Getting started with protocols: Tips, tricks and best practice

Clear protocol and parameter descriptions are essential in protocol writing. Well-structured, detailed instructions help your colleagues understand each step's purpose and function, reducing mistakes. Make information easy to digest by using bullet points, bold or italic text, and line breaks.

A well-formatted protocol description helps your users select a protocol and follow the steps confidently.

Clear outputs at key points make protocols more user-friendly. They help colleagues verify their work, follow steps correctly, and interpret experimental results quickly.

Plate layouts are beneficial as they provide a visual readout of the plates generated by the process.

Elements can output a plate layout or liquid table for the liquids created by a given element. As multiple elements can add liquids to different wells or plate segments, it's common that the plate view output for each element will only tell part of the story. Use the Append element to combine element outputs into a single output, thus creating a single final plate representation that can be displayed in your protocol.

Link parameters across protocol elements whenever possible to minimize manual data entry. This approach saves time and reduces errors. With linked parameters, users enter values once, and the system automatically applies them throughout the workflow, ensuring consistency.

Learn more about linking parameters here and here.

Use the Append Data element to upload external data files into protocols. The Append Data element supports element validation, allowing you to make the most of file validation in your protocols.

Early validation prevents errors and improves workflow efficiency.

Following these best practices helps you create powerful, user-friendly protocols in Synthace that maximize automation potential while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.