Adding a reagent takes three steps, because Labsistant is recording three different things at once. Understanding that split makes the form much easier to fill in.
The three things you are creating
| Step | What it describes | Example of what changes |
|---|---|---|
| Select Reagent | The substance itself, on your lab's master list. Its name, its default unit, its hazard level. | Stays the same every time you buy it. |
| Lot Information | The batch you received. Its lot number, vendor, dates, cost. | New every time a shipment arrives. |
| Inventory Item | The container on the shelf. Where it is, how much is in it, who owns it. | One per bottle or tube. |
So one reagent can have many lots, and one lot can have several containers.
Before you start
You need at least one storage location. If you have none, the third step shows "No Storage Locations" and a Go to Storage Locations button instead of the form. Create a location first. See Create a storage location.
Open the form
- Click Add Inventory in the top bar, or on the Inventory page.
- Choose Add Reagent. The dialog "Add Reagent to Inventory" opens.
Move between steps with Next and Back.
Step 1: Select Reagent
This step asks: which substance is this?
If the reagent is already on your master list, leave the "Add new reagent to master list?" toggle off and pick it from the Select Reagent dropdown. The dropdown shows each reagent's CAS number, default unit, and hazard level so you can confirm you have the right one.
If it is new to your lab, turn the toggle on. A "New Reagent Details" section appears:
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reagent Name | Yes | |
| CAS Number | No | The substance's chemical registry identifier. See Lot numbers, CAS, hazard and expiration. |
| Default Vendor | No | A suggestion that pre-fills for future lots. |
| Category | No | |
| Default Unit | Yes | The unit this reagent is normally measured in. |
| Hazard Level | Yes | One of None, Low, Moderate, High, or Extreme. |
| Low Stock Threshold | No | You get an alert when total stock falls to or below this amount. Pick the unit first, since the threshold is in that unit. |
These values become the defaults for every future lot of this reagent, so it is worth getting them right once.
Step 2: Lot Information
This step asks: which batch is this?
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lot Number | Yes | Copy it from the container label or the certificate of analysis. Do not make one up. |
| Vendor | No | The supplier or distributor for this specific lot. |
| Received Date | No | |
| Expiration Date | Yes | If it is within 30 days, the form warns you that it expires soon. |
| Notes | No | Storage conditions, quality observations, anything worth remembering about this batch. |
| Cost | No | The purchase cost for this lot, in your lab's currency. |
The expiration date has to be after the received date. If it is not, the form tells you.
Do not have the lot number yet? Do not invent one and do not use a filler value. See Lot numbers, CAS, hazard and expiration for how to record the item now and add the real lot number when it arrives.
Step 3: Inventory Item
This step asks: where is this container and who does it belong to?
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Storage Location | Yes | Where the container physically lives. |
| Initial Quantity | Yes | How much is in this container right now. |
| Ownership | Yes | See below. |
| Sterile | No | Off by default. |
| RNase-Free | No | Off by default. |
Ownership
You are choosing who this container belongs to:
- My Personal Stock. Assigned to you. Other lab members can see it but it is yours.
- Team/Group. Shared with one specific group. Choosing this reveals a Select Team dropdown. If you have no groups yet, it says so.
- Shared Lab Stock. Available to everyone in the lab.
See Personal, group and lab: who sees what for how each option behaves.
Sterile and RNase-Free
Turn these on if this container is sterile or RNase-free. Both are off by default and both are recorded per container, not per reagent, since two bottles of the same lot can have different handling histories.
See Sterile and RNase-free flags before you rely on these.
Finish
The bottom of step 3 shows a Summary Preview: how much of what, going where, with the ownership and any flags. Check it, then click Add to Inventory.
You will get a confirmation that the reagent was added, and it appears on the Inventory page.
Adding more than one
This form adds one container. If you are unpacking a delivery, working from a spreadsheet, or recording a shelf you have never entered, use the bulk import instead: open Add Inventory in the top bar and choose Import inventory. It reads CSVs, vendor PDFs and photos, and you review everything before anything is created. See Import files: CSV, vendor PDFs and shelf photos. If the spreadsheet is still where your inventory actually lives, what changes when it stops being is worth reading first.