EnviroMail 45 Canada - ALS Collaboration on Digital Integration with EarthSoft

Many of ALS’ major clients use applications such as EarthSoft’s EQuIS™ for reviewing, analyzing, comparing and reporting environmental sample data. Our clients are increasingly recognizing the speed, cost, and quality benefits of seamless data uploads.

EarthSoft has recently announced ALS as the first global laboratory network to execute an agreement to participate in its Preferred Laboratory Program [ALS Joins EarthSoft’s Preferred Laboratory Program]. EarthSoft and ALS have collaborated for years to assist shared clients and the environmental management sector in general to improve environmental data management processes and practices. EarthSoft’s Preferred Laboratory Program is the most recent collaboration designed to share and promote environmental data governance and best practices.

EQuIS analytical workflows developed in collaboration with ALS

From the ALS perspective, full digital integration supports our quality objectives and greatly assists our clients by eliminating written sample ID interpretation (e.g., 'o' vs. '0', '5' vs. 's') and by reducing errors, culminating in faster availability of test results for our clients along with higher quality and conformance of data. A second advantage of the ALS/EarthSoft partnership arises with the use of electronic chains of custody (eCoCs), which provide the ability to automatically assign test analytes, method codes, Limits of Reporting (LORs), etc., all linked directly to electronic quotes. This provides control over the exact methods used in laboratory testing—where multiple options may exist—to ensure our clients’ test results meet their exact needs and project requirements.

A major milestone of the ALS/EarthSoft collaboration occurred in 2014, with the first fully EQuIS-integrated eCoCs and digital sample receipt notifications (eSRNs), as highlighted in ALS Australia EnviroMail 80. ALS also supports electronic data deliverables (EDDs) for other workflow components associated with field data collection, independent laboratory testing, and auditable and actionable environmental data management. These tools were reviewed by industrial and government client sectors and are included in current and future versions of EQuIS. A global oil and gas organization’s EQuIS leader referred to the ALS/EarthSoft work as “a game-changer” for large corporate digital lab deliverable programs. EarthSoft and ALS now provide a level of integration between EQuIS and the ALS Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) not previously seen commercially in the environmental management industry.

EQuIS electronic data deliverables (EDDs) are widely used and can be generated and checked for correctness and completeness by all global laboratory networks that are fully integrated with the EarthSoft Enterprise EQuIS Data Processor (EDP). Contact your EarthSoft representative to confirm your application suite can support the digital workflows.

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For more information or to expand your digital eCoC integration with ALS, please contact DigitalServicesCanada@ALSGlobal.com.