When it comes to selecting and implementing the right LIMS, the key is to get it right the first time. Unless you completely miss the mark, the new LIMS will form the cornerstone of your operation for years to come. If you don’t take a long, hard look at the underlying technologies, you might find yourself enamored with a LIMS because it looks simple to use. Or has a simple interface, simple development tools or a simple approach to implementation. And this just might be the long-term LIMS solution for you if your automation problems are simple.

For the other 95% of laboratories, the stakes are much higher – every day you or your IT staff spends implementing a stop-gap LIMS is a day you could have invested in the right solution. And because the best LIMS products are also the most feature rich, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds when comparing technologies, functionality, implementation requirements, support options and – trickiest of all – total cost of ownership (TCO).

Before you develop an exhaustive set of written specifications, compare the major factors differentiating the best-of-breed LIMS/LIS solutions, then follow this simple, step-by-step guide to getting it right the first time.