Build a record around the lot number
At receipt, record the material name, supplier, lot or batch identifier, and date received. Keep the container label and order reference associated with that entry. If you assign an internal identifier, retain its relationship to the supplier's identifier.
Attach the complete certificate of analysis and record its report number, issuing laboratory, date, and revision where provided. A material name alone is not enough to distinguish different lots of the same material.
Check the certificate before relying on it
Compare the label's lot number with the report's sample identification. If a supplier code differs from the laboratory sample code, request the written mapping. Do not silently replace a missing lot certificate with a report from another batch.
When documents are revised, preserve the earlier version with a clear reference to its replacement. Keep unresolved discrepancies visible in the receiving record and ask the supplier or issuing laboratory to reconcile them.
Batch records and measurement traceability differ
A chain of lot records identifies which material a document concerns. Metrological traceability concerns a measurement result's relationship to a reference through a documented, unbroken chain of calibrations, each contributing to measurement uncertainty.
A lot number or the presence of a COA does not by itself establish metrological traceability, accreditation, or NIST certification. Check the actual report and the issuing laboratory's stated scope before making those claims.
Keep the record useful for the next review
Retain the lot-to-report link in your institution's records when material is transferred or assigned to an experiment. Follow your institution's procedures for handling, retention, and discrepancies; a general documentation guide cannot set those requirements for your laboratory.
Azura's COA Library lists documents on file. Its coverage should be checked for the specific lot you need; a library entry for a material is not a guarantee that every lot has the same tests or results.
Sources and further reading
- NIST: metrological traceability policy and questions
- NIST: identifying lot numbers on reference-material certificates
These sources explain analytical concepts; they do not certify an Azura product or lot.
Understand the documentation
Learn what a certificate reports, how analytical methods differ, and how to match a lot. All research guides
Anyone can consult the COA Library for documents on file. If a lot or report cannot be matched, contact us before relying on it. This guide does not replace a laboratory's report or your institution's review.