Hierarchical connections between Inventory Items can be applied using Parent-Child Relationships. This allows lab members to trace the origins of samples, group related items under a parent item as siblings, and document lineage across multiple generations.
To assign item relationships to an existing Inventory item, navigate to the Relationships tab within its Item Details. This page will list all item relationships for the Inventory Item. Click Add Items next to either the Parents or Children headers to add new relationships.
Parent or Child Items can also be assigned within the Add Inventory Item form when creating a new item.
From the Add Items window, search for the item(s) and make selections by clicking + or Add All. A running list of selected items are displayed on the side panel. From the bottom of the window, click Add as Parents or Add as Children to assign the relationships.
Managing Item Relationships
Once an item relationship is defined, the Parents and Children will be listed in the Relationships Tab in Item Details. Since item relationships are bidirectional, the connections will be recorded for both items. To remove an item from the parent or children list, click the trashcan icon next to the item name and confirm removal.
Any time an item relationship is established or removed, it will be noted in the History tab of both items.
Displaying Item Relationships in Search
If the Relationships column has been included in Display settings, the number of relationships will be noted on the main Inventory page. The Relationship column will display as a hyperlinked number format, in which the first number represents the number of parents and the second number represents the number of children. Clicking on the hyperlink will navigate you to the Relationships tab of the item.