How to set up an instrument

Register an analyzer under ADMIN → Settings → Instruments, so InteLIS can read its results. An instrument that is not registered cannot be chosen for a batch, and its result files cannot be imported.

Two related tasks have their own guides:

• To send results straight from the analyzer, see Connect an Instrument to InteLIS.
• To link an Interface Tool installation to the lab, see Interface Tool connections.

Before starting

• An administrator account, or on a cloud instance, a lab account allowed to manage instruments (own lab only)
• The testing lab, created under ADMIN → Facilities
• One date copied exactly as the analyzer writes it in its result files

Add an instrument

1. Go to ADMIN → Settings → Instruments.
2. Select Add Instrument.
3. Enter Instrument Name, the manufacturer or platform, such as Roche or Abbott.

4. Set Testing Lab to the lab the analyzer sits in.

   Testing Lab on a LIS or a cloud instance

   A LIS shows no Testing Lab field. InteLIS uses the installation's own lab. On a cloud instance, a lab user without the built-in Admin role sees only their own lab.

5. Under Supported Tests, select every test type the analyzer runs.

6. Set Instrument File. It tells InteLIS how to read this analyzer's result files. Without it, file import fails. Select an existing file. A file named after the instrument is empty and needs a developer to write it before import works.

7. Enter the result limits:

   Field	What to enter
   Lower Limit	The lowest value the analyzer reports, such as 20
   Higher Limit	The highest value the analyzer reports, such as 10000000
   Maximum No. of Samples In a Batch	How many samples fit in one run
   Low VL Result Text	Every text the analyzer writes for an undetectable result, separated by commas, such as Target Not Detected, TND, < 20, < 40. Shown only when VL or Hepatitis is among the Supported Tests

   A wording missing from Low VL Result Text

   A result written in a wording that is not in the list is imported as an unrecognised result, not as undetectable.

8. Under Machine Names, enter the Machine Name of the first analyzer of this model.

9. In the Date Format cell of that row, paste the date copied from a result file, such as 06.19.2025 11:19 AM. Select the format InteLIS suggests.

   If no format is suggested

   Enter the format by hand, such as d/m/Y H:i. A wrong date format makes every imported date wrong or empty.

10. In Instrument File Name on that row, select the file for this analyzer. Left empty, the row uses the Instrument File set above.

11. If the analyzer is a point-of-care device, tick Is this a POC Device? and enter its Latitude and Longitude. Both coordinates are needed. Without them the analyzer is not saved as POC.
12. To add another analyzer of the same model, select + on the row, then repeat steps 8 to 11 on the new row.

13. For each test type, enter the control counts. A row appears for each test type selected under Supported Tests. The counts tell InteLIS how many positions in a run are not patient samples:

    Field	What to enter
    Number of In-House Controls	In-house control positions per run
    Number of Manufacturer Controls	Manufacturer control positions per run
    No. Of Calibrators	Calibrator positions per run

14. If the same people always sign off this analyzer's results, set Default Reviewer and Default Approver for each test type. Left empty, each result records whoever actually reviewed and approved it.

15. To print a fixed method statement on every result from this analyzer, enter it under Description/Comment to add in Test Result.
16. Select Submit.

Retire an instrument

1. Go to ADMIN → Settings → Instruments.
2. Select Edit on the instrument.
3. Set Status to Inactive.
4. Select Submit.

Status exists on Edit Instrument only. A new instrument is saved as active.

Confirm it worked

Change	Check
New instrument	It is offered as the testing platform when creating a batch
Instrument File	Import one result file from the analyzer and read the imported rows
Date Format	The imported test dates match the analyzer's own
Low VL Result Text	An undetectable result imports as undetectable
Control counts	The batch position count matches the run