More in Getting started
Every patient entry gets a Lab No. E-Lab looks for the highest Lab No. already used in the current period, in pending entries and finished reports, and adds 1. If the period has no entries yet, it starts at 1. The numbering method decides what "period" means. The number is filled when you leave the Date box on Patient Entry.
| Method | Lab No. goes back to 1 |
|---|---|
| Continuous | Never. Numbers keep rising. |
| Daily | On each new date. Lab No. 1 is the first patient of the morning. |
| Monthly | On the 1st of each calendar month. |
| Yearly | On 1 January. This is the calendar year, not the April-to-March financial year. |
Numbers that mean something
With Daily numbering, the Lab No. on the bill is the patient's place in today's queue, and sample tubes can be labelled 1, 2, 3 every morning.
No numbering by hand
E-Lab works out the next number for the date in the Date box, so a back-dated entry gets the right number for its own day.
On this screen
- Patient Lab Numbering Method decides when Lab No. goes back to 1
- Test Report No. Prefix optional text before the number; cannot change later
- Apply saves; the method works at once
Set the method
- Open Settings
Click Help › Settings. Look at the Numbering card. - Pick the method
In Patient Lab Numbering Method, choose Continuous, Daily, Monthly or Yearly. There is only one box with this name. - Decide on a prefix
If you want text before the number, such as CC-, type it in Test Report No. Prefix. It cannot be changed later. - Apply
Click Apply or press Alt+A. You see Settings Saved successfully. - Check a new entry
Open Patient Entry, set the date and leave the Date box. Check the Lab No. The method works at once. The prefix shows after the next login.
Questions people ask
Does Yearly restart in April?
No. It restarts on 1 January.
I entered yesterday's patient today. Why is the number different?
The number follows the date in the Date box. A back-dated entry gets the next number for that date's period.
Can I change the prefix?
Not once it is saved. The box locks.
Does the method carry to the new financial year?
Yes. Change Financial Year carries Settings and the numbering into the new year. Check the method once before the first patient of the year.
Can I stop staff from changing the Lab No.?
Yes, on saved entries. Tick Lock Basic Info in the Patient Entry row for that user.