Lab workflows
Record a transfer
A transfer in xPlant records when an explant is moved through your culture workflow, including transfers between stages and routine subcultures within the same stage. Each transfer creates a dated record where you can capture the media recipe, SOP, destination, and observations from the session.
What counts as a transfer?
Moving between stages
Record a transfer when an explant moves from one culture stage to another, such as Multiplication to Rooting. The transfer preserves when the move occurred along with the media, SOP, and other recorded context.
Splitting cultures during subculture
When a subculture produces multiple resulting explants, record the transfer so each resulting culture can continue with its own history and label.
Routine subculture
A transfer can also record a subculture that remains in the same stage, such as another Multiplication cycle. This keeps each culture cycle visible in the explant's history.
Recording a past transfer
If a transfer has already taken place, use the date the transfer actually occurred rather than the date you enter it into xPlant. This keeps the explant's history in the correct sequence.
How to record a transfer
Start a transfer from the Transfers section or from an explant's record. Enter the transfer details, then save the record to add it to the explant's history.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| From explant | The explant being transferred |
| To stage | The stage the explant is entering (e.g. Rooting) |
| Transfer date | When the transfer took place |
| SOP | Optional: the SOP used for the transfer |
| Media recipe | Optional: the media recipe used for the resulting culture |
| Room | Optional: where the resulting culture will be kept |
| Notes | Observations or context from the transfer |
| Destination label | Optional: the label for the resulting culture |
Transfers vs adding a stage directly
A stage update and a transfer record different kinds of history. Use a transfer when culture material is actually being transferred or subcultured. Use a stage entry when you only need to record a stage or status change without documenting a transfer event.
- Update a plant record, where transfer tracking does not apply
- Record a stage or status change without a transfer
- Add historical stage information when transfer details are unavailable
Use a transfer when you want to preserve the details of a culture-handling event, such as the date, media recipe, SOP, destination, and resulting culture.
Tip: recording repeated transfers
When several explants are transferred as part of the same workflow, record the shared SOP and media recipe consistently while keeping explant-specific observations, destinations, and labels with each record.