Participants EQA User Guide

Transcription

1 Participants EQA User Guide CEQAS IS A MEMBER OF THE CONSORTIUM 1/16

2 This EQA User Guide covers all aspects of EQA access, navigation and result submissions for three types of CEQAS EQAs (Online, Sample Distribution and Case Scenario) Index: Topic Page 1. Image Analysis EQA Accessing the EQA Navigating the EQA Reporting your results Sample Distribution and Case Scenario EQAs Accessing the EQA Reporting your results Submission of results what is required by the Scheme How to create a PDF document 16 Please note: These instructions were compiled using Google Chrome, the optimal browser for the Online EQA Interface. Functionality may vary with other browsers (Firefox and Internet Explorer9+). 2/16

3 1. Online EQA 1.1 Accessing the EQA Go to the login page of CEQAS website ( and enter your login details Once you are logged in, select Schemes from the main menu. 3/16

4 Click on the Details link next to the EQA scheme you wish to access (boxes are green when the EQA is live). On the next page, click on the case you wish to access (when the EQA is live these boxes are green and give the closing date). You can now navigate your chosen case. 4/16

5 1.2. Navigating the online EQA When accessing an Image Analysis EQA case, the first window displays the request card. There is a menu to the left of the request card listing the images/information available for the case. To enlarge the request card double click on it or download Full Size image (insert arrow) Please note: If you are not submitting in the English language then please select the language you are submitting in from the drop down menu. Submission languages vary and are also given in the EQA instructions. To view the images/information, use the drop-down options of the menu. You can access the menu items by clicking on the arrow to the left or on the title. You will then be able to able to select any of the options that become available. Select the test you require. 5/16

6 If you select a test (e.g. G-Banding) you will see all the options available. When you click on the option you require, e.g. Culture 1, (1), you will get one of two possible dialogue boxes giving you the cost of the test. You will be asked if you wish to commission the test (2). You may also be asked to give reasons why you wish to commission the test (2a). Either click OK to proceed; or specify why you wish to perform this test and then click Commission Test (3). The selection of additional tests will not incur penalty points but the costing will be added to your total. (2) (1) The cost is a virtual cost and helps the assessors determine the level of tests undertaken to get the result. (2a) (3) 6/16

7 You can now view the images individually (1) or download all of them as a zip file (2). To enlarge the image double click on it. (3) (5) (1) (2) (4) To navigate between the images use the arrows either side of the image (3) or click on the thumbnail (4). If you wish to add a comment, select edit in the notes field (5) to the right of the image If you select Download Image Full Size (1) the image opens up in a new window every time. To get back to the online interface click on the tab Online EQA 7/16

8 To mark an image as analysed, click on Viewed. This will then give you the option to mark the image as analysed by moving the cursor onto the field Analysed (1). Once the selected image has been marked as analysed it will appear with a green dot at the bottom of the screen (2). (1) (2) Other tests may be available (e.g. FISH). These tests will either show an image or give the result as a text, in which case the image box will be blank. To access FISH images proceed as before. Again you will get a dialogue box with the cost of the test. Click OK to proceed and see the images. 8/16

9 In this case there is no FISH image available but there is a text result. If images are available the navigation is identical to the G-banded metaphases. 9/16

10 1.3. Reporting your results To submit your results, select Report/Summary. You can do this at any point and from anywhere in the system. You will then see the screen below. Enter your Karyotype (1) and upload your report (2). The system will only accept pdf documents. Instructions on exact requirements and how to generate PDF documents are given on page 16 of this User Guide. The Notes field (3) will show all the annotations you have made to images during your analysis for reference. Any additional information, such as local policies etc., that might be of interest to the assessors can be entered in the Additional information field (4). (1) (3) (2) (4) 10/16

11 To save your changes as you go along but continue in the report, click Apply (1). To save your changes and leave the report, click Save (2). Click on the Submit (3) button to finalise your results. Only the primary laboratory contact has the system authorisation to submit the results on the website, all other laboratory contacts will NOT see the Submit button. The Scheme Office can enable other laboratory contacts to submit results this will only be done on request from the primary contact. (3) (1) (2) No changes can be made to the report once the Submit button has been clicked, however, you can check your submission by going back into the online EQA and selecting Report/Summary. If you find an error at that stage please contact the Scheme Office immediately Once you have submitted your results and closed the online EQA window you will see a green tick against the EQA case indicating that you have completed the case. Please note that you may have to refresh the webpage. 11/16

12 2. Sample Distribution and Case Scenario EQA 2.1 Accessing the EQA Go to login page of CEQAS website ( and enter your login details When you have logged in, select Schemes from the main menu. 12/16

13 Click on the Details link next to the EQA scheme you wish to access (when the EQA is live these boxes are green and give the closing date) Under Scheme Documents you will find EQA instructions (1) Tick list (1) Referral cards (2) User Guides (3) Other EQA related information (3) (1) (3) (2) 2.2. Reporting your results Click on EQA result submission to access the interface that allows you to upload your reports. 13/16

14 The system will only accept pdf documents. Instructions on exact requirements and how to generate PDF documents are given on page 16 of this User Guide. Please note: If you are not submitting in the English language then please select the language you are submitting in from the drop down menu (1). Submission languages vary and are also given in the EQA instructions. The next screen allows you to upload your results in a pdf format. You can either Drag and Drop your file into the respective window (2) or upload your file the conventional way by clicking on the Upload button (3) and selecting the document from your computer. (1) (2) (3) 14/16

15 Only the primary laboratory contact has the system authorisation to submit the results on the website. The Scheme Office can enable other laboratory contacts to submit results this will only be done on request from the primary contact. Once your report has been uploaded you will see the document name on the screen. You can now check that the format is correct (PDF) and open the document by clicking on the document name to double check it is the correct one. Once you have submitted your results and closed the online EQA window you will see a green tick against the EQA case indicating that you have completed the case. Please note that you may have to refresh the webpage. 15/16

16 4. Submission of results - what is required by the Scheme Laboratories can prepare their reports in the usual way, using whichever word processing software they conventionally use. They are then asked to anonymise their reports (take out any information that could identify their laboratory, such as address, names etc.) and generate standard PDF (ideally PDF/A) by using an appropriate tool. The resulting PDF document should be uploaded to the relevant CEQAS ( for the specific EQA case. 5. How to generate PDF/A Files Many office tools support the direct creation of PDF/A files. Alternatively, a PDF file printer can be installed. Microsoft Office 2007 introduced support for the direct creation of PDF/A files through the Save as PDF option. Open Office introduced support for PDF/A in release 2.4 (in early 2008). There are many PDF printer drivers available for Windows. These are installed on the computer and allow any program (such as MS Word and Excel) to create a PDF via the print facility. Such a driver is available as a part of Adobe Acrobat XI Pro. There are also freely available PDF print drivers which generate PDF/A. One of these is PDF Creator, available from pdfforge ( 16/16