Vial supply planner
Enter the vial size, the amount used per assay, the number of planned assays and a loss allowance. The planner draws the vials you need and shades the part of the last one that goes unused.
These tools do not provide dosing guidance and are not for human or veterinary use. They are for research-use laboratory calculations only. Verify every result independently.
Supply planning
How many vials a planned set of assays needs, allowing for material lost in handling.
assays per vial = floor(usable µg per vial ÷ µg per assay) · vials = ceil(planned assays ÷ assays per vial)
One vial per row, shaded by how much is used
How it works
Supply planning is counting: how many assays fit in one vial, then how many vials cover the plan. A loss allowance accounts for material left in syringes, tubing and the vial itself.
The planner rounds assays per vial down and vials needed up, because a partial assay is no use and a partial vial still has to be bought.
Step by step
- Usable µg per vial = vial mg × 1,000 × (1 − loss %).
- Assays per vial = usable µg ÷ µg per assay, rounded down.
- Vials needed = planned assays ÷ assays per vial, rounded up.
- Unused per vial = usable µg − assays per vial × µg per assay.
Frequently asked
With a 5% loss allowance, usable material is 4,750 µg, which is 19 assays per vial. Fifty planned assays therefore need 3 vials.
That depends on your equipment and technique. The field defaults to zero; many labs plan for a few percent to cover dead volume in syringes and transfers.
Because a fraction of a vial cannot be purchased, and running short part-way through a series is worse than having a little left over.