A LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) tracks the entire sample lifecycle—from registration to the final test report. This page explains what a LIMS does, which modules it includes, and what ISO/IEC 17025 actually requires.
A LIMS (laboratory information management system) is the central software of a laboratory: it maps the entire journey of a sample—from registration and testing to the final report—and makes every step in between traceable. ERP for production, CRM for sales, LIMS for the lab.
ERP for production, CRM for sales—a LIMS for the lab.
That’s how we explain it in every initial conversation, because it immediately puts things in context: a dedicated software category for a dedicated business function. A LIMS is the tool for digitizing a laboratory—it tracks each sample’s journey and records who did what and when.
Section 7.11 of ISO/IEC 17025 does not require a product called a “LIMS.” The standard deliberately uses the broader term “laboratory information management system”—Note 1 to 7.11.2 even explicitly clarifies that this includes non-computerized systems, which could, in principle, mean paper or Word.
At the same time, the standard requires (7.11.3) protection against unauthorized access, tampering, and loss; a suitable operating environment; continuous data integrity; and complete records of system failures and corrective actions—throughout the entire lifecycle of each individual sample. In practice, meeting all these requirements with paper or Excel is no longer feasible without disproportionate effort. This is precisely the gap a commercial LIMS fills.
DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018, Sections 7.11.1–7.11.6 · LIMS-Forum, Dr. Roman Klinkner
A LIMS guides every sample through six steps. This workflow is identical across industries—whether water analysis, pharma QC, or materials testing. Only test methods and additional regulatory requirements differ.
Six-step workflow based on Dr. Roman Klinkner, LIMS-Forum · Implemented in Labordatenbank
A complete LIMS consists of four building blocks, weighted differently depending on the type of laboratory. A contract laboratory requires different priorities than a QA laboratory in production—yet the core functionality is the same for both.
Sample management, customer management with CRM, test reports, quotes, and invoices. These are the essentials every laboratory needs. View all features
Document control, test equipment management, material and batch management, process management, training plans, competency matrices, 8D reports, and supplier evaluation. Explore document control
Formulation management, stability and storage studies, and chemical and hazardous substance management—relevant for contract and development laboratories.
Electronic lab notebook (ELN), interfaces to ERP systems such as SAP or Microsoft Dynamics, a customer portal, and AI integration. Explore AI integration
Module taxonomy based on Dr. Roman Klinkner, LIMS-Forum
Two distinctions that come up in almost every selection process—and determine whether a lab ends up running one system or three.
Excel is not a LIMS—and that becomes an issue by the time your accreditation audit comes around. Three pain points we regularly encounter in RFPs and discussions:
More than half of our customers started there: Excel, Word, Access, or paper. For us, this transition is the norm, not the exception.
The question quality managers ask most often: “Isn't a standalone quality management system enough?” The answer depends on where the system originated.
CAQ systems (computer-aided quality) typically originate in mechanical engineering and the automotive industry and are tailored to ISO 9001 and manufacturing processes: incoming goods inspection, complaints, and monitoring inspection and measuring equipment in production.
A LIMS also covers these quality management functions, but is additionally designed for day-to-day laboratory work: sample flow, methods, result calculations, and the evidence required by ISO/IEC 17025. For a laboratory, a LIMS with integrated quality management is usually the leaner solution—one application instead of two systems that need to be kept in sync.
RFP requirements catalogs · CAQ classification based on Dr. Roman Klinkner · internal competitive statistics (n=105)
Section 7.11 of ISO/IEC 17025 describes four requirements for laboratory information management. Here is how they are implemented in LDB LIMS:
An important distinction: A LIMS is not required for accreditation. The standard specifies capabilities, not a product. In practice, however, a dedicated LIMS is the most reliable way to demonstrate those capabilities during an audit—because audit trails, access permissions, and versioning are core features rather than additional measures.
DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018, Section 7.11.3 · DAkkS assessment practice
When it comes to deployment models and AI, marketing quickly diverges from substance. We address both openly—including what we deliberately choose not to offer.
Labordatenbank runs exclusively as a cloud service—in the AWS data center in Frankfurt, across three availability zones. You access it through your browser, with full functionality on Windows, macOS, Linux, tablets, and smartphones.
This eliminates the operational workload that a system hosted on your own server places on your IT team: we handle updates, backups, resilience, and security patches. Smaller laboratories without their own IT department benefit the most. Explore the deployment model
AI appears in almost every software brochure these days. Here is exactly what it means in Labordatenbank: AI imports extract data from unstructured documents, such as sampling records or external laboratory reports, and assign it to the correct samples. The Query Explorer answers data analysis questions in everyday language, without SQL. The Audit Assistant checks documents against the requirements of standards.
What matters for accredited laboratories: you choose the model yourself, your data is not used for training, and every AI action is recorded in the audit trail. Explore AI integration
General Data Security Guidelines (ADSR) · SaaS deployment model
less time spent in everyday lab work
faster sample turnaround
time saved in individual laboratories
satisfaction after the rollout
Customer survey conducted as part of our ISO 9001 certification, 2025 and 2026 (50 % response rate). Average values across all participating laboratories; time savings range from 10 % to over 50 % depending on the laboratory.
In 60 to 90 minutes we show LDB LIMS using your own workflows, in a demo system we set up for your laboratory beforehand. We work through your requirement list point by point – including the points we do not cover.
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Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
Simplify Documentation & Put ISO Requirements into Practice Every Day
