So you have a bottle that’s not one of ours you want to pre-register. Don’t worry, we understand this can happen from time to time. We can still accept this sample but would recommend you order some more bottles quickly, so you don’t run out again. To find out how to re-order you may find this article helpful.
So you can pre-register the usual way – see this tutorial if you have forgotten how to pre-register – you will need a barcode K number for use in the portal that you can print and attach to the bottle. The below guide will show you how to do this.
- Scroll to the bottom of this page and copy one of the K numbers. If you need more than 5 click the more k numbers please button.
- Pre-register the samples the usual way (tutorial link above), but on step 4 you will have got stuck as you didn’t have a K number. In this case you can now paste the generated K number into the bottle label box.
- Add to the queue and press send to lab. Although there is an option to print please do not use this until it has been sent to the lab as on certain browsers or firewalls the request to send will not be sent as well.
- Look at the header options, one will say Samples in transit. Click that. You will see a list of samples in transit (change the date range if your samples are not showing).
- Tick the label or labels you have just made.
- Click reprint labels. Note you MUST press send to lab first. Trying to print before pressing send to the lab will lose your information 50% of the time so please ALWAYS press send to lab first.
- A pdf will come up listing the labels you just produced. This can be printed onto standard A4 paper and cut the labels and tape to the bottle they correspond to.
- Send your samples as usual, but note as this is not a sample in one of our bottles you will need to pay. Please add a purchase order number with the package to cover the cost of the samples. This cost can be reduced should you wish to tag on the order onto an order for sample kits to avoid a minimum invoice charge.
Tip: We need a QR code on the bottle
Labs are set up for their own bottles and processes to keep things smooth. Other labs charge a premium extra surcharge for using your own bottle, which we do not, but if you are going to use your own bottle the sample needs to be processed as smoothly as our own samples. Our own samples all come with a barcode stuck on every bottle. Hence, you will need to print this. We need a barcode on each bottle at the end of all this. So please do not skip this step or print them off and leave the matching up to the lab, as your samples WILL be delayed. Samples that are not pre-reg correctly are left until the end of the day to review, so you will lose a day of turnaround time before it is processed. We don’t want this to happen and would rather the testing start instantly on arrival for you. Hence you need to print and stick the label. If you do not want to print a label or cut it out, then the easiest way is to order our pre-paid sample bottles to save you time, and you can keep them in stock ready for sampling. However, if you wish to use your own bottles, you need to provide the lab with a barcode stuck to the bottle that can be scanned, and the sample started with no typing or having to match up. This infographic below will give you a hand if you don’t know what we mean.
In the above example the customer thought they were being helpful by typing rather than handwriting and actually typed out all the digits of the K number by hand, printed and cut them out. However, it would have been easier to just print the sample barcode from samples in transit on the portal (see right-hand picture).
Now you have got a good feel for what you need, then here is a list of K numbers for you.