Getting Started with the Portal – SoilCares

Software

SoilCares will make sure that your labs computers are properly installed with the software and are ready to be used. Lab owners can decide to link more computers to their laboratory. In that case the following articles are helpful to get the computer ready:

You can reach the portal via https://portal.soilcares.com. You can find the login button in the upper right corner of your screen. Passwords and usernames are provided by SoilCares.

Select language

Scroll down to the lower right part of your window after login. There you have the option to select a new language. Selecting a different language only changes the display of the portal itself. If you want to change the language of the reports, then you need to select the preferred language per client during the registration of the clients profile.

Processing a sample starts by the registration of the client. This can be done via the tab ‘Clients’. Here you create a customer profile by entering your clients details. You can find a detailed explanation via this article: Register a client. Client registration (or field, or sample) is not necessary when you use the SoilCares sample taker app to register a sample by phone.

A sample is always connected to a field and a field is always connected to a client. Fields are created via the ‘Clients’ tab. Double click the clients name and navigate to ‘Fields’. You can create the field via the ‘Add new field’ button. If you client has only one field then you can create one entry. If your client has multiple fields then you define each one separately. You can find a detailed explanation about field registration via this article: Register a field.

Samples are registered via the ‘Sample Register’ tab. If the sample is registered for an existing client and field then you can navigate to this tab directly. If the sample belongs to a new client and/or field then you create them first via the ‘Clients’ tab.

Click the ‘Sample Register’ tab. The system will display a few questions that you need to answer. You finalize your order by printing the new barcode and by clicking ‘Complete order’. You can find more detailed information about order registration in the following article: Register a soil sample.

Print barcodes

You should always print the barcode of a newly created sample. It is not possible to analyse your sample without it. We advise to print at least 3 barcodes per order. One barcode is placed on the original sample bag, the other barcodes are kept with the sub-sample during processing. One barcode should be placed on the small sample tube that is used for the original analysis. The last barcode is placed on the pot that contains the remaining processed sample as a spare.

The option to print the barcode is shown during the order registration. Select the number of requested barcodes and the ‘Add to print que’ button. Printing the barcode is done from the separate printing app on your desktop. If you need extra barcodes for this sample then you can print new ones via “Analysis tracking – Unfinished soil orders” tab, or via the “Reports” tab. Extended explanation of printing barcodes can be found at: Print barcodes.

Upload Alpha scans

You can follow the procedure explained in Scanning with the Alpha to scan samples on the Alpha. It is essential that the SoilCares uploader is activated on your laptop before you start scanning. The uploader will rename each scan before sending. This will prevent your first scan to be overwritten by the second. If there is no internet available then you can still continue to scan samples. The uploader will rename them and send them at the moment the internet connection is re-established. Extended explanation of the uploader can be found at: Upload Alpha scans

Upload XRF scans

You can follow the procedure explained in Scanning with the XRF to scan samples on the XRF. The uploader on the XRF starts automatically when the XRF is started. There are no additional actions necessary from the operator. If there is no internet connection available then the uploader will save the scans until the internet connection is re-established. If you experience problems with the uploader then please contact SoilCares via support@soilcares.com.

Check the progress of your orders

The portal shows the process of your orders via the tab “Analysis tracking”. All unfinished orders are shown via the tab “Unfinished Soil Orders”. This includes samples with newly created barcodes and samples that are already partly processed. Orders that received a report disappear from this list.

The tab “Orders with Missing Scans” shows all unfinished orders that have received one or more scans. The check boxes in the Alpha column and XRF column show how many accepted scans have already arrived so you know what still needs to be uploaded. The column “Error Details” shows if there are scans with error notifications. It is possible that an orders is shown in the “Orders with Missing Scans” overview without it having one or more accepted scans. This means that you have uploaded an Alpha or XRF scan already, but that it has been rejected. You can find these details in the column “Error Details”. For more information on “Analysis tracking” please read Check the progress of your orders.

Download reports

Finished reports are shown in the tab “Reports”. Double click the green arrow in the “Lab Code” column and select if you want to view your report, download your report or re-print an extra barcode of this order. For more information on “Reports”, please check Download reports.

Update your own profile

You can update your profile via the Portal. Click your name in the green field in the upper right corner of your window and select “My Account” to view or change your profile.

From the option “Settings” you can download the SoilCares uploader or barcode printer. Do not change the sensor settings of your lab. For more information on profile and settings, please check Upload Alpha scans.

My labs

The tab “My Labs” shows the labs that are registered under your profile. By double clicking the lab you get access to more detailed information such as the laboratories details, the user accounts that have access to this lab and the full overview of available and used credit of the lab.

Collectable samples

SoilCares aims to fully cover the variety within your Lab-in-a-Box working area. However, it can happen that you receive a special type of sample that still needs to be included in the database. If this happens then no credits will be charged for the analysis of the sample. The sample will be shown in the list of “Collectable samples”. This is our tool to register which samples can be send to our own Golden Standard lab in order to improve the database. Please check Collectable samples for more information on the collection and shipment procedures of outlier samples.

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