Keyboard Usage

Much of the work you will complete in LDMS is data entry. For these types of tasks, working with just the keyboard can be a lot faster than switching between the keyboard and a mouse pointer.

Many screens in LDMS are designs so that you can complete large sections of them quickly using just the keyboard. In Specimen Management, for example, you can press the Tab key after completing each field to move on to the next one.

LDMS menus can also be navigated using just the keyboard. Press the [Alt] key. Notice that certain letters in the menu bar are now underlined? If you press the corresponding key, those menus will open. You can also you your keyboard's arrow keys to navigate menus.

LDMS also has several key combinations that perform a specific function.

Shortcut Toolbar Icon Description
Alt + F3 -- Close current task
Alt + F4 -- Exit the LDMS program
Ctrl + A Add record
Ctrl + D Delete record
Ctrl + G Refresh the screen
Ctrl + H -- Show a helpful description of the currently selected item on the screen
Ctrl + S Save changes made on a screen
Ctrl + B (In Specimen Management) Exit restricted scope when using extended search
Ctrl + E Display the last data record
Ctrl + P Display the previous data record
Ctrl + N Display the next data record
Ctrl + F Display the first data record
Ctrl + W (In Specimen Management) Open the Browse feature
Ctrl + Z -- (In Shipping on the QA/QC tab) Pass the selected aliquot
Ctrl + X -- (In Shipping, on the QA/QC tab) Fail the selected aliquot