Keeping track of where Inventory items are stored is key to managing your lab efficiently. LabArchives Inventory lets you organize storage locations in a flexible, hierarchical system, making it easier to find items. Only members with the appropriate permissions—such as the Lab Manager role or a custom role with lab management privileges—can access and modify these settings. Refer to the Understanding Inventory Roles and Permissions for more information.
LabArchives uses a top-down structure to organize storage locations that can be as simple or detailed as your lab requires.
Top-level locations: Major storage units (e.g., freezers, refrigerators)
Sub-locations: Shelves, racks, compartments, or boxes within those units
Nested levels: Additional layers for more detailed tracking, down to individual cells within a freezer box
Creating Top-Level Locations
The first step in building out your location structure is defining top-level locations. These typically represent the main storage units in your lab.
To begin, open the Lab Management Menu using the gear icon in the top left (Lab Manager permissions are required), then navigate to the Locations tab and select Add New Location.
Each location should have a clear, descriptive name. Names must be unique, can include special characters, and may be up to 255 characters long. Once saved by click Add Location, your top-level location becomes the foundation for adding more detailed sub-locations.
Adding Sub-Locations and Freezer Boxes
After creating a top-level location, you can build out its internal structure by adding sub-locations. For example, within a freezer you might define shelves, racks, or boxes.
To do this, click the edit (pencil) icon next to a location, then select Add location inside [location name].
Enter a name and click Save to create the sub-location. You can add as many sub-locations as needed within a top-level location.
Locations can also be renamed or deleted from this same menu. However, deleting a location will remove it from any associated Inventory Items, leaving those items without an assigned location.
Adding Freezer Boxes
If a location is a freezer box, LabArchives gives you a few extra setup options. To enable these, navigate to the desired top- or sub-level, click Add location inside [location name], and select Freezer Box.
From there, you can set the box size (up to 50 × 50) and choose how the cells are labeled: Letter and Number, Number and Letter, or Number Only.
Moving and Reorganizing Locations
As your lab evolves, you may need to reorganize and adjust your storage locations. LabArchives allows you to move entire locations, including all sub-locations and associated items to a new parent location.
From the Location tab, select a Location and the edit (pencil) icon. From there, select the Move button.
Select the new location from the Choose a new location window and click Move.
Important considerations:
A location cannot be moved into a destination that already contains a sub-location with the same name
Locations cannot be moved into freezer boxes
Moves are not recorded in item history
Locations are displayed in alphabetical order only (sorting cannot be customized)
To learn more about managing the contents of a freezer box, click here.