How To Create and Edit Containers

Documentation: Object Tracking

Pro Tip

To create containers with barcodes, barcodes must be reserved FIRST. See Develop your Barcode Series.

Once claimed, barcodes must be created and associated with a container. You can associate barcodes with a temporary container type. This is accomplished as described in “Creating Containers” below. Once the barcodes have been uploaded into Arctos, the containers that they represent can be edited as described in “Editing an Individual Container” and “Bulk Editing Containers”.

How To Create Containers

This will allow you to bulk upload barcodes into Arctos and associate them with a container.

Navigation Tools Directory > Barcodes & Containers > Container: Bulkload

Before using this tool, create a CSV (comma delimited) file with appropriate column headers. You can get a template from the Load CSV page.

Required Column Headers

• Container_Type - Choose the most appropriate container type that represents how the barcodes will be used in your collection. For example, if the barcode series that you are uploading will be used for tissue vials, select “cryovial label”. If the barcode has not been assigned to a specific container, select “container label”.

• Label– This can be the same as “Barcode” but could also include more descriptive text.

• Institution_Acronym - Indicate the acronym used by Arctos for your institution (e.g., MSB, NMU). If you are unsure what your insitution acronym is, it can be found on your Collection Detail page. From the Arctos Main Menu select Search > Collections and scroll the table to find one of your institution’s collections. Select Details on the right side of the page next to it and the Institution Acronym is provided at the top of the page.

Optional Column Headers

• Barcode - If you are using barcodes, they must be part of a claimed series. See Develop your Barcode Series.

• Description - This provides an optional space to expand on “Label” if that is helpful in your application.

• Container_Remarks - This provides an optional space to provide further description of the container or comments about it’s use.

• width, height, length - If you know the dimensions of your containers, you can add them here. All three columns must be completed together.

Caution

Only enter integers in these fields. Arctos is assuming that all measurements are in centimeters, so be sure to convert any measurements that you have in other units to centimeters.

• number_rows, number_columns, orientation, positions_hold_container_type - If you want to create standard positions in your containers, you can add them here. All four columns must be completed together.

• weight, weight_units - If you want to track the weight of a container, you can add it here. Both columns must be completed.

• weight_capacity, weight_capacity_units - If you want to track the weight that a container can hold, you can do that here. Both columns must be completed.

• status - If you enter “autoload” in this column, the containers will begin to load to Arctos as soon as the file is loaded. If you leave it blank or enter anything other than “autoload” you will need to review the uploaded containers and set them to autoload in order to get them into Arctos.

• After you have saved your CSV, return to the Load CSV page and select the “Browse” button to browse to and select your CSV file. Then click the “Upload this file” button.

• Click “Review” to navigate to the Review and Load page. Here you will be able to see any error messages if some containers will not load. If the containers have been successfully created they will be removed from the tool.

How To Edit an Individual Container

Navigation Tool Directory> Barcodes & Containers > Container: Find

• Search for the barcode or label that you wish to edit.

*The container should pop up on the center of the page under “The Universe”.

• Click the checkbox next to the container and another set of information will appear on the right titled “Container Details”

• Click “Edit this Container (new window)” and a new window will open that will allow you to edit the container.

Edit Container

• Label - This is what you wish to call the container. The label could be descriptive text that is convenient for internal container tracking. It is not constrained by limitations associated with barcodes and catalog numbers. E.g., Pos.5 Tray 1 – Rack A, W-2, Shelf 3, Tray 2, etc…. This will be shown when a part or other container is searched for in “Find Container”.

• Container Type - Choose an appropriate container type from the drop down list. Note that anything with “label” in it will not work. A “label” is not a container.

• ‘# Positions’ - This field is only used for creating boxes with defined positions (e.g., boxes for frozen tissues, embryos, or parasite vials).

• Description - If desired, add a description of what the container is. For example, a container that has the Label “Pos.1 Tray 2 – Rack A” could have the description “First position from the front of Tray 1 - Rack A.” The label “Shelf 3” could have the description “Third shelf from the top of Freezer 1”.

• Remarks - If desired, add additional relevant information here. For example, the label “Pre-PCR Freezer” could have the remark “Pre-PCR freezer that holds DNA extracts, reagents, and temporarily holds specimen tissues.”

• Move to Barcode – In this field put the barcode for the parent container in which the container that you are creating will belong. All containers must be put into other containers. Your institution is the main parent container for all collections within your institution. The Universe is the ultimate parent container.

  • You must have an appropriate place to put your container. Otherwise it will not be connected with your institution. This will make it difficult to search for. To find an appropriate place for your container, do the following:

    • Physically look for an available position in your collection and note the parent container.

    • In Arctos, search for the parent container in “Find Container” by entering its label and container type. (Make sure you are choosing the one that belongs to your institution by looking at the institution acronym on the edit page).

    • Copy the barcode of the parent container into the “move to barcode” field in your new container’s edit page.

    • When you are finished click “Update” near the bottom of the page.

    • This is also where you can Delete a Container if necessary.

Here is an example: You are making a new freezer box. You know it will be placed in the -80 freezer in Room 2212 on the top shelf, rack A, tray 1, and in the last position on that tray.

• In Arctos: Tool Directory> Barcodes & Containers > Container: Find

• Enter “Pos.5 Tray 1 – Rack A” into “Label”. You can also include just a portion of the label name with % as a wildcard value. For example, “%Rack%” will retrieve all labels that include the word “Rack”.

• Click “search” and the container should pop up with its complete list of all parent containers.

• Click on the checkbox next to the container that is of interest and the container details will pop up on the righthand side of the window. The barcode for this container will be in the Container Details box. Keep the window open so you can easily access the barcode.

• To create your new tissue box, follow the steps in “How to Create Individual Containers”

  • During this process, copy and paste the barcode for “Pos. 5 Tray 1 – Rack A” into the field titled “Move to barcode”.

• Click “Save” at the bottom of the page.

Congratulations! You have just made a freezer box that can be found in the large freezer in Room 2212 on the top shelf in rack A, tray 1, and in the last position on that tray. You can exit this window and look at the new changes by going back to the “Find Container” page and clicking on the “Search” button again to refresh the page without having to re-enter the search parameters.

How To Bulk Edit Containers

This is used to convert barcodes into containers in bulk. Converting barcodes into containers allows you to assign them to catalog record parts or convert them into boxes, shelves, racks, etc…

Navigation Tools Directory > Barcodes & Containers > Container: Bulk Edit

• Use your favorite spreadsheet software (e.g., Excel) to create a CSV (comma delimited) document with the correct headings. Headings are listed on the Bulk Edit Container page. A template is available by clicking the blue “Get a template” above the table on the Bulk Edit Container page.

  • BARCODE - The barcode series you are working with.

  • LABEL - This can be the same as the barcode, although you could choose to add other information (e.g., liver, kidney, etc.). For parent containers, this could provide a description of container contents.

  • OLD_CONTAINER_TYPE - The type of container it was given when the barcodes were first uploaded. Usually “container label” but if this does not work or you are unsure, you can always double check by going to “Find Container” and searching for the barcode. It will say the container type next to the barcode. For example “NMU10800 (specimen label)”.

  • CONTAINER_TYPE - The new type of container you want. If you are unsure of what to use, on the “Bulk Edit Container” page there is a link next to CONTAINER_TYPE that shows a list of what is accepted. Choose the one that best fits the container you are making. Remember that Labels are not containers.

  • DESCRIPTION - This is mainly used for parent containers and not parts. For example, Tray 1 – Rack A would have a description of “First tray in Rack A”.

  • Save the file, retaining the CSV format.

  • Now you can upload the file.

  • You will be brought to a page that says “Validation complete” along with the information you just uploaded. It will ask you to check through all the data first before finalizing. This is the best time to fix mistakes, so look closely!

  • To finalize the upload, click “click here to finalize the upload”, which is highlighted in blue at the top of the page.

  • All done. ***

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