Managing Specifications in QEST Web App
- Mark Elkomos
Applies to QEST Web App
This article describes how to add and configure specifications that can be applied to tests.
Contents
Overview
Specifications perform two functions:
Specifications allow the user to define acceptable limits for any test result. Out of specification results are highlighted and can be noted on test reports and management reports.
Specifications can be used to allow the user to decide which sieves should be used on a particle size distribution test.
In QEST Web App, a Specification is associated with a Specification Group. Placing specifications in groups makes it much easier to manage large numbers of specifications.
Specification Groups
 |  |
Specifications are found in the Reference menu, along with Lists, on the QEST Web App home page. Selecting Specifications here will show Specification Groups in the current user’s home laboratory. A Specification Group must exist prior to adding a Specification. All users can see which Specifications and Specification Groups exist, but only users with Edit Specification permissions will be able to edit specifications.
Specifications can be created and modified by any user with the Edit Specification permission.
Name | Description |
Laboratory | This drop-down lists the laboratories that the current user has access to, including the (global) laboratory, if applicable. The Specification Groups shown in the tabular list in the next section relates to the selected laboratory. |
Sample Type | This drop-down shows a list of all sample types available at the selected Laboratory. Selecting a Sample Type will filter the shown Specification Groups to only those containing Specifications applying to that sample type. |
Search | Entering a value in here will search the Specification Groups shown on the page for any that contain the entered text. |
Show inactive | By default, groups that are composed entirely of inactive specifications will not be shown, this filtering can be toggled by using the Shown inactive checkbox. |
Add Group | Pressing the Add Group button will show a dialog to the user which allows creation of a new specification group. |
Adding a New Specification Group
The Add Group button allows a user with the appropriate Edit Specifications permission to add a new Specification Group.
Specification Group Names need to be unique within a single laboratory context (i.e. that laboratory as well as the global laboratory). For example, two (or more) laboratories can have a Specification Group named Gradings, but the global laboratory cannot have a Specification Group named Gradings, or vice versa.
Available groups are ordered alphabetically.
Filtering Specification Groups
In the case where an organization has many Specification Groups, using filters in the Filter section of Specification Groups, can assist to narrow down the list presented to the user, prior adding a new group.
Deleting Specification Groups
Groups not containing any items can be deleted (permanently) using the button in the table. This button will not be visible if the user does not have the Edit Specifications permission. The user will be presented with a confirmation dialog after pressing this button.
About Specifications
When the user navigates to a particular Specification Group name in the Specification Group table, they will be taken to that group’s page, and can view Specifications associated with that group. Filters are available to assist with searching for certain specifications.
Section Name | Description |
|---|---|
Configuration | Shows which Laboratory the Specification Group belongs to, along with the Specification Group Name. The Laboratory is not editable. The Specification Group Name can be edited by selecting the Change button. |
Filter | The Search box allows the user to enter a value to search the specification table shown on the page for any that contain the entered text. When the Show inactive checkbox is selected, inactive specifications, which are hidden by default, will appear in the table that follows. Refer to Deactivating a Specification for more information. The filtering checkbox Hide specifications tied to material hides any specification that is tied to a material. The checkbox is unchecked by default. |
Adding a Specification
The Add Specification button will add a new specification and the user is presented with an Add Specification dialog to enter key specification values.
Name | Description |
|---|---|
Laboratory | Shows which laboratory this specification belongs to and is not editable. |
Specification Group | Two radio buttons allow the user to associate their new specification with either:
If Create new is selected, the user must enter a New Specification Group Name. For further details, refer to Creating a New Specification Group from the Add Specification Dialog. |
Selected Specification Group | With the Select existing radio button enabled, selecting the Show inactive checkbox will show inactive specification groups, which are hidden by default, in the drop-down list for the Selected Specification Group window. The specification group presented in the window will default to the group the specification was added from. Alternatively, users can choose from existing specification groups using the drop-down button. |
Specification Details | Specifications are associated with a Sample Type. This drop-down shows a list of all sample types available at the current laboratory or the (Default) region depending on whether the specification is intended to be local or global. Selecting a Sample Type will filter the shown specification groups to only those containing specifications applying to that sample type. The Sample Type can not be edited after a specification is initially created. The Specification Name field is free entry text. A Specification Name must be unique within the laboratory in which it is created, plus the global laboratory if the lab is not global. |
Add | Pressing this button creates the Specification Name, for the designated Sample Type, in the Selected Specification Group. |
Creating a New Specification Group from the Add Specification Dialog
If the user elects to Create New for the Specification Group:
A name for the new specification group must be provided.
The group will be owned by the same laboratory as the specification being created,
The group and Specification Name will not be created until the user presses the Add button.
Editing a Specification Group or Specification Name
Once a specification name has been created, a Change button appears on the specification page. Selecting Change opens an Edit Specification dialog where a user can change the Specification Group and the Specification Name. Clicking Save will save the changes.
Adding Tests to a Specification
When a specification is first created, no tests are added to it until the user presses the Add Test button. The Add Test button presents the user with an Add Tests to Specification dialog with a drop-down showing all the tests that belong to the designated Sample Type and are:
Licensed in the current instance of the QEST Platform.
Available at the current laboratory, if the specification is at a local laboratory.
Available at the (Default) region, if the specification is global.
The Add button on this dialog is not enabled until a test has been selected. If the user selects a test that already exists in the current specification, after pressing the Add button, an error message is presented to the user advising that only one set of limits can be applied to a test per specification.
Once one test has been added, the Add Tests button will be shown underneath all of the tests and results already present.
Adding Limits to Tests in a Specification
Once a test has been added, a subsection is added for this test. The test subsections are ordered alphabetically by test name.
Adding a row with the 
Allow the definition of limits to occur on a given field.
Show the Copy Limits button below the specification limit.
Limits within a test are ordered by field prompt. The fields included in the results grid and the functionality thereof will differ slightly between QEST Web App tests and legacy QESTLab tests.
QEST Web App Test Limits
This section describes the functionality of the limits fields for QEST Web App tests.
Field Prompt | Description |
Results | A drop-down listing, by default, of the key result fields of QEST Web App tests available in the instance of the QEST Platform. |
Limit Type | A drop-down listing the available types of limits to be applied. For a complete description see Limit Types. |
Deferred (QWA Concrete Sample Only) | A checkbox that appears only for fields that are available for tests on the QEST Web App concrete sample for test methods where limits are not known ahead of time. The Limits value is shown as Pending Test. The Limits value is then set per instance of the test. For more information, see Application of Deferred Limits |
Limits | Columns that define the limit being configured. The structure varies depending on the selection of the Limit Type. |
These fields define the resolution at which the result and limit are compared to one another. A drop-down box provides the user options to round the result to the Nearest value or Significant Figures prior to comparing the value to the limit. When the comparison is to the Nearest value, the user enters a decimal number that the value is rounded to before comparing it to the limit. When the comparison is being performed to Significant Figures, the user enters an integer value. | |
Acceptance Age (QWA Concrete Sample Only) | Allows the user to enter the acceptance age value and units for results such as compressive strength, that require an acceptance age. Only one result is defined per test. |
| The Row Delete button deletes the current row from the test subsection after the user accepts a confirmation dialog. |
Copy Limits | The Copy Limits button allows the user to copy the selected specification to other tests of the same type within the same QEST Platform instance. Pressing the button brings up a dialog where the user is shown a multi-select list of such tests. Any tests with limits already defined in the current specification are disabled. The user will be able to select the additional tests to which they would like the same limits to apply. Clicking the Copy Tests button will cause the limits to be copied for the selected tests. |
Remove Test | This button will delete the entire Test subsection after the user accepts a confirmation dialog. This action cannot be undone. |
Limit Type
The types of limits that can be applied to Results fields are:
Equal to: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value is not equal to the given limit.
Less than: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value is equal to or greater than the given limit.
Less than or Equal to: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value is strictly greater than the given limit.
Greater than: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value is equal to or less than the given limit.
Greater than or Equal to: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value is strictly less than the given limit
Exclusive range: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value does not fall entirely between the two given limits.
Inclusive range: The test will be marked as out of specification if the value falls entirely outside of the two given limits.
Target plus / minus: This type is an alternative way of defining an inclusive range
Is: Automatically selected for bit fields. Users can enter a True or False value from the drop-down box.
Application of Deferred Limits
When a specification has been created with a check mark in the Deferred Limits checkbox the outcome is that a field user who selects this specification, can enter editable values for each specification limit where the Deferred limit was set when the specification was created. To the field user, the data entry fields are shown after the field where the Deferred limit was set. The values for the Limits propagate from a previous instance of the test on the same work order.
Adding Limits to an Unavailable Field
Fields that can have limits placed on them are controlled by a default system configuration. If an organization requires extra fields to have limits placed on them, please contact Spectra QEST.
Adding Limits for Sieve Tests
For QEST Web App sieve tests, an additional field is shown underneath the Test Name and Method Number, with the prompt Sieve Results Limits Appy To. For tests that support a selection of which type of result the worksheet should calculate and apply limits to (e.g. Percent Passing, Percent Retained, Individual Percent Retained), the user is presented with a set of radio buttons to select the type of result the sieve limits are expected to be applied to. Percent Passing is selected by default. For tests that do not support a selection, the field is locked to Percent Passing.
QESTLab Test Limits
The functionality of the limits fields for QESTLab tests is almost identical as for QEST Web App tests, with the following differences:
Field Prompt | Description |
Limits Columns | Per QEST Web App test functionality. Prior to QEST Platform v5.7, specifications set on bit fields allowed limit Type: Is or Type: Is Not to be set to values of True or False. In QEST Platform v5.7 and beyond, specifications for bit fields only allow limit Type: Is to be set to values of True or False. |
Comparison qes Format | This is a single field that replaces the Precision and Format fields on pre-QEST Platform v5.7 specifications for QESTLab tests, which defined the resolution of comparison and reporting, respectively, using the qes format syntax. For pre-QEST Platform v5.7 specifications migrated to QEST Web App where these values were not the same, the more precise value was migrated. Where it was not possible to determine the more precise value, the administrator performing the upgrade was prompted to manually adjust the value before proceeding. This field is equivalent to the Comparison To fields that exist for QEST Web App tests. |
Passing and Failing Notes
There are a number of test reports that support the inclusion of specialized notes for passing and failing results.
Currently, Passing Note and Failing Note are available for the following tests:
Relative Compaction (ASTM/AASHTO) [110201]
Relative Compaction (TxDoT) [110202]
Nuclear Field Density ARIZ 235 [110456]
Nuclear Field Density BS 1377-9 - 1990 [110458]
Asphalt Nuclear Density UK In-House Method [117311]
Sand Replacement BS 1377-9 Clause 2.2. - 1990 [110467]
Text shown in the drop-down box is from the Specification Note list (20121). Free entry text is not permitted.
Deactivating a Specification
Specifications can be deactivated (made inactive), in two ways. Deactivating a specification makes it no longer available for selection by the user during data entry.
Press the Deactivate button
beside the specification Name in the table.
Press Deactivate, accessed through the “more actions” menu (three horizontal dots at the top right), on the specification’s Configuration screen.
Restoring (Activating) Specifications
A deactivated specification can be made active again in one of two ways, provided the user has the Edit permission to specifications:
Pressing the Click here to activate link in the specification’s Configuration section.
Pressing Activate via the “more actions” menu item (three horizontal dots at the top right) on the specification’s Configuration screen.
Deleting Specifications
Pressing the Delete button via the “more actions” menu item (three horizontal dots at the top right) on the specification’s Configuration screen, will permanently delete the specification.
Specifications can only be deleted if they have not been used on any samples in the QEST Platform.
Inactive Specification Groups
Specification Groups will become inactive and no longer appear in the laboratory’s Specification Group tabular list if all of the specifications within the group are inactive. Selecting the Show inactive checkbox will filter the list to show inactive groups in the tabular list.
Re-activating Specification Groups
Inactive Specification Groups are re-activated when the user adds new, active, specifications to an inactive group.
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