We were approached by CellPath to design and build comprehensive archiving, tracking and invoicing software for the material held on site at their climate-controlled facility. Rapid expansion of the company had caused them to outgrow the system they were using at the time, and they recognised that a bespoke piece of software would simplify their workflow, bringing greater control over the archive, easier management and complete trace-ability of archived material.

Aptly named ‘CellTrak’ the software we created provides CellNass with a complete packing and tracking solution, integrating bar code scanners, printers and mobile devices into the warehouse workflow.

The CellTrak application consists of three separate applications - the Packing App, the Customer Portal, and the warehouse management app. All three work with a central database that manages the entire archive.

Items can be located at any stage of the archiving process - from hospital pickup, through to packing and storing in the warehouse, to recalls from hospitals and disposal every sample is tracked. Archives are grouped by year, followed by their unique packing box reference allowing access to all items listed at that location.

Individual hospitals have been given their own web front-end, allowing them to search for cellular samples, and request those samples to be returned to them. These requests were sent directly to the warehouse management team, who receive detailed location instructions on mobile devices. A web interface enables hospitals to access the tools they need to get a better sight of the material they have archived at CellNass, as well as providing them with the ability to order sample retrievals and disposals.

Each customer is given full administrative control of their own online archive database, with the super user being able to control access to any number of colleagues. Each CellTrak customer also has access to their personal ‘Duty of Care’ section, where they can easily access all relevant documents for their archive. For example, if a customer is being audited, they can quickly obtain the necessary documentation to provide full evidence that their materials are being stored in a safe and secure environment, and that it can be quickly located and recalled at any time.

CellNass management staff are also given a complete overview of the business process, with user activity, stock levels, packing rate and efficiency data in real time.

The number of palettes filled by each packer can even be monitored, with the bar code system greatly improving the efficiency of the packing staff. Over time, we developed increasingly sophisticated control over the palettes and their contents, with recalls, part-recalls and repatriated material all managed within the software, enabling CellNass to make sure that every box in the archive is full to capacity.

We also created an invoicing system, which tracks the volume of a customers archive, calculates the costs for each hospital, and creates appropriate invoices. This simplified the administration of the billing process significantly.