Katalyst: Unexpected behavior when copying or cloning experiments

Description

• Users copy/clone an existing experiment to reuse its configuration.
• After copying, some unexpected aspects appear:
  • Old experiment metadata persists (e.g., wrong project or description).
  • Certain plates, materials, or analysis settings did not copy as expected.
• This leads to confusion or unintended mixing of old and new data.

Solution

• Understand what is and isn’t copied in your Katalyst version:
  • Some fields (e.g., experiment ID, creation date) are always regenerated.
  • Others (e.g., project, template, plate structures) may be copied or reset depending on configuration.
• After copying:
  • Immediately review and adjust:
    • Experiment title and description.
    • Project/owner fields.
    • Plate layouts and materials, especially if only a subset should be reused.
  • Clear or update any fields tied to the previous context (e.g., references to old batches or external IDs).
• Best practices:
  • Use a dedicated “template experiment” with minimal project‑specific metadata as the source for copies.
  • Avoid repeatedly copying from a heavily customized experiment with lots of context‑specific metadata.
• If specific fields should not be copied:
  • Work with administrators or Technical Support/Services team to adjust default clone behavior, and
  • Implement a standard checklist users follow immediately after cloning to ensure consistency.