How to use the freezer box template
- Choose the grid. 9 × 9 and 10 × 10 are the most common cryobox layouts; 8 × 12 matches 96-position racks. Choose Custom for anything else.
- Name the box and its location. These print as the title, so the map still makes sense if it gets separated from the box.
- Fill in the positions. Rows are letters (A, B, C…) and columns are numbers (1, 2, 3…), so the top-left position is A1.
- Print. The map prints on its own page with the grid sized to fit. Turn on landscape in the print dialog for wide grids like 8 × 12.
- Keep a copy. Download the CSV if you want the map in a spreadsheet too.
Tips for a box map people will actually use
- Fill the box in the same order every time. Most labs fill left to right, top to bottom, starting at A1. When everyone does the same, the next empty position is obvious.
- Write IDs, not descriptions. A short specimen or aliquot ID fits the cell and matches the tube. Put shared details, such as the study or sample type, in the notes line.
- Mark the A1 corner on the box itself. A map is useless if the box is rotated 180 degrees in the rack.
- Leave patient information off. Use specimen or accession numbers. A map on a freezer door is visible to anyone who opens it.
- Update it when you take something out. Cross through the cell on the printed map and fix the digital copy at the end of the day.
Why position labels use letters and numbers
Using letters for rows and numbers for columns means every position has a short, unambiguous name. "C7" can only be one place, while "row 3, column 7" is easy to read the wrong way round. It's the same convention as microplates and most printed cryobox lids, which is why this template uses it.
When a paper map stops being enough
A printed map works well for one person and a few boxes. It gets harder with several freezers, several people moving samples, or samples that are checked out and thawed. That's the problem Track My Test freezer inventory is built for: every freezer, shelf, rack, box and position with a barcode, a box grid that shows filled and empty spots, thaw counts and expiry dates. It's in early access; you can join the list if that sounds useful.
Need labels for the tubes or the box itself? Use the free specimen label generator to print Code 128 or QR labels from the same browser.