Instruments

What an instrument record controls

An instrument record represents an analyzer or processing device used by the lab. It stores bilingual identity, location, model, serial number, status, active flag, supported tests, tube compatibility, workload information, working schedule, and connection settings. These fields support QC history, automatic sample routing, operational capacity, and analyzer monitoring.

Create one record for each physical analyzer that matters to routing or QC. If two identical analyzers operate in different branches, create two records so location and status stay accurate.

Where to manage instruments

Company administrators can open Admin → Organization → Instruments in the Lab Panel to manage analyzers across the laboratory company. Branch managers can open Devices → Analyzers in the Branch Panel to manage the same settings without leaving their active branch workspace.

The Branch Panel shows only instruments assigned to the active branch. When a branch user creates or edits an instrument, Kashef locks the location to that branch and rejects any altered location value submitted by the browser. Switch branches first when you need to manage another location.

The analyzers list shows when each analyzer was last heard from and how many of its results need attention. Turn on the Needs attention filter to see only those analyzers.

The analyzer page

Click an analyzer to open its page. Its tabs are:

• Overview: the analyzer's picture and model, whether it is online, how it is connected, a setup checklist (connection, analyzer codes, orders) and today's numbers.
• Needs attention: results the analyzer sent that are not on a sample yet, with what to do for each. See Analyzer results.
• Activity: everything on the analyzer's line, newest first. Click a line to see each result, where it went, and the message the analyzer sent.
• Analyzer Codes: which of your tests each analyzer code means.
• Tests & routing: the tests this analyzer runs and how samples are routed to it.
• Maintenance: maintenance, calibration and downtime events.

Click Settings at the top to change the analyzer's details, connection, tests, tubes, workload and schedule.

Choose the analyzer model

Start a new instrument by choosing its Analyzer model, for example Sysmex XN-550 or Mindray BS-240. Kashef fills in the name, model, protocol, connection type, serial line settings and order settings this model normally uses, and shows the analyzer's picture with two labels:

• Supported, Standard not confirmed or Not supported yet. Standard not confirmed means Kashef has not yet confirmed whether this model sends ASTM or HL7, so Kashef leaves the protocol for you to choose; Kashef Connect also tells you from the analyzer's first message. Not supported yet means the analyzer uses its maker's own format, which Kashef cannot read yet.
• Not tested with a real analyzer yet or Tested with a real analyzer. Check the analyzer's interface manual for models that are not tested yet.

Names you already typed are kept. Choose Other analyzer when your model is not listed, then pick the standard its manual names.

Instrument details

The details section includes branch location, English and Arabic names, model, serial number, status, and active flag. Both names are required for new records so each interface can display the analyzer correctly. Location must be an active branch in the current laboratory company. Central labs are labeled in selection lists so staff can distinguish processing sites from patient branches.

Status can be online, busy, maintenance, or offline. Use status actions from the table to quickly mark an instrument online, busy, under maintenance, or offline. Keeping status current helps operations avoid routing work to unavailable equipment.

Use Active for lifecycle control. Disable a retired or temporarily unavailable configuration instead of deleting it. Instrument deletion is intentionally unavailable because QC results, sample routing, and planning records may reference the analyzer.

Tube compatibility and supported tests

Tube compatibility links the instrument to active tube types. Supported tests link it to active tests. Both selectors accept only active records from the current laboratory company. These relationships are used by automatic sample routing.

After saving an instrument, open Tests & routing on its page to manage each analyzer-test relationship. A mapping stores its active state, routing priority, average processing minutes, direct cost in EGP, STAT support, and operational notes. Lower priority numbers are preferred first. Removing a mapping removes only that routing relationship; it does not delete the analyzer or catalog test.

Analyzer codes

Analyzers send their own code with each result, such as WBC or GLU. Open Analyzer Codes on the analyzer's page to tell Kashef which of your tests, or which row of a test like the CBC, each code fills. Tests without an analyzer code use their Kashef test code.

1. Choose the analyzer model on the instrument form and save.
2. In Analyzer Codes, click Suggest codes. Kashef matches the tests this model reports to your catalog by code and by known names, and lists the codes it could not match.
3. Review the list. Exact matches are already ticked. Check each Similar name match and tick the ones that are right, or use Select all when they all are. Tick Units differ matches only after checking the units.
4. Click Save selected codes. Tests with saved codes are added to Tests & routing automatically, so routing and orders include them, and results that were waiting for these codes are written to their samples.

Use Add code for codes the suggestion missed. Leave Analyzer sub-code empty unless the analyzer sends a second code after the test code. When a result arrives with a code Kashef does not know, it waits in Needs attention; use Match to test there and the code is saved for every future result.

To receive a graph, such as the electrophoresis curve, add the analyzer's graph code and choose the test's image row (for example Electrophoresis Graph). Image files dropped in a folder without a code in their name use the code IMAGE.

One code for several tests

Many analyzers use one code for tests your lab keeps apart. A chemistry analyzer sends GLU for fasting, post-prandial and random glucose alike. Add the code once for each of those tests: Suggest codes lists the other glucose tests under the same code, and Add code accepts the same code for another test.

• Orders: the analyzer receives GLU for a sample that has any of those tests, and only once, even if two of them are ordered on the same sample.
• Results: the value goes to the test ordered on that sample. If two of them are ordered on the same sample, each gets the same value and is reviewed on its own.
• If none of the code's tests is ordered on the sample, the result waits in Needs attention as Test not ordered for this sample. If the sample's test should also use this code, click Match to test and choose it: the code keeps its other tests and the result is written.

If a sample does not route to an expected analyzer, check whether the instrument supports the test and tube type, whether the instrument is active, and whether the branch location is correct.

Operations fields

Operations fields include current backlog count, capacity per hour, average processing minutes, batch size, minimum batch size, current batch fill, partial-batch support, and STAT bypass support. These values help the system and managers understand analyzer workload and batching behavior. Minimum batch size and current fill cannot exceed the configured batch size.

For high-volume analyzers, keep capacity and average processing time realistic. Understated capacity can make the analyzer look overloaded. Overstated capacity can hide bottlenecks and lead to missed turnaround expectations.

Working schedule and connection

The working schedule records one enabled window per weekday with 24-hour HH:MM start and end times. The end must be later than the start. Disable a row to retain the window without making the analyzer available that day. Leave the schedule empty for a continuously available analyzer.

Connection settings tell Kashef how the analyzer sends its results. Connected through chooses the Kashef Connect computer the analyzer is cabled to; leave it empty when Kashef Local receives the results. Supported protocols are ASTM, HL7, serial, and Result file in a folder. For TCP/IP, choose Who starts the connection, then enter the analyzer IPv4 address and a port from 1 to 65535. For serial cables, enter the operating-system device name, baud rate, parity, data bits and stop bits from the analyzer manual. For result files, enter the folder where the analyzer saves its CSV or TXT files. Turn on Send orders to analyzer when an ASTM or HL7 analyzer should receive each sample's tests from Kashef instead of having them typed on the analyzer. See Connect analyzers with Kashef Connect for the full setup.

Table and filters

The table shows the name for the current interface language, model, location, supported test count, serial number, protocol, status, backlog, capacity, active state, and last connected time. Filters include active status, protocol, and instrument status. Record actions allow authorized users to change status or edit configuration. There is no delete action.

Use this table at the start of a shift. If an instrument is in maintenance or offline, update the status before staff enter QC or route patient samples.

Maintenance, calibration, downtime, and corrective actions

Open an instrument and select Maintenance, Calibration & Downtime. Schedule preventive maintenance, calibration, planned or unplanned downtime, or a corrective action with a clear scope, due date, priority, owner, and optional recurrence. Starting an action automatically pauses instrument routing by setting it to Maintenance or Offline.

The hourly due detector sends branch-manager reminders during the seven days before the deadline. Missed work becomes Overdue, escalates with age, and keeps the analyzer unavailable. Close an action only after recording Passed, Failed, or Completed with follow-up, accountable notes, and private PDF/JPG/PNG evidence (up to five files, 5 MB each). Link the post-service QC result when available. To review saved evidence later, use the Evidence action on the service event row and choose the file to download. A passed recurring action creates its next schedule automatically; a failed action keeps the instrument under maintenance.

QC entry shows blocked instruments with the exact service reason and will not save against overdue or in-progress service work. Do not manually mark the analyzer Online to bypass an open service event; close the evidence workflow first.

Checklist

• Each physical analyzer has one clear record.
• English and Arabic names identify the same physical analyzer.
• Location matches the branch where the instrument operates.
• Status and active flag reflect real availability.
• The analyzer model is chosen, and its analyzer codes are reviewed.
• Supported tests and tube types are mapped.
• Test-mapping priority, timing, EGP cost, and STAT support are reviewed.
• Capacity, backlog, batch, and STAT fields are realistic.
• Working schedule and connection settings are maintained for interface-ready analyzers.
• Maintenance, calibration, downtime, and corrective actions have owners, due dates, evidence, and verified closure.