Text Shipping File
LDMS is capable of importing specimens from tab-delimited text files. The filename must be in the format described below. The file must contain all of the fields listed. A header row should not be included.
Figure: Text shipping file filename format
aaa_bbbbbb_ddmmmyyyy.txt OR 999aaa_bbbbbb_ddmmmyyyy.txt
Where aaa is the sending laboratory's LDMS laboratory ID number, bbbbbb is the batch number (with leading zeros added, if necessary), and ddmmmyyyy is the date the batch was created.
Important:
Text shipping files must have exactly 22 columns, and the columns must be in the order specified below. If there are more or less than 22 columns, LDMS will not be able to correctly read the file. No columns can be removed, and extra columns cannot be added.
| Field | Field Type/Max Length | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| group | Alpha / 20 | ACTG/IMPAACT | REQUIRED: The applicable group must be available in the Specimen Management at the receiving laboratory |
| PID/ID1 | Alpha/Numeric / 25 | 0012345L | REQUIRED |
| Protocol/ID2 | Alpha/Numeric / 25 | A0000 | -- |
| SID/ID3 | Alpha/Numeric / 25 | A00001234L | -- |
| VID | Numeric / 6 | 1.00 | Visit number. Format: three numbers before the decimal and two numbers after the decimal |
| VID Unit | Alpha / 3 | Vst | -- |
| Clinic | Numeric / 5 | 12301 | The applicable clinic must be available in the LDMS |
| Specimen Date | Alpha/Numeric / 9 | 28May2009 | REQUIRED: Format: DDMMMYYYY |
| Specimen Time | Alpha/Numeric / 5 | 13:00 | Format: HH:MM (24-hour military format) |
| Received Date | Numeric / 9 | 29May2009 | REQUIRED: Format: DDMMMYYYY |
| Received Time | Alpha/Numeric / 5 | 14:00 | Format: HH:MM (24-hour military format). |
| Time | Numeric / 6 | 1.00 | Format: three numbers before the decimal and two numbers after the decimal. Typically used for pharmacology and metabolic specimens. |
| Time Unit | Alpha / 3 | Hrs | Typically used for pharmacology and metabolic specimens. |
| Global Specimen ID | Alpha / 11 | A1234567-89 | -- |
| Primary | Alpha / 3 | BLD | REQUIRED |
| Additive | Alpha / 3 | EDT | REQUIRED |
| Derivative | Alpha / 3 | PL1 | REQUIRED |
| Sub/Add Derivative | Alpha / 3 | N/A | REQUIRED |
| Volume | Alpha/Numeric / 11 | 10.00 | REQUIRED: Format: Nine numbers before the decimal and two numbers after the decimal. |
| Volume Unit | Alpha / 3 | ML | -- |
| Condition | Alpha / 3 | SAT | If blank, LDMS will default to SAT (satisfactory). |
| Other Specimen ID | Alpha/Numeric / 17 | -- | Optional identifier at specimen level |