HPLC method development software: a demo checklist

A useful software demonstration should answer a question from your own laboratory. Before booking, write down the separation you are trying to improve, the information you already have and the decision you need to make. That gives the presenter something more useful to work with than a general request to “show the software”.

This checklist is for laboratories evaluating HPLC method development software, including ChromSword Offline. It helps organise the conversation; it does not replace experimental confirmation or your laboratory’s method approval process.

Start with one separation problem

Choose a representative method rather than your entire development pipeline. Describe the sample, the components you need to distinguish and the difficulty you want to address. For example, you might want to investigate a difficult peak pair, compare candidate conditions or make the next set of experiments easier to plan. Label that as your evaluation objective, not a result the software has already achieved.

Agree what would make the demonstration useful. A clear explanation of the workflow and its assumptions may be a better first outcome than an impressive-looking prediction you cannot yet assess.

Prepare the information behind your chromatograms

Ask the ChromSword specialist which files are appropriate for the session before sharing them. Have the experimental conditions available alongside the chromatograms so the input can be understood in context.

• The column’s exact name, part number and dimensions.
• The mobile phases, gradient programme or isocratic composition, flow rate and temperature used for each run.
• The available chromatograms and any established peak assignments.
• The instrument and chromatography data system, including the software version and available export formats.
• Any practical limits the evaluation must respect.

Use only data your organisation permits you to share. If confidentiality prevents using a real sample, agree an approved example and record which questions will still need to be checked with your own data.

Follow the workflow, not just the final screen

The published ChromSword Offline workflow covers experimental input, modelling and exploration of candidate conditions. During the demonstration, ask to follow one example through those stages.

Watch how the input is prepared, where assumptions enter the model and how a user investigates a candidate condition. Ask what happens when information is missing or an input needs correcting. Finish by checking how the proposed conditions and relevant output would be recorded for your laboratory’s next step.

Do not treat a modelled separation as proof that a method is ready for use. Agree what would need to be checked experimentally and through your existing quality procedures.

Check fit with your actual laboratory

Write down the instrument, data system and computer environment you intend to use. Ask for confirmation of the supported input route, installation requirements and any limitations that apply to your versions. A demonstration on another system does not establish compatibility with yours.

Include the analyst who will use the software and, where needed, the person responsible for installation or data governance. Let them ask practical questions about daily use, access, storage and the process for obtaining assistance.

Leave with a short decision record

Record what the demonstration established, what remains open and who will answer each remaining question. Keep commercial details separate from scientific observations.

• Was the intended workflow demonstrated with suitable input?
• Which compatibility or installation questions remain?
• What additional experiments or internal checks are needed?
• Which subscription period fits the proposed evaluation?
• What training or support would the users need?

The current subscription plans provide the starting point for the commercial discussion. Confirm the applicable package and any additional requirements before making a purchase decision.

Arrange a demonstration around your question

Use the Request a Demo form and briefly describe the workflow you want to evaluate. Include your instrument and data system details if you can. The aim is to leave the session with a clear next step for your laboratory, rather than a list of features.