A clear receiving plan starts before the parcel arrives. Confirm the information your laboratory needs for the exact product and format, and keep it with the order.
Before ordering
Ask for the applicable storage and handling instructions, any stated shelf life or expiry information, and the supporting product or batch documents. Where a listing offers different presentations, specify the option you are considering.
This checklist does not set a universal temperature, solvent, concentration or storage period. Those details need to come from the applicable product information and your laboratory’s approved procedures.
Prepare the receiving record
- The product name and selected option.
- The quantity and expected pack contents.
- The order reference and supplier contact.
- The relevant documentation and any written clarification.
- The person responsible for receiving and checking the delivery.
When the delivery arrives
Check the received items against the order and accompanying information. Record the receipt date and the identifiers shown on the packaging. Follow your laboratory’s receiving procedure for any damage, mismatch or missing information.
If something does not match, keep the packaging and order reference available when contacting Alpha. Explain which item or document needs checking; clear details help us locate the right record.
Keep instructions attached to the material
Use the instructions applicable to the supplied product and format. Do not copy a storage period or preparation instruction from a different compound, presentation or batch simply because its name is similar.
Where your laboratory’s process involves subsequent preparation or transfer, its own approved procedures should define the handling, labelling and records required. This article is a purchasing and receiving checklist, not an experimental method.
Find the supporting information
Visit the document library to see the material currently published. Confirm which format and batch a document covers. If the information you need is not listed, ask before ordering.
Related: reading analytical paperwork and delivery information.