Glossary
Lab software & compliance terms
Different industries call the same things by different names — a COA is a “test report” to an electrical lab and a “lab report” to a university. Here’s what the terms mean, and what your industry probably calls them.
LIMS
Laboratory Information Management System · lab software · laboratory management system
The system of record for a lab’s samples, tests, results, and workflows. AILS includes a full LIMS as the data layer of its platform, with QMS and AI built into the same system.
LIS
Laboratory Information System (clinical/hospital term for a LIMS)
In clinical and hospital settings, a LIMS is usually called an LIS. AILS serves CLIA-certified clinical labs — specimen intake, QC, and patient-result reporting — so if you searched for an “LIS,” you’re in the right place.
COA
Certificate of Analysis · test report · analytical report · lab report
The signed document reporting a sample’s test results against specifications. Food, pharma, and cannabis labs say “COA”; testing and electrical labs often say “test report”; academic labs say “lab report.” AILS generates all of them with tamper-evident SHA-256 integrity.
COC
Chain of Custody · sample submission form
The record of who handled a sample and when, from intake to disposal — essential for legally defensible and accredited results.
ELN
Electronic Lab Notebook
Structured, audit-logged capture of bench observations and method notes, linked to samples and test methods. AILS includes an ELN AI Writer that turns voice dictation into professional notebook language.
QMS
Quality Management System · quality management software
The framework of SOPs, CAPAs, deviations, audits, training, and management review that keeps a lab inspection-ready. AILS builds the QMS into the same platform as the LIMS — not a separate tool.
CAPA
Corrective and Preventive Action · CAPA software
The formal process for investigating a problem, fixing its root cause, and preventing recurrence — with root-cause methods (5-Why, fishbone) and resolution tracking.
Sample vs. Specimen
specimen (clinical term for a sample)
Commercial and environmental labs say “sample”; clinical and hospital labs say “specimen.” They mean the same thing, and AILS adapts its terminology to your lab type.
Mill Certificate / MTR
Mill Test Report · material test report · mill cert
In construction and materials testing, the certified document reporting a material’s (steel, concrete, aggregate) test results and compliance with ASTM specs — the materials-industry equivalent of a COA.
Proficiency Testing
PT · interlaboratory comparison
External programs (CAP, COLA, AABB, A2LA) that verify a lab’s ongoing technical competence. AILS tracks enrollments, results, and AI-assisted failure investigations.
OOS
Out of Specification · out-of-spec investigation
A result outside acceptance limits, triggering a formal (often two-phase) investigation in pharma/GMP labs. AILS pre-populates the Phase 1 root-cause checklist with AI.
IQ / OQ / PQ
Installation / Operational / Performance Qualification · computer system validation (CSV) · 21 CFR Part 11 software
The validation protocols that prove an instrument or system works as intended. AILS ships a Vendor Validation Package (VVP) and an AI Validation Co-Pilot to generate IQ/OQ/PQ steps.
Measurement Uncertainty
GUM · uncertainty budget
The quantified doubt about a measurement result, required for ISO 17025 accreditation. AILS computes GUM-compliant uncertainty budgets per method.
ISO 17025 / 17065 / 17020 / 17011
ISO 17025 software · accreditation software
The ISO/IEC standards for testing labs (17025), product certification bodies (17065), inspection bodies (17020), and accreditation bodies (17011). AILS has dedicated support for all four nodes of the conformity-assessment chain.
See it in your own vocabulary
AI Lab Services adapts its terminology to your lab type — commercial, clinical, or academic. Explore a live sandbox or book a walkthrough.