Chain-of-custody documentation: what changes for clients

Every sample that arrives at the lab is logged, sealed and tracked from the moment it's received. That chain-of-custody record is what ties a Certificate of Analysis back to the exact sample it describes, so it's a part of the process we review regularly rather than leave untouched once it's written down.

This update revises what's captured at intake. Seal condition on arrival is now recorded as its own field rather than folded into general notes, and the person logging the sample is recorded alongside the timestamp for every handoff, not just the first one. None of this changes how a sample is submitted — it changes what the lab writes down once it arrives.

Clients will notice the difference mainly in the paperwork: order confirmations now include a short custody summary, and each Certificate of Analysis references the custody record it was generated from. If you ever need to trace a result back to when and how a sample was received, that reference is the starting point.

The change grew out of a routine review of our documentation practices, not out of any single incident. Chain-of-custody logs get audited internally as a matter of course, and this round of review surfaced a few fields worth adding.

The updated intake process is already in use for new submissions. Samples logged before this date keep their existing records as issued; there's no need to resubmit anything. Questions about a specific record are welcome through the contact page.