things like:

• Inventory (usage and levels)
• Samples (including full chain of custody)
• Test results
• Instrument outputs

Imagine that you’ve just been asked to provide documentation for a sample that was tested months ago. How are you feeling? 

Without a LIMS, you’re drowning in a sea of notebooks. With a LIMS, you can breathe easy knowing that every step of the sample's journey has been meticulously recorded and is just a few clicks away. And thanks to features like barcode scanning, you can cut your data entry errors down significantly as well.

Automate Processes and Save Time

We mentioned automation above, but it's worth repeating. The automation power of a LIMS can streamline your operations and lead to a dramatic increase in productivity (read more about the ROI of a LIMS further on). 

A LIMS can help you automate things like:

• Lab workflows
• Data capture from instruments
• Inventory/equipment tracking
• Control charting
• CAPA (corrective and preventative action) management

Not only does this save hours of time, but it also standardizes processes, reducing variability and increasing reproducibility. Check out our guide to lab automation for more.

Improved Quality Control and Compliance

Compliance matters, yet many labs are an unexpected drop-in away from being shut down for months, if not permanently. 

Whether it’s ISO 17025, 21 CFR Part 11, or GxP, your lab needs reliable data, accurate results, full traceability, and adherence to other standards. Spreadsheets barely do that, and notebooks are more of an impediment than a help. A LIMS can help ensure processes align with these standards and provide tools for monitoring and documenting quality control measures. QBench LIMS includes a built-in QMS to help labs automate compliance across their processes and data.

Resource Optimization

Manual inventory tracking methods are a stockout waiting to happen. Meanwhile, a LIMS can be a great asset in managing and optimizing resource usage in a lab. Not only does this save valuable time on resource tracking, but it can also save money by preventing waste. 

By tracking sources like:

• Reagents
• Samples
• Equipment 

You can monitor stock levels, expiration dates, equipment calibration, and more to ensure your lab has everything it needs to run smoothly. This reduces the time spent worrying about inventory, freeing up your team to get more done. 

What Makes a LIMS Worth the Investment: The ROI of a LIMS

All this talk of investing in a LIMS is great, but you’d be right to ask what the return on this investment could be. 

To get you started, here are a few cost drivers to consider:

• Size of your lab and the number of seats needed
  
  • Roles for those seats, you may get by with view-only seats for a lower price
  • Same with shared logins and impact on costs
• LIMS subscription costs
• Training and implementation costs
• Any other pro-services needed for configuration/customization

And for the return:

• Time saved by staff and admins
• Capacity increases and associated revenue
• If you’ve been audited because of data integrity issues, factor in the costs there

And then it’s a matter of tabulating the costs compared to the return in terms of capacity and savings. For example, consider the following numbers for an in-house lab that generates a return in the form of time saved:

• The staff includes 10 techs and two admins
  
  • The estimated annual salary for each tech is $60K per year
  • The estimated annual salary for each admin is $120K per year
• The lab processes 80 samples per day
• Technicians spend about 7 hours processing samples per day
• The LIMS saves techs 5–6 hours per week and admins 6–7 hours per week (this is the low-end estimate of what our customers have told us a modern LIMS saves them)

Then let’s say that a LIMS could drive the following outcomes:

• 50-60 total technician hours saved per week for the 10 technicians
• 12-14 total admin hours saved per week for the two admins
• Increased capacity for 57 more samples processed each week. We’re assuming the above technicians are not so busy babysitting spreadsheets that they can get more important work done.

Across the 10 techs and two admins, this results in annual savings of $111,000 to $132,000. When we account for the cost of QBench (roughly $42,000 for a lab this size), we get an ROI range of 164% to 213% (or 2.6x to 3.1x)! The lab could then invest these savings into more headcount or other areas of the business to generate an even larger return. 

You can learn more about calculating the ROI of a LIMS in our in-depth guide here.

How to Evaluate Vendors: What to Look for and Ask

The above ROI calculations assume that you’re selecting the right LIMS: one that suits your needs, fits into your budget, and can be properly used by your staff.

There are plenty of legacy LIMS vendors that add on extra fees for professional services, training, and custom development work, and there are plenty of cheaper LIMS that force you to adapt to them rather than the other way around.

Ask about the following when evaluating vendors to make the right decision:

• Configurability: Does the LIMS require custom coding from a developer, or is it configurable so anyone on your team can log in and adjust settings to adapt the platform to your needs? Take care to evaluate a vendor’s stance on this, and ask for examples of what can be configured in the platform.
• Implementation timeline and approach: No LIMS comes “out of the box,” but some LIMS can be implemented more easily than others. Take care to understand the vendor’s approach to implementation and requirements before you begin. Fast is not always best; some vendors offer a quick implementation with months of work after your go-live date for extended services. 
• Expertise of the team: Anyone can build a software platform and market it to labs, but how many vendors have actually worked in a lab setting before? Look for a vendor who understands your needs because they’ve walked a mile or two in your shoes.

This is a starting point. For a deeper dive, check out our LIMS evaluation guide and checklist.

Make Sure You Invest in the Right LIMS: Download the LIMS Buyer’s Guide

Once you’ve decided to invest in a LIMS, it’s time to make sure you invest in the right LIMS. 

There’s one small problem: which vendor(s) will you review? With so many vendors to pick from and features to consider, we created a LIMS buyer’s guide to help you make the right choice for your lab. In this guide, you will learn the following:

• The different types of LIMS available
• Key features to look out for
• A vendor comparison

And more!

Fill out the form below to get your free guide and take the first step toward automating your lab today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a LIMS Different From an LIS?

A LIS (Laboratory Information System) is specialized software used primarily in medical and clinical laboratories. Unlike a sample-centric LIMS, a patient-centric LIS is designed to manage patient data, test orders, and results, ensuring seamless integration with Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

How is a LIMS Different From an ELN?

ELNs (electronic lab notebooks) can help a lab digitize its operations, but they primarily serve as digital versions of physical lab notebooks. You can manually input data into an ELN and record notes and observations from tests; however, ELNs don’t offer the same reporting and automation capabilities as a LIMS.