FlowSEQ®

Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with FlowSEQ in minutes

Jump to:

Step 1: User Preferences

Navigate to Settings → Preferences

  • Review your account information
  • Set your preferred currency (USD, EUR, or GBP)
  • Set default quality score for sequencing (default: Q30)

💡 Tip: Your currency preference will apply to all cost calculations throughout the platform.

Step 2: My Lab Configuration

Navigate to My Lab

Add Sequencers:

  1. Select sequencer company (e.g., Illumina, Oxford Nanopore)
  2. Select model (e.g., NovaSeq 6000, MiSeq)
  3. Optional: Add custom label (e.g., "Lab A NovaSeq")
  4. Set Target Capacity Utilization (default 99.9%)
  5. Click "Add Sequencer"

✓ Automatic: Flow cells are automatically imported to your Cost Library when you add a sequencer.

Add Protocols (Optional):

  • Select library prep protocols you commonly use
  • Helps with planning and reference

ℹ️ Target Utilization: Start with 99.9% and adjust lower (e.g., 95%) as you gain experience to build in more safety margin.

Step 3: Cost Library Setup

Navigate to Cost Library

Essential Items:

  • Labour Rate: Set hourly labour cost (e.g., $40/hour)
  • Flow Cells: Update costs for auto-imported flow cells
  • Sample Prep Reagents: DNA/RNA extraction kits
  • Library Prep Reagents: Library prep kits, index kits
  • Index Kits (Barcodes): Add your index kits and specify the number of unique indexes (e.g., 96-plex, 384-plex). Used for multiplexing validation in Sample Planning. Defaults to 96 if not configured.
  • QC Reagents: Qubit assays, TapeStation reagents
  • Plastics: Plates, tubes, tips, seals

💡 Tip: Have recent purchase invoices handy to enter accurate costs. You can update prices anytime as they change.

🔖 Index Kits: When adding index kits, select category "Index Kits (Barcodes)" and enter the number of unique indexes in the kit. This validates that you have enough barcodes for multiplexing during sample planning. Common sizes: 96, 384, 768.

Step 4: Cost Profiles

Navigate to Cost Profiles

Recommended: Simple Mode

Best for beginners - create one "All-in-One" profile

  • Configure Sample Preparation costs
  • Configure Library Prep costs
  • Configure Sequencer Prep costs
  • Configure Sequencing costs
  • Assign items from your Cost Library

Advanced Mode (Optional)

For experienced users who need different profiles per genome type or flow cell

Alternative: Read-Based Calculator

If you know your read target (e.g., 500M reads) rather than genome and coverage, use the Read-Based Calculator to select and compare sequencers by read output.

Quick Start Path (Minimal Setup)

Want to explore immediately? Here's the bare minimum:

  1. My Lab → Sequencers tab: Add one sequencer
  2. Calculator: Select genome, coverage, sample count
  3. Calculator: Enter costs manually (None mode), calculate
  4. Later: Add to Cost Library and create profiles for faster calculations