We are a start-up pharmaceutical company with an analytical department that has around 30 various HPLCs and mass spectrometers. Recently, we decided to find the best chromatography software that has flexible applications, data acquisition, data processing and reporting, instrument control, and regulatory compliant (i.e. audit trail that's easy to track). We'd like one software system for all of our systems that pleases all analytical departments (bioanalytical, process stability, CMC, etc). I'd like to hear opinions (positive and negative)of those who are familiar with any of the many software packages available now. Thanks!

I have participated in the purchase of several laboratory data systems over the years and the most sage advice I can offer is that it would be more reliable to suggest to you a wife/husband(your choice). I have not encountered anything in science as personal as a data system. As a small example of this issue, try to get an HP calculator person to use a TI, or the reverse.

The good news is that they all work, so it is an issue of what works best for you. Insist on a demo, ideally in your lab. After watching the demo person show you how slick it works, then chain him/her to a post out of reach of the key board and then, with their hands-off advice, YOU go through the operations that you want to do. I have found that only when you lay your hands to the key board do you find how convenient/inconvenient things are to do. (The demo person may pass out from nervous tension during this exercise. They seem to be trained to not let the customer touch a key board during a demo. )

Big systems require training, so get commitment on this critical issue. Test their support, perhaps by calling during or after the demo and asking something. Go to Pittcon.

I would like to echo Bill Tindall's response (having gone through 2 software purchases myself).

I would like to add one more piece of advice. Since you say that you have various systems (I'm assuming various models and manufacturers) you will probably need a significant level of customization done to whatever system you purchase. Develop your functional specs and sit down with the vendor's programmers upfront to make sure they can meet your requirements and again after deciding on which system to purchase, to work out the details of the implementation (most vendor's charge for this custom coding, so build some leeway into your budget for this). From experience, I strongly recommend having the vendor do the customization for you (it is well worth the cost).

Good Luck.

I will also echo the two comments above.

Better than going to Pittcon where you will only hear marketing hype is perhaps to obtain references from the vendors you are considering. Then you can contact the references in your area and call or visit. Nothing like operating experience to find the rough edges.

I would also be carefull about losing instrument control by adopting a standard data system. Most implementations of a standard data system will require using the analog output of the detectors.

Modern systems are integrated with the hardware passing lots of instrument parameters, startup checks, ROM checks, meta data, etc., etc. to the software. By using the analog output you are often severing the link between the data and the instrument parameters and condition at the time of data collection. This is something to consider when you want to validate the system.

Unless there is an alternate means of control of the hardware then it will still need to be controlled by the software from its manufacturer. Now you may have to validate one software package to control your instrument and another to process the data.

i have a dream...
if you can find a data system that can work with multiple vendor LC/MS and LC PDA and GC-MS, let me know!! it would be realy nice to use just one system for them all but, like me, you will be disapoited. data-system can allways be used with multiple vendors, the vendor will tell, untill you tell him you use PDA and MS detectors......

Ihave used several data systems; Turbochrome, Chemstation, Waters and EZchrome. For overall perforamnce and compatability with different instrument configurations and the the best for instrument control is EZChromElite by Scientific Software.