LDB release history 2024

Improvements to the Parameters
All parameter formulas are now checked for validity before execution, and the speed of calculating results has increased significantly thanks to the use of this new parser. Furthermore, errors in formulas are highlighted in color at the point where they occur in the editor.

For results, the system now records, on a column-by-column basis, who made an entry or change in the relevant parameter column and when.

Improvements to Test Equipment Entries
Test equipment can now be booked not only on a daily basis but also on an hourly or minute-by-minute basis.
Additionally, in the calendar view, it is now possible to move test equipment entries directly via drag-and-drop.

Improvements to Tasks
When a recurring task is marked as "completed", the newly created task is now displayed as confirmation. When viewing the newly created task, you can edit it as needed—for example, to change the date.

Enhancements to System Settings
You can now customize the touch icon and the favicon image via the system settings. Additionally, a manifest has been added to improve the installation of LDB and the LDB Customer Zone as a web app.
Below the button "Transfer current data to the test system", the system now displays when the last transfer to the test system took place and who performed it.

Enhancements to Master Data
You can now use a checkbox for a master data field to indicate that it is translatable. An additional column will then appear next to the master data field to enter information in another language.
To prevent configuration errors, new master data fields can now only be created by the LDB Support Team as part of the included support.

Style Classes in the Report Editor
The Report Editor now includes an additional tab that displays suggestions for style classes that can be used in HTML tags. For report variables, you can now select whether this variable field should always be cleared after a search.

Process Management Improvements
It is now possible to create qualifications directly within Process Management.

Library Updates
The Highcharts library has been updated to the current version 11.4.

Security-Related Adjustments
In addition to the existing security measures, a Content Security Policy (CSP) has been implemented for LDB, which prevents iFrames from loading external pages, styles, and scripts (including onload, onclick, oninput, and onchange events), thereby enhancing LDB’s data security. Furthermore, protection against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks has been implemented.

Mapping Process Sequences in Status Management
For status management, you can now define a predecessor and/or successor status for each status. This allows you to map processes and workflows where it is important that a specific sequence of status changes be followed (please contact your account manager if you would like to enable this option in your LDB instance).

For example, a batch could go through the following status types: Created -> Reviewed -> Approved. If the “Reviewed” status is set as the predecessor for the “Approved” status, this ensures that the batch cannot be set directly from “Created” to “Approved,” but must first go through the “Reviewed” status.



Consistent Status Display for All Data Types
Furthermore, the status of a data type (e.g., sample, order, customer, test equipment, batch, …) is now displayed directly in the top-left corner under the heading for all data types, and by clicking on the data type, the status can be changed directly within the view (When changing the status, you can now optionally specify a reason for the change).



Furthermore, the history of status changes can now be displayed for each data type.




Additional Data Types with Status Management
Status management can now also be used for specifications, limit value tables, test plans, equipment, and equipment components (the status types can be activated for this purpose in the status management settings).


Additional Properties for Status Types
​​In the settings for a status type, you can now specify whether a data type with this status is locked. “Locked” means that a data type with this status is blocked from further use and is therefore no longer available in the selection lists.

The “Finalized” setting prevents a data type with this status from being edited (if a data type with this status is to be edited anyway, another status must first be selected).

For example, for the “Approved” status, we recommend using the “Finalized” setting to prevent further editing. For the “Archived” status, we recommend selecting the “Locked,” “Finalized,” and “Hide” settings together.




Enhancements to Change Requests
Tasks can now also be assigned to change requests, and status changes for a change request are listed at the end of the PDF output, allowing users to track the approval process.


New User Interface Languages
The LDB user interface is available in additional languages. In addition to German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian, LDB can now also be used in Slovak, French, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified).


Additional Features
- Table view for specifications / limit value tables / test plans
- New access right: Edit hours for other employees
- Display an image of the test equipment in the overview
- Export confirmation for invoices regarding shipping date and payment date
- Language selection for PDF templates
- Templates for 8D reports
- Keywords for qualifications
- Password reset via email for Customer Zone logins

New User Interface Languages 🇩🇪🇬🇧🇪🇸🇵🇹🇧🇷🇷🇴
The LDB user interface is now available in additional languages. In addition to German and English, LDB can now be used in Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian.

Multilingual labels can be configured for the following data types, allowing all users to view entries in their respective languages: templates, parameters, parameter groups, test groups, price items, categories, and status types


Please contact your account manager if you would like to have another language activated in your LDB instance.

Enhanced Account Security for the Customer Portal
A password-based login can now be enabled for a customer’s contacts, allowing multiple accounts to be created for each customer’s Customer Portal. A password policy can be specified for Customer Zone accounts, and customer contacts can be further protected with multi-factor authentication (MFA) via TOTP, passkey, and security key.

Enhanced Process Management
Processes can now be described more effectively using a new text editor that supports formatting, images, and links. Additionally, subprocesses can now be moved more easily and subordinated to other processes.




Enhanced Sample Templates
Sample templates now feature status management, and access rights can be configured for each template to control who can view or use it.




Keywords (Tags)
Keywords can now also be assigned to inspection plans, limit values, specifications, and processes.

Enhanced Access Rights Validation
Employee groups and qualifications are now also taken into account during access rights validation.

New Parameter Formulas for Data Series
When performing calculations with data series, additional functions are now available: csvlinks(), csvrechts(), csvmedian(), csvstabw(), csvstbwn(), and csvstabws().

See: LDB Manual



User Call on Fri., June 14, 2024
In our next user call on Fri., June 14, 2024, we will present the LDB enhancements listed above.

See: https://lims.eu/de/anwendercalls

Performance Correction
Due to an incorrect setting in our caching cluster, we have experienced an increase in performance issues over the past few weeks. The settings on the caching cluster have been corrected.

Keywords (Tags)
Keywords can now also be assigned to import interfaces, change requests, reports, and parameter types.

Change Requests
A PDF export feature and additional master data fields are now available for change requests. This allows you to enter a risk analysis, test cases, and a note regarding successful implementation. Additional master data fields can be configured at any time by your account manager.

See: User Call: April 2024

Cross-System Tagging System (Tags)
There is now a cross-system tagging system that allows you to assign tags to data types such as samples, orders, customers, documents, files, etc. All tags are listed in a dedicated tag management section, where you can see which data items have been tagged with which tags.


Checkboxes in Markdown Fields
Markdown checkboxes in notes can now be used like to-do lists and checked off in the notes view.



Templates for Code Examples
Input fields, such as database queries and transformation codes, now include code examples that can be viewed and used directly.


PDF Output for 8D Reports
APDF outputoption is now available for 8D reports, making it easier to send or print them. If needed, as with all PDF outputs, we can customize the PDF template here as well and design the cover page, header, and footer to match your layout.

New Access Right: “Create/Edit Status Types”
In the status type management section, there is now a new access right that allows you to separately enable the display of existing status types and the creation/editing of status types.

Detail Improvements for Sample View
Following the last update (2024.04), we received some feedback regarding the sample view and, based on that, have implemented the following detail improvements:

Reports can now be created directly by clicking the “+” in the table bar.

Sample master data now appears in a sidebar on the left side of wide screens.

Frequently used evaluations can optionally be displayed in the sample view above the parameters.

The associated samples are displayed in the sidebar and in the table bar.

Risk Assessment: Limitation on High-Frequency API Calls
There is now a warning/limit in place for very frequent calls to export interfaces/reports and import interfaces. The limit applies to the number of calls per report and per import interface. A warning is displayed when 80% of the limit is reached. Once the limit is exceeded, further calls are blocked with a warning for the remaining time (max. 5 min). The limit is 300 calls per 5 minutes in the Enterprise Cloud and 100 calls per 5 minutes in the Standard Cloud.

Create E-Invoices with LDB
EU Directive 2014/55/EU requires public contracting authorities and their suppliers in Europe to be able to issue e-invoices. With the LDB update 2024.04, PDF invoices generated by LDB now comply with the EU standard for e-invoices, ZUGFeRD 2.2.
The e-invoice feature can be enabled in the system settings under “Invoices” and requires that the country code be selected for each invoice recipient.




New Sample View
The sample view has been updated so that sample master data appears on the right side of large screens. Furthermore, parameters, files, reports, related samples, etc., are now organized into tabs.
The sample view now follows the same layout as for orders, customers, test equipment, etc.




Audit Trail History
By clicking “” to view the history (located at the bottom left for each data type), the corresponding audit trail is now displayed directly on the page.

Reports: Automatically Send Generated PDFs via Email
When automatically sending emails based on reports, generated PDFs—such as invoices and reports (even before they are signed), worksheets, confirmations of online inquiries, etc.—can now also be sent automatically via email.

Change Requests
With Change Requests, change requests can be recorded by your lab database account managers, and their execution can be managed.

Access Rights Overview
The access rights overview now displays the access status for each employee, color-coded. In addition, the assigned employee icons are now displayed above the table.



indicates that access is granted via an employee group.
indicates that access is granted directly to an employee.
indicates that the employee lacks a qualification.
indicates that there is no access because the employee is not authorized or is not a member of any authorized employee group.