Difference between revisions of "User:Shawndouglas/sandbox/sublevel4"

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As a means to accommodate the different workloads, sizes and workflow requirements of laboratories, LIMS vendors have adopted multiple ways to pass on the cost of a LIMS to a lab. They may charge for use of the LIMS based on the number of named users of the system, the maximum number of users who will be logged in at any given time (i.e., concurrent users) or the number of specimens processed. Furthermore, a LIMS’ cost may be passed on in the form of a one-time license purchase or a regular monthly or annual subscription. Each has its own benefits, depending on the buyer.
[[File:Business man and woman handshake in work office.jpg|right|400px]]Most additional costs are associated with additional work beyond the base configuration. For the cost-conscious clinical diagnostics lab, it will be useful to find a solution that meets as many of your needs as possible out of the box. Adding customizations, unique functionality and advance integrations increases costs, as they are a function of the time it takes a developer to add them. As such, consider a highly user-configurable system as much as possible.


* '''Named users licensing''': This licensing is based on the number of users (or, in some cases "nodes," which are simply any entities that access the software, including other systems, instruments, etc.). How these are counted can vary. They may be counted as named users, which bases pricing on the actual individual users of the system, even if they may only log in once in a while. In most cases, users may not use each other's login information, though this is prohibited regardless of pricing structure for good practice and other standard- and regulatory-based reasons.
Another area of additional cost comes with maintenance, support and warranty (MSW). The MSW plan you pay for will be just as important as the LIMS itself. Your LIMS will be viewed as mission-critical, and having a reliable and responsive team and resources available 24/7 is hugely important in retaining operational and competitive status. Downtime can negatively affect not only immediate customer satisfaction but also your reputation. This is where the MSW comes in. Analyze the vendor’s MSW carefully.  


* '''Concurrent users licensing''': This licensing bases pricing on the maximum number of users who will be logged in at any given time. You can define an unlimited number of named users in the system, each with their own login credentials. However, only the number of concurrent users specified in the license or subscription agreement may be logged in at any one time.
Purchase of a LIMS will usually include an MSW as a percentage of the license fee, typically 15 to 20 percent annually. If you’ve opted for a subscription-based cloud service, the MSW should be included in the monthly or annual subscription costs. The MSW should include a set number of support hours so your users can contact the vendor and get help when they encounter problems. It should include updates and upgrades (i.e., maintenance), and unlimited free fixes of any bugs (i.e., warranty).  


:It may be useful to look at an example comparison of named user and concurrent licenses. Imagine you have 10 users in your clinical diagnostic lab, but due to work processes, shifts or some other reason only up to six might ever be logged in simultaneously. Whereas this would require a named user license for 10, it would only require a concurrent user license for six. In the case of a large lab with upwards of 50 users, neither option may make sense. In some cases, a vendor may offer an unlimited user license, which makes sense for large labs looking for a flat fee for any number of users.
You may also have a need for additional professional services (e.g., consulting, customization and additional training), including implementation help. These services are generally billed hourly. However, implementation services may be milestone-based. Many vendors operate using something of a combination of the two approaches, providing best estimates for each deliverable, with the caveat that actual costs may vary somewhat. It's always best to construct a budget with around 20 percent additional funds available in case of unforeseen obstacles, or to support additional features or functions down the road.


* '''Pay-as-you-go licensing''': While not common, some vendors may offer a per-specimen rate for use of their LIMS software. This sort of pricing scheme is useful, however, for contract laboratories looking to eliminate up-front costs and have a predictable cost basis for the work they are contracted for. This is particularly useful in the case of a cloud LIMS, as the contract lab typically doesn’t need to invest in additional support or system upgrades; they simply have an account set up, use the LIMS how much they need and get billed for it.
A few other areas where additional costs or fees may spring up include:


* '''Purchasing vs. subscription''': Does your lab want to own the software it wants to use or is it comfortable with “renting” the solution? The lab would look to either a one-time license fee or a subscription plan, respectively. If you have your own dedicated IT department and staff, you may prefer the former. Otherwise, a “software as a service” or SaaS-based (i.e., cloud-hosted) subscription model may be the better and more cost-effective way to go. Aside from local computing and internet access, IT costs remain negligible with SaaS. Either way, this license or subscription represents your up-front cost and, in the case of a subscription, it will also figure in your first year and ongoing costs. Though subscriptions may require several months or up to a year’s up-front payment, subscriptions tend to be less expensive than a one-time license fee and self-hosting.
* Maintenance on your self-hosted solution.
* More storage space.
* Data migration.
* Disaster recovery.
* Additional cybersecurity services.
* Additional instrument or software integrations.
* Additional LIMS modules.
* Additional validation services for data or the LIMS.
* Support beyond the MSW.

Revision as of 17:54, 10 March 2022

Business man and woman handshake in work office.jpg

Most additional costs are associated with additional work beyond the base configuration. For the cost-conscious clinical diagnostics lab, it will be useful to find a solution that meets as many of your needs as possible out of the box. Adding customizations, unique functionality and advance integrations increases costs, as they are a function of the time it takes a developer to add them. As such, consider a highly user-configurable system as much as possible.

Another area of additional cost comes with maintenance, support and warranty (MSW). The MSW plan you pay for will be just as important as the LIMS itself. Your LIMS will be viewed as mission-critical, and having a reliable and responsive team and resources available 24/7 is hugely important in retaining operational and competitive status. Downtime can negatively affect not only immediate customer satisfaction but also your reputation. This is where the MSW comes in. Analyze the vendor’s MSW carefully.

Purchase of a LIMS will usually include an MSW as a percentage of the license fee, typically 15 to 20 percent annually. If you’ve opted for a subscription-based cloud service, the MSW should be included in the monthly or annual subscription costs. The MSW should include a set number of support hours so your users can contact the vendor and get help when they encounter problems. It should include updates and upgrades (i.e., maintenance), and unlimited free fixes of any bugs (i.e., warranty).

You may also have a need for additional professional services (e.g., consulting, customization and additional training), including implementation help. These services are generally billed hourly. However, implementation services may be milestone-based. Many vendors operate using something of a combination of the two approaches, providing best estimates for each deliverable, with the caveat that actual costs may vary somewhat. It's always best to construct a budget with around 20 percent additional funds available in case of unforeseen obstacles, or to support additional features or functions down the road.

A few other areas where additional costs or fees may spring up include:

  • Maintenance on your self-hosted solution.
  • More storage space.
  • Data migration.
  • Disaster recovery.
  • Additional cybersecurity services.
  • Additional instrument or software integrations.
  • Additional LIMS modules.
  • Additional validation services for data or the LIMS.
  • Support beyond the MSW.
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