Tests Master Data
HOW TO SET UP YOUR TESTS
The Excel file #5 - Tests contains the information required to define all your tests to be scheduled by Optima.
The Excel file #5 - Tests contains 6 worksheets to define the Tests Groups, Tests Series, Tests Groups Matrix, Tests, Tests Series Matrix and Test Steps.
Read the introduction to designing your master data to better understand how your tests relate to test series and test groups.
Listing your Tests Groups
This worksheet compiles your list of Test groups that will be called out from your Request Form for them to be scheduled according to all information and parameters associated.
The test groups allow the simultaneous assignment of a series of tests from a single work request.
Item / column | What / Used for |
Location Code | Refer Excel File #1 - Sites |
Tests Group Name | It is the unique name of a test group (max. 40 characters) |
Tests Group Description | This free text allows to add further information about your test group. (max. 40 characters) |
Listing your Test Series
This worksheet is used to list all your test series that are assigned to a test group and to which your tests should also be assigned.
Same Instrument / Employee
- YES: If you require the same instrument or employee along a given Tests Series, when prompted by the relevant instruments / competency groups.
- NO: If you do not need the same instrument or employee to be assigned along a given Tests Series. when prompted by the relevant instruments/ competency groups.
| Item / column | What / Used for |
| Location Code | Refer Excel File #1 - Sites |
Tests Series Name | It is the unique name of a Test Series (max. 40 characters) |
Tests Series Description | This free text allows to add further information about your Test Series. (max. 40 characters) |
Test Series Comments | This free text field allows to add further explanation about your Test (max. 100 characters) |
Same Instrument | Indicate if Y/N Yes, if the same instrument is to be used for all steps within a test No, if it is not necessary to book the same instrument for all steps of a test |
Same Employee | Indicate if Y/N Yes, if the same employee is to be used for all steps within a test No, if it is not necessary to book the same employee for all steps of a test |
Matrix: Assigning your Test Series to their Tests Groups
This worksheet allows you to assign every Test Series to its corresponding Tests Group.
Create a line for every single Test Series to be assigned to a given Tests Group.
Series order
It is a numeric value to indicate the order of execution of a Tests Series within a Tests Group
Series Logic
Indicate if the Test Series within a Tests group should be executed in sequential or parallel manner
Item / column | What/ Used for |
Location Code | Refer Excel File #1 - Sites |
Tests Group Name | Refer to previous worksheet |
Series order | Enter Number to ease the ordering of your Test series within a test group |
Tests Series Name | Refer to previous worksheet |
| Series Logic | Indicate Sequential or Parallel |
Example:
Listing your Tests
This worksheet is used to list the Tests to which you will define steps, assign employees and instruments.
Same Instrument / Employee
- YES: If you require the same instrument or employee for all steps within a test. Then you should also ensure that the same employee competency group and/or instruments group is assigned to each individual step.
- NO: If you do not want the same instrument or employee to be assigned to all steps within a test. You can then also assign a different competency group or instruments group to each individual step.
| Item / column | What / Used for |
Location Code | Refer to excel file #1 - Sites |
Test Name | Should be unique. This free text allows the naming of the Test ( max. 40 Characters) |
Test Description | This free text allows to add further information about your Test (max. 40 characters) |
Test Comments | This free text field allows to add further explanation about your Test (max. 100 characters) |
Same Instrument | Indicate if Y/N Yes, if the same instrument is to be used for all steps within a test No, if it is not necessary to book the same instrument for all steps of a test |
Same Employee | Indicate if Y/N Yes, if the same employee is to be used for all steps within a test No, if it is not necessary to book the same employee for all steps of a test |
MATRIX: Assigning your Tests to their Tests Series
This worksheet allows you to assign every single Test to its corresponding Tests Series.
Create a line for every single Test to be assigned to a given Tests Series.
You can leave this field blank so that each person is assigned a task within that group based on their availability.
Series order
It is a numeric value to indicate the order of execution of Tests within a Tests Series
Series Logic
Indicate if the Tests within a Tests Series should be executed in sequential or parallel manner
| Item / column | What/ Used for |
| Location Code | Refer Excel File #1 - Sites |
| Tests Series Name | Refer to previous worksheet |
| Tests order | Enter Number to ease the ordering of your Test series within a test group |
| Test Name | Refer to previous worksheet |
| Test Logic | Indicate Sequential or Parallel |
Defining your Tests: Steps, competency group, instruments group, & more...
This worksheet allows you to record all the details of your test. It should contain all the steps that need to be carried out as part of the test.
A range of information should also be provided for each step, as well as the competency group and instruments group.
If one of the last two details is left blank, the employee and/or instrument will not be assigned to the activity.
| Item / column | What/ Used for |
| Location Code | Refer to Excel file #1 - Sites |
| Test Name | Refer to previous worksheet |
| Step order | Enter Number to ease the ordering of your Steps within a Test |
| Test Step Name | Should be unique. This free text allows the naming of the Test ( max. 40 Characters) |
| Test Step Description | This free text allows to add further information about your Test (max. 40 characters) |
| Step Duration ( Minutes) | Enter duration time in minutes |
| Calculation | Enter Y ( YES) /N ( NO) to adjust the duration time based on a Mathematical Formula |
Delay ( Days) | Enter delay for a step to start (Days). The step will then starts with X Days of delay from previous step scheduled |
Can be Split | Enter Yes, Move or Keep |
Percentage split | Enter a double digital number |
Instrument Group 1 | Refer to Excel file #3.1 - Instruments |
Competency Group 1 | Refer to Excel file #4.1 - Employees |
Instrument Group 2 | Refer to Excel file #3.1 - Instruments - in case an additional instrument is required |
Competency Group 2 | Refer to Excel file #4.1 - Employees - in case a second person is required |
Instruments Groups Logic | Enter and / or |
Competency Groups Logic | Enter and / or |
Can be Split | Enter Yes, Move or Keep |
Definition of the option for " can be split" and % of Split
This option provides the ability to specify whether a step can be split into 2 different slots based on a % value indicating the proportion of the first slot.
This is used to tell the engine how to proceed if no slot is available for the entire duration of the step.
See below the definition of three options:
YES
If the engine finds an available slot that is shorter than the duration of the step, it can be split according to a certain percentage that fits into the first slot.
MOVE
If the engine finds an available slot that is shorter than the duration of the step, it should be moved to next available slot with adequate duration for the step.
KEEP
This applies to an instrument that is expected to work overnight (from day 1 to day 2) or even over several days.
The corresponding step should then have no competency group assigned as the person shift would limit the availability and as such the scheduling.
Custom Parameters
There are numerous parameters that need to be determined during the initial workshop with the Optima team.
During the discussion, additional columns could be added in this Excel file to obtain your configuration specifically for your Optima system.
Here a list of parameters that can be customised, included but not limited to :
- Batching of Samples for a specific Tests Group
- Calculation of a Test Step Duration based on the Sample batch size.
- Definition of Instrument Minimum and Maximum Number Samples per run
- Scheduling priorities ( due date, stability dates, customer/project priorities ...)
- Assigning employees/instrument to a specific customer/project
- Allowing to split a Step if the engine finds a free slot shorter than the task duration
- Defining split % of a step duration to be performed in the first slot
- Indicate the engine that an instrument can run overnight ( from day 1 to day2) or even for more than one day
- ..
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