Samples link to the experiments they were used in, so you can trace a result back to the vial it came from.
Sample and reagent tracking, integrated with your ELN
Every sample and reagent in IGOR has its own record, linked to its lineage and the experiments that used it. Because the ELN and the inventory are fully integrated, you can go from a result to the samples behind it, and from a sample to every experiment and file it's connected to.
Each item's record shows where it's stored, down to the box position. Switch on quantity tracking, and the record shows who used how much and when, with an alert when it runs low.
Your team sets up its own repositories, metadata fields and storage locations, without coding knowledge or vendor support.
In IGOR, your inventory and your lab notebook are one system, so every sample and reagent you use is linked to the experiment where you used it.
Pull up sample details from the notebook entry. Click a linked sample to see its metadata, where it's stored, its relationships, and who used it, when and for what.
See where else it was used. Each sample’s record links to every notebook entry it was used in.
Follow a sample’s lineage across repositories. The interactive family tree links each sample to the samples it was derived from and those derived from it.
Keep each sample type in its own list, with metadata fields that fit it: catalog number and grade for chemicals, concentration and purity for DNA, host species and lot number for antibodies. In IGOR, that list is a repository, and your team sets up its fields. No coding knowledge required.
Know exactly which batch you used. Every item gets a unique ID, so you can tell items apart, even when names are the same or similar.
Control who sees each repository. Keep a sensitive repository private to one group, or share it across departments.
Bring your spreadsheet with you. Upload your existing records from an Excel template, and check the preview before you confirm. For a large inventory, IGOR's team can help get your data into shape.
Track each sample’s exact location, from the freezer down to the position in the box, in a system that logs every move. In IGOR, that’s part of every sample’s record.
See what's in a location. Open a freezer, shelf or box to see the samples stored in it.
Get set up fast. Build one freezer with all its shelves, racks and boxes, then duplicate it for every freezer with the same layout.
Find a free position. The Box Map shows which positions in a box are taken, so you can see at a glance where new samples fit.
Log who used a sample, when, and in which experiment or for what purpose. In IGOR, each use and each move goes into a computer-generated, time-stamped audit trail on the sample’s record, so you can always see:
Where a sample is stored.
Where it has been.
Who used it and how much.
What it was used for.
How it relates to other samples.
For studies run under GLP, the same record links each test item and specimen to every experiment it was used in.
Track how much of each reagent is left and set a notify threshold, so the right people hear before it runs out. In IGOR, you switch on quantity tracking for the items where it makes sense and leave it off where it doesn’t.
Keep the total current. Every use is deducted, whether it went into an experiment, a new sample or somewhere else.
See what’s running low. A central dashboard tracks low stock across every repository, team and department.
Hear about it before the tube is empty. IGOR emails the people you name when an item reaches its notify threshold.
Set aside a sample you need. Mark it Reserved, and anyone who tries to use or change it is told that it’s reserved and what for.
Spot expired reagents before you use them. Items that have expired or are about to are clearly flagged.
Pick your type of lab to see how teams like yours set up IGOR.
The need
Trace any result back to the samples and reagents behind it.
In IGOR
Each sample links to every notebook entry it was used in.
Quantity tracking shows what’s left of each critical reagent and who used it.
The audit trail records every action on a sample.
The need
Follow plant lines through generations of crosses, and know which experiments were run on each one.
In IGOR
Each plant line is a sample with its own record.
An interactive family tree links parent and child lines.
Every experiment run on a line is listed on its record.
The need
Keep large numbers of incoming samples traceable from the day they arrive.
In IGOR
Repositories with your own fields, such as sampling site and collection date.
Every sample gets its own record and barcode as it’s logged in.
The audit trail records every action and data change until disposal.
The need
Keep each sponsor’s work strictly separate, often under GLP.
In IGOR
A separate repository for each sponsor’s team.
Each sponsor can get access to its own Collaboration Workspace.
Samples link to their experiments, with every action in the audit trail.
IGOR assigns a barcode to every inventory item automatically, so it’s there whenever your lab wants it. Scanning is optional, and labs that scan can use any standard 1D or 2D scanner and their existing label printers.
Open a record Scan a tube to see where it’s stored, its history, details, and the experiments it was used in.
Add samples to an entryScan samples into a notebook entry to avoid manual searches and data entry errors.
Link parent and child samples Scan to record which sample an aliquot came from.
Print on your own printer Download barcodes one at a time or in bulk for any label printer.
Most lab inventories start out as a spreadsheet on a shared drive, separate from the notebooks. Moving it into IGOR takes four steps, and from then on each sample has one record, linked to the experiments that use it.
Most teams are up and running within days or a couple of weeks, depending on team size and how much data they want to migrate before go-live.
IGOR answers that from the sample’s own record. In your personal demo we’ll follow a sample from adding it to logging usage, fixing a typo and linking it to experiments, then talk through how it fits your team’s workflows.
“We’ve been using this ELN in our lab for a while now, and overall, it’s made a big difference in how we manage our inventory and data. The interface is really intuitive, which made transitioning from an Excel-based system much smoother than I expected.”
Dylan Jones, Laboratory Technician, Inaphaea BioLabs
Lab Inventory Management
Why spreadsheet inventories drift from reality, and how to move off them without pausing research.
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Research Workflows & Documentation
What each system does, and which one your lab needs first.
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Lab Inventory Management
What a human sample record needs: ID, location, consent status and a handling history.
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Lab Software Guides
Plain definitions of 100+ ELN, LIMS and lab compliance terms.
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IGOR's inventory management is the LIMS side of IGOR, a cloud-based electronic lab notebook (ELN) and LIMS in one platform. It gives every sample and reagent its own record, with a unique ID, its storage location, its availability status and a full history of what happened to it. Because the notebook and the inventory are fully integrated, you can open a sample to see every experiment it went into, or open an experiment to see every sample and reagent behind it. An interactive family tree links parent and child samples across repositories, so an aliquot can be traced back to its source. Teams can switch on quantity tracking for any item to see who used how much and when, with an email alert when it reaches its notify threshold, and every item gets its own barcode for scanning. Your team sets up its own repositories and metadata fields, so you can adapt the inventory to the way your lab works without needing vendor support or coding knowledge.
A LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) and an ELN (Electronic Lab Notebook) serve different, but often complementary, roles in a laboratory setting.
A LIMS manages the operational side of the lab: tracking samples, managing inventory, scheduling workflows, ensuring everything is traceable and compliant. It keeps the lab running smoothly.
An ELN is more about capturing the science itself: documenting experiments, recording observations, managing protocols, keeping research notes organized. It replaces paper notebooks and helps teams collaborate, maintain version control, and keep everything reproducible.
Traditionally these were separate systems, and a lot of labs still use them that way. But some modern platforms, like IGOR, combine both, so you get full context across the entire research process without needing to switch between tools or manually link data between systems.
It depends on the system. Many ELNs have no inventory module, and others connect to a separate inventory tool through an integration, where linking samples to experiments can be limited or take extra steps. In IGOR, the ELN and the inventory are fully integrated, so you can link samples and reagents to an experiment from either the notebook entry or the inventory. Once linked, each sample's record lists every experiment it was used in, with a link to each notebook entry, and each entry lists every sample and reagent that went into it.
Yes. In IGOR, you can set up a repository for biospecimens with the metadata fields your team needs, such as specimen type and collection date. Each specimen is linked to its storage location and to every experiment it was used in, and the audit trail records who handled it and when. Aliquots stay linked to the specimen they came from in an interactive family tree.
Yes. IGOR links parent and child samples in an interactive family tree, even when they sit in different repositories across different sites or departments, so you can trace an aliquot back to the sample it came from. Click any sample in the tree to open its full record, with its history and the experiments it was used in.
Yes. Switch on quantity tracking for any item in IGOR to see what’s left and who used how much, what for, and when. You can turn tracking on for items where a running count is useful and leave it off where it isn’t, like single-use vials or pipette tips. Every use is deducted, whether it went into an experiment, a new sample or somewhere else, and IGOR emails the people you name when an item reaches its notify threshold. IGOR also tracks expiry dates and clearly flags items that have expired or are about to.
Yes. IGOR gives every inventory item its own barcode automatically. Scanning a barcode opens the sample's record, with its storage location, full history and linked experiments, and you can also use scanning to add samples to a notebook entry or to link parent and child samples.
IGOR works with standard 1D and 2D barcode scanners. Barcodes can be downloaded one at a time or in bulk for printing on your own label printer. DYMO and Zebra printers are two we know work with IGOR, but you don't need a specific brand. If your printer can add barcodes to a label, it can print IGOR's barcodes.
Start with the spreadsheet you already have. In IGOR, you set up a repository for each sample type, with metadata fields that match the columns you track, then build your storage locations and upload your records from an Excel template, checking the preview before you confirm. A tidy spreadsheet makes the import quicker, and for a large inventory, IGOR's team can help get your data into shape. Most teams are up and running within days or a couple of weeks, depending on team size and how much data they want to migrate before go-live.
Inventory management is included in IGOR's Momentum plan, at $100 per user per month billed annually. The Academia plan ($30) does not include it, but Academia teams can add inventory for $5 per user per month. The Professional plan ($80) does not include it either, so teams on Professional move to Momentum to use it. Plan prices are per user per month, billed annually, with no setup fees and no seat minimums.
Yes. You can export inventory data as a CSV file yourself, at any time, without help from IGOR. The export is made per repository and respects the filters you have applied, so filtering to one project or to expired items exports only those rows.
Bring one real question to every demo, such as which experiments used antibody lot 4417, or whether there's enough Taq left for Monday's PCRs, and count the clicks it takes to get the answer. Then ask who sets up a new sample type and what that costs. If every change needs the vendor, your inventory will always lag behind your lab. Test the everyday jobs during an evaluation: adding a sample, finding it, logging its use and correcting a mistake. Then check whether samples link to experiments, whether quantity and expiry tracking can be switched on for the items that need it, how long setup takes, and whether onboarding and support are billed separately. IGOR's pricing is public, and personal onboarding and ongoing support are included in every plan.
