The Threads App is a Tetra Data App that enables users to manage threads — a way to capture work-to-be-done by one or more individuals. The app integrates with the Tetra Data Platform (TDP) to create, manage, and track threads and their associated templates and blocks.

The Threads App provides a dashboard for managing scientific workflows through the concept of threads. A thread represents a unit of work that can be assigned to users and tracked through completion. Each thread is composed of blocks, which are individual tasks or data capture steps within the thread.

The application supports the following:

• Threads: View, create, and manage individual threads and thread templates. Assign threads to users and track their completion status. Reusable templates that define the structure of threads, including metadata fields and blocks
• Blocks: Task definitions within threads, such as image capture, serial port readings, or review steps
• QR Codes: Generation and management of QR codes for instrument identification
  

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  NOTE

  The Threads App is available in beta release currently and is activated for customers through coordination with TetraScience. For more information, or to activate the app in your environment, contact your customer account leader.

Prerequisites

To use the Threads App, the following is required:

• Tetra Data Platform (TDP) v4.4.1 or higher
• AI Services v1.1 or higher activated in your TDP environment (required for AI-powered image capture blocks)
• Access to the Tetra Data & AI Workspace
• Appropriate user permissions to create and manage threads within your organization

Access the Threads App

To access the Threads App, do the following:

1. Sign in to the Tetra Data Platform (TDP) .
2. Navigate to the Tetra Data & AI Workspace.
3. Select the Threads app from the available Data Apps.

Key Features

The Threads App provides four main tabs for managing your workflow:

Create and Manage Threads

From the Threads tab, you can:

• Create Thread: Create a new thread from an existing template
• Refresh Threads: Reload the threads list to see the latest updates
• View Thread Details: Select a thread to view its blocks and metadata

The Threads tab displays a list of all threads in your organization with the following information:

• Name: The name of the thread
• Created By: The user who created the thread
• Assigned To: The user assigned to complete the thread
• Completed At: Timestamp when the thread was completed
• Metadata: Additional metadata associated with the thread

Create a New Thread from a Template

To create a new thread from an existing template:

1. Open the Threads tab.
2. Choose Create Thread.
3. In the dialog that appears, do the following:
   • Select a template: Choose the thread template to use
   • Assign to: Select the user who will complete the thread
   • Enter the Thread Name and any required metadata fields.
   • Choose Create Thread. The new thread appears in the Threads list and the assigned user can begin working on its blocks.

View Thread Details

To view the details of a thread, do the following:

1. Open the Threads tab.
2. Select the thread you want to view.
3. The thread details page displays the following information:

   • Thread metadata fields and values

   • List of blocks with their completion status

   • Associated files and captured data

     
     

Filter Threads

Use the filter dropdown on the Threads tab to filter by status:

• All: Show all threads
• Open: Show threads that are in progress
• Completed: Show threads that have been fully completed

Create and Manage Thread Templates

Thread templates on the Thread Templates tab define the structure and workflow for threads. Each template includes the following:

• Template Name: A unique name for the template
• Template Version: Semantic versioning (for example, 1.0.0) to track template changes
• Metadata Fields: Custom fields that capture information at the thread level
• Blocks: The individual tasks or steps within threads created from this template

Create a Thread Template

Thread templates define the structure for your workflows. To create a new thread template:

1. Open the Thread Templates tab.
2. Choose Add Template.
3. Enter the the following template information:
   • Template Name: A unique identifier for the template
   • Template Version: Use semantic versioning (for example, 1.0.0)
4. Add Metadata Fields to capture thread-level information by doing the following:
   • Choose Add Field
   • Enter the field Name and select the Type (text, single-option, or multi-option)
   • (Optional) Configure validation patterns, required status, and editability.
5. Add Blocks to define the workflow steps by doing the following:
   • Choose Add Block
   • Select the block type and configure its properties
   • For image capture blocks, select a pre-configured block template
   • Choose Create Template.

Block Configuration Options

When adding blocks to a template, you can configure any of the following:

• Block Name: Display name for the block
• Block ID: Link to a pre-configured block template
• Duplicate For Each: Create multiple instances based on a metadata field option
• Read QR Code: Enable QR code scanning for instrument identification
• Retake Interval: Allow retaking captures within a specified time window

Metadata Field Types

Thread templates support the following field types:

Create and Manage Tasks (Blocks)

Blocks on the Blocks tab are reusable task definitions that can be added to thread templates. The Threads App supports the following block types:

Image Capture Blocks

Image capture blocks use AI models to analyze captured images and extract data from instruments. These blocks are ideal for capturing readings from displays, gauges, and other visual indicators.

Image Capture Block Properties

Supported Models

The following AI models are available for image capture blocks. These models support image analysis and can extract data from captured instrument readings:

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NOTE

Only models that support image inputs are available for selection in image capture blocks. The available models are fetched dynamically from the AI Platform and filtered to include only verified image-capable models.

Create an Image Capture Block

To create a new image capture block, do the following:

1. Open the Blocks tab.
2. Choose New Block.
3. Select Image Capture as the block type.
4. Enter the following information:
   • Name: A descriptive name for the block
   • Description: Purpose and usage instructions
   • Model: Select an AI model for image analysis
5. Configure the block details by doing the following:
   • Enter System Instructions to guide the AI model on how to interpret captured images.
   • (Optional) Add Reference Images to provide context and examples.
   • Define Input specifications in JSON format.
   • Define Output specifications in JSON format.
6. (Optional) Use the Chat Playground tab to test your block configuration.
7. Choose Create Block.
   

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   NOTE

   The Chat Playground allows you to test your block configuration by simulating image capture and AI analysis before deploying the block in production threads.

Serial Connection Blocks

Serial connection blocks define shared connection configurations that can be reused by serial port blocks in thread templates. This allows users to define connection settings once and reference them across multiple serial port blocks, ensuring consistency and simplifying workflow. This block type is supported as a feature-flagged capability in the Tetra Data Capture App v0.2.0 release.

Serial Connection Block Properties

Connection Configuration Parameters

The connection configuration defines how the application communicates with the serial device:

Commands Configuration

Commands define the actions that can be sent to the instrument. Each command includes:

Create a Serial Connection Block

To create a new serial connection block, do the following:

1. Open the Blocks tab.
2. Choose Add Block.
3. Select Serial Connection as the block type.
4. Enter the following information:
   • Name: A descriptive name for the connection
   • Description: Purpose and usage notes
5. Configure the Connection Config parameters by doing the following:
   • Adjust baud rate, data bits, parity, and other settings to match your instrument
   • Configure the Commands based on your instrument's protocol.
6. Choose Create Block.
   

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   NOTE

   Serial connection blocks do not include output specifications. They define only the connection parameters. Use serial port blocks when you need to capture and extract data from instrument readings.

Serial Port Blocks

Serial port blocks collect data from instruments connected through a serial port. They include connection configuration, commands, and output specifications that define how to extract readings from the instrument's response. This block type is supported as a feature-flagged capability in the Tetra Data Capture App v0.2.0 release.

Serial Port Block Properties

Output Specification

The output specification defines the expected structure of extracted data. This is configured as a JSON object that describes:

• Field names and types for captured data
• Validation rules for extracted values
• Formatting requirements for output

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NOTE

When adding a serial port block to a thread template, you can either define connection settings inline or reference an existing serial connection block for shared configuration.

Create a Serial Port Block

To create a new serial port block, do the following:

1. Open the Blocks tab.
2. Choose Add Block.
3. Select Serial Port as the block type.
4. Enter the following information:
   • Name: A descriptive name for the block
   • Description: Purpose and usage instructions
5. Configure the Connection Config parameters by doing one of the following:
   • Adjust baud rate, data bits, parity, and other settings to match your instrument -or-
   • Reference a pre-configured serial connection block.
6. Configure the Commands based on your instrument's protocol.
7. Define the Output specification by specifying the JSON structure for extracted data.
8. Choose Create Block.

Create and Manage QR Codes

The QR Codes tab allows you to generate QR codes in bulk from uploaded CSV or Excel files. These QR codes can be used to identify instruments during data capture.

Supported file formats

• CSV (comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe delimited)

• XLS and XLSX (Excel files)

  

Create QR Codes

To generate QR codes for instrument identification, do the following:

1. Open the QR Codes tab.
2. Upload a CSV or Excel file containing your device information. Keep in mind the following:
   • Each row represents one device
   • The first column is used as the device identifier/label
   • Additional columns provide metadata encoded in the QR code
   • Make sure that you configure the delimiter (for CSV files) and header options.
3. Review the Data Preview to verify correct parsing.
4. View the generated QR codes in the Generated QR Codes section.
5. Choose Download All QR Codes (ZIP) to download all codes, or download individual codes.

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IMPORTANT

When using QR codes, make sure that you do the following:

• Place the QR code close to the instrument display
• The QR code must be captured in the same image frame as the instrument reading
• It's recommended to include a descriptive label below each QR code

QR Code File Format

Your CSV or Excel file should include columns for device metadata. Example format:

name,type,location,brand,serialNo,assetTag
Balance04,mass balance,Lab123,Mettler Toledo,235AD254,UY5623653
pH_Meter_01,pH meter,Lab456,Thermo Fisher,PH98765,UY1234567

The QR code will encode each column as a key-value pair (for example, name:Balance04).

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any of the following issues, follow the troubleshooting steps provided.

Thread Templates aren't Loading

1. Check your network connection to the TDP.
2. Verify that you have the appropriate TDP version and AIS is enabled.
3. Verify you have the appropriate permissions to view thread templates.
4. Choose Refresh Templates to reload the template list.
5. If the issue persists, contact your system administrator.

Can't Create a New Thread

1. Ensure at least one thread template exists.
2. Verify you have permission to create threads.
3. Check that all required metadata fields are completed.
4. If using a template with blocks, ensure the block templates are accessible.

Block Template Not Appearing in Template Editor

1. Open the Blocks tab and verify the block exists.
2. Choose Refresh Blocks to reload the available blocks.
3. Check that the block type matches the template block requirement.

Can't Create or Edit Blocks

1. Verify that AI Services are activated in your TDP environment.
2. Check the AI service health status indicator in the app.
3. If you see "The AI service is currently unavailable," contact your administrator to enable the AI service.
4. You can still view existing blocks while the AI service is unavailable.

Image Capture Block Validation Fails

1. Make sure that the Block name field is not empty.
2. Verify that Instructions are provided for the AI model.
3. Select a valid Model from the dropdown.
4. Check that Input and Output specifications are valid JSON objects
5. For output specifications, ensure each item includes name, value, and type fields. Valid output types are: string or boolean.

Serial Port Block Validation Fails

1. Make sure that the Block name field is not empty.
2. Verify the Connection configuration is a valid JSON object with commands and config keys.
3. Check that commands is a list of objects with label and value fields.
4. Check that config is a list of parameter objects.
5. Make sure that the Output specification is a list of objects with name, value, and type fields.

Chat Playground Isn't Working

1. Select a model before using the Chat Playground.
2. If uploading an image, ensure you're using a model that supports image analysis (see Supported Models ).
3. Check that the AI service is available and healthy.
4. Verify your block has valid instructions configured.

Can't Upload Reference Images

1. Ensure the block has a name before adding images.
2. Check that the image file format is supported (PNG, JPG, JPEG).
3. Verify the file size is within acceptable limits.
4. If upload fails, check your network connection and try again.

QR Code Doesn't Work

1. Verify your CSV or Excel file is properly formatted.
2. Check that the correct delimiter is selected for CSV files.
3. Ensure the file contains valid data in the expected columns.
4. Review the Data Preview to confirm correct parsing before generating codes.

Can't Assign a Thread

1. Verify the user exists in your organization.
2. Check that the user has the appropriate role to be assigned threads.
3. Refresh the user list by reloading the page.

Error Messages

Documentation Feedback

Do you have questions about our documentation or suggestions for how we can improve it? Start a discussion in TetraConnect Hub . For access, see Access the TetraConnect Hub .

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NOTE

Feedback isn't part of the official TetraScience product documentation. TetraScience doesn't warrant or make any guarantees about the feedback provided, including its accuracy, relevance, or reliability. All feedback is subject to the terms set forth in the TetraConnect Hub Community Guidelines.