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Checking Tests

Checking Tests

QEST Platform 5.8 Documentation
Applies to QESTLab


This article describes how to mark tests as checked in QESTLab.

Contents

Overview

QESTLab allows for the checking of data on the electronic worksheets after testing is completed, prior to reports being signed. QESTLab can be configured to require that this check take place on worksheets prior to report review. This functionality is in place to comply with accreditation requirements in certain jurisdictions. Alternatively, QESTLab can be configured such that the action of signing the report is considered the check of data contained on the worksheet.

The sections below are, therefore, broken up into two sections, each explaining one of the approaches discussed above.

Checking Worksheets Prior to Report Signing

Worksheet Locking

Checking a worksheet or strength specimen in QESTLab will lock that document from further data entry or modification for most users. Only users with the Laboratory Supervisor general right will be able to edit checked documents, if they do not appear on a signed test report.

Laboratory Supervisor Right

The Laboratory Supervisor general right is granted through a user's Roles. Role configuration and mapping can only be completed by a system administrator. See Managing Roles for more details on user rights.

Aggregate, Soil, and Asphalt Worksheets

Worksheets that are children of a sample (most commonly aggregate, soil, and asphalt tests) can be checked directly from the worksheet. This is accomplished by clicking on the information button, , on the top right hand corner of the worksheet. This will open up the information panel which allows the setting of both the Tested By user and Tested Date as well as the Checked By user and Checked Date.

Clicking on the checkbox above the Checked By fields will automatically:

  • Set the Checked By user to the currently logged in user and
  • The Checked Date to today

If users have the Data Entry general right, they will be able to modify the user and date set in these fields. Otherwise it will only be possible to set the user and date through the use of the checkbox.

Data Entry Right

The Data Entry general right is granted through a user's roles. Role configuration and mapping can only be completed by a system administrator. See Managing Roles for more details on user rights.

Finding Tests to Check

The process for finding tests to check will depend on the process implemented in a laboratory. Some organizations use paper worksheets with sample IDs recorded to navigate directly to the electronic worksheet by the sample ID. Other organizations make use of Tests/Documents filter to find tests that have been completed, have a tester nominated but are, as yet, unchecked:

Tests/Documents Filters

The filters available under Tests/Documents are configurable and may be named and function slightly differently between organizations. The Spectra QEST Service desk is available to assist with the creation of or modification to any filters.

Concrete, Grout, and Masonry Worksheets

Specimens

In the same way that QESTLab provides for bulk data entry of concrete, masonry, and grout specimen test results it is possible to check a whole day's worth of specimen testing in one action. A Tests/Documents filter is used to retrieve and show specimens that are tested on the same day, grouped by type. Clicking on the type grouping will show the electronic worksheet for bulk data entry of specimen test results.

In the example below the Concrete Compression Tests filter has returned 42 100mm (or 4" by 8") cylindrical concrete specimens that were tested yesterday.

Tests/Documents Filters

The filters available under Tests/Documents are configurable and may be named and function slightly differently between organizations. The Spectra QEST Service desk is available to assist with the creation of or modification to any filters.

Clicking on the COMP100 group will show the details for the specimens as well as details about the user that measured and tested the specimens, if this has been set.

The results can be checked in bulk by clicking on the Checked By button at the top of the grid. This will display a dialog where the user can elect the Checked By user to mark all the tested specimens as checked.

Clicking Check Documents will mark all specimens that contain a strength result as checked by the selected user. Any specimens without the necessary data entered will not be marked as checked in order to allow them to be completed at a later time.

Electronic Worksheet Locking

Checked specimens will always appear locked on the bulk entry worksheet for specimens, regardless of user rights. To edit values for checked specimens, users with the Laboratory Supervisor right can open the individual concrete sample containing the specimen.

Child Worksheets

The checking of concrete test worksheets that exist as children of the concrete sample works in exactly the same way as the process for checking aggregate, soil and asphalt worksheets described above. Examples of such worksheets are:

  • Mass per Unit Volume of Freshly Mixed Concrete [AS 1012.5]
  • Drying Shrinkage [AS 1012.8.4]
  • Slump Flow, T500, J-Ring [AS 1012.3.5]

Since these are field tests and there may be many samples on a work order, each with one or more of these child tests, QESTLab provides functionality to check these en-masse from the bulk entry screen. See the Checking Field Density Tests and Concrete Child Tests section for more details.

Checking Field Density Tests and Concrete Child Tests

When checking field density testing or concrete field tests, there are often many tests on a work order that need a review from the bulk entry screen. QESTLab allows the user to mark all tests under a work order, or all tests visible on the bulk entry screen, as checked by a user with one click.The Checked By button on the top right of the bulk entry screen can be used to mark all documents under the work order, or all documents visible on the bulk entry screen, as checked by the given user recursively.

The intent of this functionality is to allow for more efficient checking of tests whose data is entirely entered via the bulk entry screen. To provide a measure of control to which documents are checked when this option is used, specific bulk entry views should be used for field density testing that limit the tests shown to the nuclear density tests along with the Set the Checked By status only on test visible in the Bulk Entry option. See the Options section for more information on how this behavior can be controlled and configured.

Signing Reports to Check Worksheets

If the only desired check of worksheets is the signing of test reports, then the recommended configuration in the Options section below should be used. In this configuration, signing a report will mark the parent document of the report as checked by the signing user on the current date and flow that status down to any other children of that parent object according to the rules governed by the related options. For more details on effects of the individual options, see the Options section below.

In this configuration there is no requirement to mark individual worksheets as checked prior to signing test reports.

Options

Options

The options discussed in this section are both general system options and document level options in the QEST Platform. These affect the operation of the system as a whole where changing the option changes the functionality for everyone using an instance of the QEST Platform. As a result, the ability to change these options is limited to users with the System Administrator right.

Recommended Configuration

The following configurations are recommended for customers that wish to check test worksheets prior to signing reports versus those who wish to make report signing the checking process.

OptionCheck Worksheets Prior to Signing ReportsSign Reports Only
Options → General → Use NATA Extended SecurityTrueFalse
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checked By StatusFalseTrue
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Bulk Entry Checking Only Checks Visible DocumentsTrueTrue
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checking Overwrites Checked By PersonFalseFalse
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checking Sets Date CheckedTrueTrue
Documents → System → 101 Work Order → Hide Recursive Checked by ButtonNoYes

Documents → System → Concrete Test Report → Show Checked Results

Different test reports exist for different regions, each organization should have at most one or two concrete test reports to review

YesNo (if available)

Effect of Checking Options

There are a number of options that can modify the functionality of the checking process. Specific options are generally applicable to specific regions and suggested configurations are given above. This section outlines the functionality of each option.

OptionEffect when True or YesEffect when No or FalseNotes
Options → General → Use NATA Extended SecuritySigning a test report is not possible unless all tests included on the test report are marked as checked.Signing a test report is possible regardless of checked status.Incompatible with Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checked By Status and should not be used together with that option.
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checked By Status

Setting the checked by user on a document will automatically apply the same checked by user to all child documents.

The exact details of how this option operate also depends on the following two options:

  • Recursive Checking Overwrites Checked By Person
  • Recursive Checking Sets Date Checked

Additionally, signing a test report will set the checked by user of the parent document of the report to the signing user and propagate the status down to all other children of that document according to the rules governed by the two options mentioned above.

Checking a document has no effect on the checked status of child documents.

Signing a test report does not automatically set the checked status of any documents.

Incompatible with Options → General → Use NATA Extended Security and should not be used together with that option.
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checking Overwrites Checked By PersonWhen the checked by status is being set recursively, the checked by user of child documents is always set to the checked by user of the parent document, meaning that checked by users can be overwritten by setting a checked by user on the parent document.When the checked by status is being set recursively, existing values for the checked by user are retained on child documents if they exist. The checked by user set on the parent document is only set on child documents if the value on the child document is currently blank.
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Recursive Checking Sets Date CheckedToday's date will be set as the Checked Date on all child documents without an existing checked date when the Checked By status is set on a document. Child documents with an existing date will not be modified.No checked date will be set on child documents meaning blank dates remain blank and existing dates are retained.
Options → General → Testing/Checking → Bulk Entry Checking Only Checks Visible DocumentsUsing the Checked By button on the work order will apply recursive checking rules to tests that are visible on the bulk entry screen.Using the Checked By button on the work order will apply recursive checking rules to all documents that exist on the work order, regardless of their visibility on the bulk entry screen.
Documents → System → 101 Work Order → Hide Recursive Checked by ButtonThe Checked By button is not visible on the work order, regardless of the value of Recursive Checked By Status. This means that recursive checking from the bulk entry screen will not be possible.The Checked By button is visible on the work order, regardless of the value of Recursive Checked By Status. This means that recursive checking from the bulk entry screen is always possible.

Documents → System → Concrete Test Report → Show Checked Results

Different test reports exist for different regions, each organization should have at most one or two concrete test reports to review

Only specimens that have been checked will have their results shown on the test reportResults from specimens with will show on test reports regardless of checked statusSome concrete test reports do not include this option, in which case they operate as though the option was set to No


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