VipLIMS lets you code reports with standard terminologies such as SNOMED CT, LOINC and ICD. Some packs come bundled free. Others you import yourself under your own licence. All of this is managed in the Terminology library, which you open from Terminology in the menu.
Before you start
- You need the Administrator role.
- Decide which terminologies your laboratory needs. Your accreditation body, national programmes or referrers may expect particular ones.
- For any terminology that is not bundled, make sure your laboratory holds a valid licence. See Terminology notices.
Bundled packs and your own licence
| Type | Examples | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled with VipLIMS | SNOMED CT Global Patient Set, LOINC, UCUM, ICD-11, ICD-10-CM, HGNC gene symbols | Enable the pack. Attribution is handled for you |
| Bring your own licence | Full SNOMED CT (international or national edition), ICD-O-3, WHO ICD-10, local code lists | Obtain the files and licence, then import them |
The live list of bundled packs, with versions and attribution, is published at /api/public/terminology-notices.
Option 1: Enable a bundled pack
- Open Terminology from the menu.
- Find the pack in the Terminology library.
- Enable it.
The codes are now available when users add codes to reports.
Option 2: Import a CSV file
Use CSV for local code lists or for terminologies supplied as spreadsheets.
Prepare the file
Save your file as CSV with a header row and these columns:
| Column | Required | What it contains | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
code | Yes | The code, unique within the file | GI-012 |
display | Yes | The preferred term shown to users | Colorectal polyp |
synonyms | No | Other terms people may search for. Separate several with ` | or ;`. |
parent | No | The code of the parent concept, if the terminology has a hierarchy | GI |
active | No | Whether the code is in use | true |
Tips:
- Save the file with UTF-8 encoding so accented characters and symbols import correctly.
- Check that codes are unique and that every
parentcode exists in the file. - Remove blank rows and notes at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
Import it
- Open Terminology from the menu.
- Choose to import a terminology, and select CSV.
- Give the code system a name and version, for example "Local GI codes, version 2026.1".
- Upload your file.
- Confirm the licence attestation: you are declaring that your laboratory is licensed to use this content.
- Start the import, then check the result.
Option 3: Import SNOMED CT RF2 description files
If you hold a SNOMED CT licence, you can import release format 2 (RF2) description files from your national release centre or SNOMED International.
- Download the release you are licensed for, and find the description file inside it.
- Open Terminology from the menu.
- Choose to import a terminology, and select SNOMED CT RF2.
- Enter the edition and version.
- Upload the description file.
- Confirm the licence attestation.
- Start the import, then check the result.
Checking an import
After importing:
- Search for a few codes you know, including a synonym, to make sure they appear.
- Open a test case and try adding one of the codes to a report.
- Keep a record of the file name, version and date you imported, for your quality system.
Who can see imported terminology
An import is stored only in your laboratory's account. It is never shared with other laboratories on VipLIMS.
Keeping terminology up to date
Terminologies are updated regularly. When a new version is released:
- Check that your licence covers it.
- Import it as a new version.
- Tell your team when the new version is in use.
Codes already added to authorised reports are not changed by importing a new version.