Assigning IDs in bulk
To assign identifiers to the animals in your colony or study:
Select the animals by clicking the check box to the left of each animal or select all animals by clicking on the check box in the header and then ‘Select all 10+ items in this table’
Click Bulk actions
Click Assign identifiers
In Benchling Studies, you can assign up to five identifiers to every animal:
Name: The animal name is required for every animal as the primary identifier.
Tail: Typically used to record any identifier displayed on the tail.
Ear: Typically used to record markings on the Animal’s Ear.
Tag: Typically used for any secondary identifier recorded as a printed or scanned code.
Donor: Typically used to link the animal with a related subject. This can be used as an attribute when randomizing animals into study groups.
If you only use one identification method, we recommend using Animal name, even if the ID falls under another category such as Tail or Ear. This is because the animal name is displayed by default across the platform as the primary identifier.
You have the ability to assign IDs using a number of different workflows:
1. Bulk assign - Repeating IDs: Use this option if you are using consistent repeated IDs across your cages.
Add the tags to be assigned by typing into the text box and press enter after each tag.
Click Bulk assign.
Click Save.
2. Bulk assign - Sequence: Use this option to assign identifiers as a consecutive sequence across you entire animal list.
Type a starting number for the sequence and a prefix, if required.
Click Bulk assign or press enter on your keyboard.
Click Save.
3. Copy and Paste: Use this option if you already have your IDs stored as a list (eg. in a spreadsheet). Simply copy the list of IDs and paste into Benchling Studies.
4. Manual - Type or scan directly into the table. is it recommended that you use the Auto save option for manual entry.
Using Auto Save
Auto save will save any change that is made in the assign identifiers table in real time. Turn on Auto save using the toggle at the bottom right corner of the modal.
This is particularly helpful when adding RFID or Barcode identifiers manually into the table.
Assigning IDs alongside measurements in workflow
IDs can be assigned ahead of capturing measurements in workflow. This is particularly helpful when scanning new IDs to register animals at the same time as recording baseline body weight measurements and/or clinical observations. To use this tool follow the steps below:
Open workflow and set the ID that you are scanning in as the "display identifier" in the general section.
Click on measurements and check the box for "Assign identifiers when taking measurements"
Select the ID field to be updated from the dropdown menu that will appear on the right.
Set the after saving option to "move to next animal"
Click continue
Once you click continue you will see the Animal name displayed under animals and a text box at the top of the measurements form for the ID that was selected at Setup. As you save each animal and move to the next you will see the new ID replace the animal name.
This feature can be used to assign any ID except for the Name. If you want to replace the Name with this ID, open the assign identifiers table after selecting all animals and copy and paste these new IDs into the Animal column in bulk.
