Lab-i Integrates With Business Intelligence Tool, EasyAsk

QBCon has reached a new phase in Business Intelligence (BI) and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) implementation. Customers can now receive advanced technological solutions that deal with the evolving need for data management in any industry.

Laboratories constantly aim to increase productivity and lower price pressures in less time. This demand and need for real time tracking of samples and studies in the research industry has driven the production of a new LIMS. Business Solution provider QBCon configured EasyAsk, a BI tool and a LIMS to operate from the same database.

QBCon considers Lab-i an important system in any laboratory environment for efficient storage, sharing and retrieval of information. Because of time constraints and the costs involved in research, QBCon specialises in finding ways to improve their client’s business process. The next obvious step for QBCon was to integrate Lab-i and EasyAsk to the same database and Central Analytical Laboratories (CAL) became the first client to benefit from this collaboration.

Central Analytical Laboratories (CAL) is a specialist in the agricultural and horticultural industry analyse soil, plant material and fruit, animal feeds, water, fertiliser, lime, growth media and garden soil. CAL has built a reputation as an experienced and flexible laboratory to review and implement other tests as requested by the customer. To ensure they continue living up to this reputation, CAL invested in the customised Lab-i, but with an added benefit. EasyAsk is a BI tool of which QBCon is the exclusive reseller in South Africa. It works as an internet search engine tool.

CAL researchers can now submit information through Lab-i that will then be stored on a database. Once the information is to be retrieved, the user will ask EasyAsk in natural language and EasyAsk will provide suggested answers related to the information available in the database. Answers will be generated, based on the information stored on the same database Lab-i operates from. An easy example will be to ask, “Give all clients that did tests on fertilisers, but have not been invoiced?” EasyAsk will then produce a list based on the criteria specified.