An internal sample ID helps a laboratory organise its work, but it should not erase the supplier’s lot number. The two identifiers answer different questions: which local object or preparation is being discussed, and which external supply record describes its origin.
Define what each identifier names
ESS-DIVE’s sample metadata guide distinguishes sample names, other names, persistent sample identifiers, parent identifiers and collection identifiers. Although developed for environmental samples, it illustrates the value of preserving several identifiers with different roles rather than treating them as interchangeable.ESS-DIVE — Sample ID and Metadata Guide (opens in a new tab)
In a peptide laboratory, a supplier lot may describe material shared by several received vials. A local container ID can distinguish those vials, while a preparation ID can identify a later laboratory-created object.
Write down the level each identifier represents. A field called simply “sample number” becomes ambiguous when one person uses it for a vial and another uses it for an instrument injection.
An identifier is a reference to an object or record. It is not a replacement for the molecular description, and an apparently meaningful code should not be decoded into unsupported chemical facts.
Use an explicit mapping rather than a rename
| Local ID | Object represented | External or parent link |
|---|---|---|
| LAB-021 | Received vial 1 | Supplier product P7, lot B31 |
| LAB-022 | Received vial 2 | Supplier product P7, lot B31 |
| PREP-018 | Documented laboratory preparation | Parent LAB-021 |
| RUN-044 | Analytical run record | Material PREP-018 |
The example allows a reader to follow RUN-044 back to a particular vial and supplier lot. It does not imply that the run, preparation and vial are the same physical object.
Two local vials can legitimately share a supplier lot. Conversely, the same short lot string from two different suppliers may not identify the same material, so retain supplier and product context.
If an external testing laboratory assigns another sample number, add that mapping with its source. Do not replace the internal ID in old records and make earlier references impossible to resolve.
Handle corrections and derived materials carefully
If a local ID was entered incorrectly, retain a correction record describing the old entry, correct entry and basis for the change. Silent renaming can make two records appear to refer to different samples when they do not.
When material is divided or transformed, give the new objects appropriate local identifiers and retain their parent links. The laboratory’s own code should not masquerade as a supplier-issued lot number.
Avoid reusing a retired local ID for unrelated material. Even if the original vial is gone, its code may remain in notebooks, data files or publications.
Check the mapping where records meet
Compare identifiers at receipt, document attachment and experiment recording. These are common points where a copied code or a missing prefix can connect the wrong evidence to a material.
For exported data, include enough identifier context that the mapping does not depend on access to one person’s private spreadsheet. Where access is restricted, provide a resolvable internal reference and responsible owner.
A good identifier scheme lets local organisation and external traceability coexist. It makes the material history easier to follow without claiming that a well-formed code proves the identity of the material itself.
Sources and further detail
- ESS-DIVE — Sample ID and Metadata Guide (opens in a new tab)
Official indexed guide checked for distinct sample, alternate, parent and collection identifiers. Environmental-sample practice informs an original laboratory mapping; no IGSN registration is required or claimed.
Sources checked 20 September 2026. Inventory examples are hypothetical research records, not Novum stock, fulfilment procedures or validated laboratory systems. This article has not undergone independent scientific peer review.