Signals Notebook: Experiment Auto-Numbering

Experiment Auto-Numbering is a feature in Signals Notebook that enables administrators to implement a global numbering system for experiments. This functionality helps organizations avoid duplicate experiment naming by ensuring that experiment numbers are consecutive across the entire system, regardless of which notebook contains the experiment. This article explains how to configure and use the system-wide auto-numbering feature and compares it with the default naming methodology.

Solution:

Enabling System-Wide Auto-Numbering

1. Log in to Signals Notebook Configuration
2. Click on the "System Objects" smart folder from the home page
3. Select "Experiment" from the list of system objects
4. Click on "Auto Numbering" to access the Experiment Auto Numbering page
5. Check the "Enable global auto numbering for Experiments" checkbox
6. Set the "Starting Experiment ID" value (default is 1)
   • If you set a value higher than the last used number, the sequence will continue from the new higher number
   • If you set a value lower than the last used number, the system will prevent you from saving the changes
7. Click the "Save Settings" button to apply the configuration

Key Behaviors of System-Wide Auto-Numbering

• Next in Sequence: The system uses the maximum of either "last allocated number + 1" or the next starting number
• Number Ranges: When system-wide auto-numbering is enabled, number ranges defined in templates are ignored
• New Experiments: When an experiment is created from a template or copied, it receives a new auto-generated name
• Moved Experiments: When an experiment is moved between notebooks, it maintains its current name
• System Refresh: When toggling between system-wide auto-numbering and default naming, the system takes approximately 1 minute to refresh

System-Wide Auto-Numbering vs. Default Naming Methodology

The following table illustrates the differences between system-wide auto-numbering and default naming methodology:

Best Practices

1. Plan Before Implementation: Carefully consider your organization's naming requirements before enabling system-wide auto-numbering
2. Transition Planning: If switching between naming methodologies, plan for potential naming conflicts
3. Documentation: Document your naming convention decisions for reference
4. User Training: Ensure users understand how the naming system works, especially if transitioning between methodologies
5. Regular Audits: Periodically review experiment names to ensure the system is functioning as expected

By properly configuring experiment auto-numbering, organizations can maintain consistent and unique experiment identification across their Signals Notebook environment, supporting traceability and compliance requirements.