Set up is the first of a study's four stages. From the top it holds the Collection plan, the Study details, the acceptance limits, the study type's own panels, and Calculation settings. The main fields and study decisions stay visible; optional report details and calculation settings open when selected. Each calculation uses the settings saved when it was made. Each method chapter explains its own panels, such as assigned values or decision levels.
Blank template (CSV) and Run this study sit at the top of the stage. The first downloads the study's empty column template; the second opens the study's guide in this manual.
Collection plan#
Collection plan is open until the study has data; select its heading to open or close it. The closed heading keeps the suggested total in view. Open it to read the question the study answers and the Suggested plan with its totals beside the Calculation minimum, then four steps: 1 · Prepare, 2 · Decide before collecting, 3 · Collect and enter results and 4 · Check before reporting. The suggested plan is a starting design. The calculation minimum is only what the software needs to calculate. Needed in this study before calculating ticks off the settings still missing. A sigma study shows Values to gather instead.
Study details#
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Study title | For example Glucose · repeatability · analyzer B. Up to 140 characters. |
| Study type | Fixed once data exist; see choosing a study. |
| Analyte | Spell it the same in every study. The project groups studies by it (analytes). |
| Unit | One unit for the whole study. Units are never converted. Qualitative agreement has no unit. |
Analyte and Unit are required before any calculation. Open Report details (optional) for fields that name what was measured and appear in the report: Instrument and Method, the Reagent lot and Calibrator lot, Specimen / material matrix and Study date. A method comparison asks for Comparative method (x) and Test method (y) instead of instrument and method, a lot comparison for Previous lot and New lot instead of the two lots, and an instrument comparison lists its analyzers in its own panel. Only a study's own design fields, such as its two lots, affect the calculation.
Calculation settings#
Calculation settings is closed until you open it. Its heading line shows the current choices, for example 95% confidence · 3 decimal places · decimal point.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Confidence level | 90%, 95% or 99% for every confidence interval in the study. It is different from a reference interval's population coverage. Derived sigma and the 21-position carryover design have no intervals. |
| Measurement scale | Ratio scale when zero means none of the analyte, as for most concentrations. Interval scale when zero is arbitrary, as for pH or °C. On an interval scale, CV, percent bias and recovery are not calculated, and percentage limits can't be decided. |
| Numeric convention | Decimal point or decimal comma in your results. Changing it after results exist asks you to confirm. The original text is kept. See numbers, units and identifiers. |
| Display decimal places | 2 to 8. Acceptance decisions use full-precision values. |
| Permit negative results | Tick it for methods that can report negatives, such as blanks. Otherwise a row with a negative result is flagged and the calculation stops until you correct or exclude it. |
A method comparison sets its Primary regression in the Method comparison panel. Choosing Deming reveals How λ is supported; for another primary fit, open Deming settings for the other fits if needed. Each study shows only the settings that apply to it.
Imported files#
On Set up, open Imported files and choose a file name to download it. See downloading the original import.
Save changes, a calculation or an import saves your changes. See saving and revisions.