Executive Summary
In high-volume enterprise laboratories, the disconnect between Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems often creates a “data silo.” This case study explores how NRV Lab Informatics successfully architected a seamless, real-time integration between StarLIMS and Oracle Fusion, transforming a manual, error-prone inventory process into a fully automated workflow.
The Challenge: The “Swivel Chair” Problem
Our client, a leading organization managing complex laboratory operations, was facing a critical efficiency bottleneck. While their scientific team managed chemicals and consumables inside StarLIMS, their procurement and finance teams operated exclusively in Oracle Fusion.
This created a “swivel chair” workflow:
- Lab staff had to manually extract low-stock reports from StarLIMS.
- They would then email these lists to the procurement team.
- Procurement staff manually re-entered this data into Oracle Fusion to raise Purchase Orders (POs).
The Impact:
- High Latency: Critical reagents often went out of stock due to processing delays.
- Data Errors: Manual data entry led to incorrect quantities and catalog numbers being ordered.
- Audit Risks: There was no digital “chain of custody” linking the lab usage directly to the financial purchase.
The Solution: A Custom Middleware Integration
NRV Lab Informatics was brought in to bridge the gap. Instead of a simple file export, we designed a robust, two-way integration using secure Web Services.
1. Automated Requisition Triggers We configured the StarLIMS Inventory Manager to monitor stock levels in real-time. When a chemical drops below its defined threshold, StarLIMS now automatically generates a requisition request.
2. The Integration Layer We developed a custom middleware solution to handle the “handshake” between the two giants:
- Outbound: StarLIMS sends the requisition data (Item Name, CAS Number, Quantity, Cost Center) directly to the Oracle Fusion API.
- Inbound: Once the PO is approved and goods are received in Oracle, the system pushes a confirmation back to StarLIMS, automatically updating the inventory batch records.
3. Technical Architecture
- Protocol: REST/SOAP Web Services over HTTPS.
- Security: OAuth 2.0 authentication to ensure strict data compliance between the lab and finance networks.
- Error Handling: Automated alerts were built to notify IT administrators if a synchronization job failed, ensuring no order ever gets “lost in the wires.”
The Results
The transition from manual entry to automated integration delivered immediate ROI for the client:
- 100% Elimination of Manual Entry: The risk of “fat-finger” errors in PO creation was removed entirely.
- 90% Faster Procurement Cycle: Requisitions that took days to process now happen in minutes.
- Real-Time Inventory Visibility: Finance teams can now see accurate lab inventory valuation inside Oracle without asking for spreadsheets.
Do You Need to Connect Your Lab to Your ERP?
Don’t let data silos slow down your science. Whether you use StarLIMS, LabWare, or a custom LIMS, our team has the deep technical expertise to integrate it with SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics.
Contact NRV Lab Informatics Today for a technical assessment of your lab’s integration needs.