Forgot to feed the cells?
Left the microscope lens dirty? Spotted an expired reagent... again?

That’s not bad science. It’s just... bad task tracking.

Labs often rely on sticky notes, Outlook reminders, Trello boards, whiteboards or worst of all, memory to track small daily chores.

Why small tasks go missing

The problem?
These “outside-the-system” solutions don’t link to experiments, samples or actual lab work.
That creates chaos:

  • Tasks get missed
  • Experiments get delayed
  • Teams get frustrated
  • Compliance gaps appear

Even simple tasks - feed cell cultures, clean microscope lenses, replace expired reagents - can cause big headaches when they slip through the cracks.

Enter Lab Daily Notes

Part 2 of our Custom LIMS Features for Hidden Lab Pains series is all about Lab Daily Notes.

It’s a small feature with a big impact:

  • Personal & team checklists
  • Assignments, due dates, priorities
  • Auto-reminders, calendars, boards - and more

Everything happens inside LIMS, where your work already lives.
No Post-its. No lost notes. Just reliable, structured workflows.

How it works

1. Daily checklist widget

Start the day with all your tasks in one place. Tick them off as you go.
No hunting. No scrolling. Just clarity.

Daily checklist widget in the LIMS, first of two screenshots
Daily checklist widget in the LIMS, second of two screenshots

2. Create, assign, track

Add details, set deadlines, assign priorities - all linked to projects, experiments or samples.
Everyone knows what to do and when.

Creating a lab task with details, deadline, priority and a linked project, experiment or sample

3. Grid and Kanban views

Grid view: see all lab tasks at a glance, sortable and filterable.

Grid view of all lab tasks, sortable and filterable

Kanban board: move lab tasks visually across stages. Progress is instant and clear.

Kanban board moving lab tasks across stages

4. Tasks calendar

Plan ahead. Schedule daily lab chores, experiments and reminders.

Tasks calendar with scheduled lab chores, experiments and reminders

5. Personal reminders

Automatic notifications help you never miss a task - overdue or critical updates included.

Personal reminder notifications for overdue and critical lab tasks

Want it more advanced?

With customization, it’s no problem.
Combine views, automate recurring tasks and integrate reminders to suit your team’s workflow.

The feature grows as your lab grows.

Results

Implementing Lab Daily Notes transforms messy, scattered routines into smooth, in-system workflows. Teams stay on track, focused and compliant.

Basic functionality is quick to implement. Ask your devs and your lab can see real results in weeks, not months.

Why this matters

Science is complicated enough.

Small administrative tasks shouldn’t slow experiments or frustrate teams. A simple, well-implemented checklist inside LIMS keeps labs running smoothly, reduces errors and frees scientists to focus on what they do best: research.