# Flexible Well Plate

## Specs

| Label                     | Value                         |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| **Version**               | 3.0.0 (updated on 2024-04-06) |
| **Developer**             | Labii Inc.                    |
| **Type**                  | Section                       |
| **Support Configuration** | Yes                           |

## Overview

The Flexible Well Plate widget provides an interactive interface for visualizing, documenting, and managing well plate layouts with any custom dimensions directly within a Labii experiment record. Unlike the fixed-format plate widgets (6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, 96-, and 384-well), this widget allows researchers to specify any number of rows and columns to match non-standard plates, tube racks, chip arrays, or custom experimental grids. Column and row headers can be customized with meaningful labels, and the header orientation can be transposed to suit different plate conventions. The widget is the right choice whenever a standard plate format does not match the instrument, protocol, or sample layout in use.

## Use Cases

* **Non-Standard Plate Formats**: Document layouts for plates or racks that do not conform to ANSI/SLAS standard dimensions (e.g., 8-well strips, tube racks, 1536-well plates).
* **Microarray Analysis**: Map probe or sample positions on custom array grids of any dimension.
* **Custom Tube Racks**: Track sample positions in tube racks with any number of rows and columns.
* **Chip and Flow Cell Layouts**: Document sample lane or channel assignments on microfluidic chips and sequencing flow cells.
* **Prototype Assay Development**: Rapidly adapt the plate grid to a new assay format during method development without being constrained by a fixed layout.
* **Protocol Documentation**: Capture any planned plate or rack layout as part of the experimental record for reproducibility and audit compliance.

## Interface

### Read-only View

In read-only mode, the well plate is displayed as a grid whose dimensions match the configured number of rows and columns. By default, column numbers appear as headers across the top and row letters along the left side. When **Should Transpose Header** is enabled, the orientation flips so that letters appear across the top and numbers run down the left side. Custom column and row labels — when set — replace the default headers, making it immediately clear which sample or condition occupies each position.

<figure><img src="https://3607108856-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LHVg57XIRcjV-Vbubtn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4fab6dd51ad628f2f487c1c0e485285510d8ce0c%2Fwidget-section-flexible-well-plate.webp?alt=media" alt="Read-only view of the Flexible Well Plate widget"><figcaption><p>Read-only view showing a flexible well plate grid with configurable dimensions and custom labels</p></figcaption></figure>

### Edit View

In edit mode, the plate becomes a fully editable table. Click any well to type content directly — behavior is similar to a spreadsheet editor. The first row and column serve as label cells and can be populated with custom identifiers for columns and rows respectively. Users can also upload an **Excel (.xlsx)** or **TSV (.tsv)** file to populate the plate layout in bulk.

<figure><img src="https://3607108856-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-LHVg57XIRcjV-Vbubtn%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-922c8a1c7c1c53f3f17e190ad10cf8cd3c85bb7e%2Fwidget-section-flexible-well-plate-edit.webp?alt=media" alt="Edit view of the Flexible Well Plate widget"><figcaption><p>Edit view with direct cell entry and support for Excel/TSV import</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="info" %}
To set a custom column or row label, click the column header cell (row 0) or row header cell (column 0) and type the desired label. Labels are saved with the plate data and displayed in all views.
{% endhint %}

## Configuration

The Flexible Well Plate widget supports several configuration options that control the grid dimensions and appearance.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Open the record and click the **Configure** (settings) icon on the Flexible Well Plate section header.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Set the required dimension settings:

* **Number of Rows**: Enter the number of rows for the well plate grid.
* **Number of Columns**: Enter the number of columns for the well plate grid.
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}
Optionally adjust appearance settings:

* **Should Transpose Header**: Enable to swap the header orientation — column headers become letters and row headers become numbers.
* **Should Hide Label**: Enable to hide the well label text inside each cell for a cleaner visual layout.
* **Well Height**: Set the height of each well cell in pixels (e.g., `40` for compact view, `80` for larger wells).
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}
Click **Save** to apply the configuration. The grid will update immediately to reflect the new dimensions and settings.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

### Configuration Reference

| Setting                     | Description                                                  | Default |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ------- |
| **Number of Rows**          | Number of rows in the well plate grid                        | —       |
| **Number of Columns**       | Number of columns in the well plate grid                     | —       |
| **Should Transpose Header** | Swap header orientation: letters on columns, numbers on rows | Off     |
| **Well Height**             | Height of each well cell in pixels                           | —       |

{% hint style="warning" %}
Changing the number of rows or columns after data has been entered may result in data loss for wells outside the new grid boundaries. Configure dimensions before entering well data.
{% endhint %}

## Additional Functions

### Import from Excel or TSV

Plate layouts defined in an external spreadsheet can be imported directly into the widget.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Open the record containing the Flexible Well Plate section and switch to **Edit** mode.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Click the **Upload** button in the widget toolbar.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Select an **.xlsx** or **.tsv** file. The file should match the configured plate dimensions (number of rows × number of columns, optionally with header row/column for labels).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
Confirm the import. The well contents and custom labels will be populated from the file.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
Importing a file will overwrite existing well data. Ensure your import file matches the configured grid dimensions and is correct before confirming.
{% endhint %}

## Best Practices

* **Configure dimensions before entering data**: Set the number of rows and columns first. Resizing the grid after data entry may truncate existing content.
* **Use custom labels**: Name columns and rows with sample identifiers or conditions so the plate layout is self-explanatory in the read-only view.
* **Use transpose header for row-based instruments**: Some instruments (e.g., certain sequencers or microarray scanners) label positions with letters on columns. Enable **Should Transpose Header** to match this convention.
* **Leverage import for large grids**: For plates with many wells, build the layout in Excel first and import it to save time and reduce manual entry errors.
* **Document before plating**: Record the intended layout at the time of experiment design to preserve the planned design for audit and reproducibility purposes.

{% hint style="success" %}
The Flexible Well Plate widget is the recommended choice any time a fixed-format plate widget does not match your instrument, rack, or experimental grid.
{% endhint %}

### Common Pitfalls to Avoid

* **Avoid resizing the grid after data entry** — plan dimensions upfront to prevent data loss.
* **Avoid leaving wells blank when intentionally empty** — add a label such as "Empty" or "N/A" to distinguish intentional blanks from missing data.