> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.elationhealth.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Troubleshooting Failed Lab Orders in Elation EHR ## Troubleshooting Failed Lab Orders in Elation EHR Use this guide to diagnose and resolve issues when a lab order fails to transmit electronically (eOrder) to a lab vendor, or when a lab can’t process an order due to missing or invalid information. It also covers safe fallback options (fax/print) and best practices to prevent future failures. ### How to recognize a failed electronic lab order * If any issue occurs while sending an electronic lab order (eOrder), Elation posts a notification in the patient’s chart under **Requiring Action**; review the message to identify the reason and next steps. * You can also monitor day-to-day issues from Practice Home; Requiring Action helps surface time-sensitive items needing follow-up. ### Quick fixes checklist * Confirm you used the electronic **Lab Order Form** and clicked **eOrder** or **eOrder & Print**; these actions immediately transmit the order to the lab and save the signed order in the patient’s chart. * Verify the correct lab vendor was selected and that your practice has a live bidirectional interface for eOrdering; if not live, use the regular Lab Order Form and fax/print workflows instead. * Ensure required fields are completed: Lab vendor, Tests (from the vendor’s compendium), Dx codes (order-level and/or test-level), Patient Condition (e.g., fasting), Site, and Bill Type, as applicable. * Re-check any test-specific ask-on-entry (AOE) questions and complete them; unanswered AOE often causes lab holds or follow-up calls from the vendor. ### Vendor and data requirements that commonly block eOrdering * **Select tests from the lab vendor’s proprietary compendium.** If you can’t find the test, try alternate terms (e.g., Labcorp CMP is “CMP”). Custom user-created tests cannot be used for eOrdering. * **For Bill Type = Third Party**, include the insurance and demographics required by the vendor: * **Labcorp** requires full patient, guarantor, and payer details (address, city, state, zip) and insurance identifiers (group ID, member ID, coverage type). * **Quest** requires Bill Type plus insurance carrier details and, if not “Self,” the policyholder’s name/relationship and member ID. * If **Sign & Hold** was used (e.g., in-house draw pending), the eOrder will not transmit until the specimen collection date/time is documented; add the collection date and sign to release the order. * For certain partners with unique requirements, follow vendor notes (example: Scarlet Health via BioReference requires a specific ancillary test and excludes extended-time or in-house-only specimen types). ### Check your interface status and lab configuration * Confirm the lab’s interface status in Settings → Labs. Only vendors showing **Electronic Orders = Live** support eOrdering; otherwise use fax/print. * Add or edit vendors in Settings → Labs, including locations for Site selection and compendium information to ensure test search uses the correct vendor data. * If you need a new interface, submit a request (and any vendor-specific steps, e.g., Genova setup) and track status until Live. ### If the lab order still fails to send * Open the failed order from Requiring Action, correct the missing data (e.g., diagnosis codes, AOE, insurance/guarantor details), and click eOrder again. * If your interface shows not Live or vendor inconsistencies persist, use the regular Lab Order Form workflow and transmit by fax: * Attach the signed lab order to a Provider Letter and send by fax to the vendor; or print and fax outside Elation. ### Alternative transmission options (when eOrdering is unavailable) * **Fax the order:** after signing, attach the order to a Provider Letter and fax to the vendor directly from Elation; this is recommended if no eOrder interface is live for that vendor. * **Print the order** to hand to the patient or fax outside Elation (regular Lab Order Form workflow). ### After you send: fulfillment and result routing * eOrdered lab orders are automatically associated with incoming electronic results; fulfillment can auto-update when results arrive in the chart via the interface. * Electronic lab results route to the ordering clinician for sign-off and appear in the patient’s chart; unmatched results can create a new chart, which you can merge into the correct chart to keep data complete. ### Prevent issues before they start * Use the electronic Lab Order Form for vendors with a live bidirectional interface, and the regular Lab Order Form plus fax/print for others. * Maintain complete patient demographics and insurance data, especially when using Third Party billing for Labcorp or Quest. * Build vendor-specific Order Sets and select tests only from the vendor’s compendium for eOrdering; re-create Order Sets when you go live with a new bidirectional vendor. * Complete AOE questions at order time to avoid vendor holds and downstream delays. ### When to contact Elation Support Contact us if: * Your lab interface shows Live, you’ve completed all required fields (including vendor-specific data), answered AOE questions, and eOrdering still fails from the Lab Order Form. * You need assistance initiating or tracking a lab interface request, or you’re seeing persistent vendor compendium mismatches. Include the patient name, vendor, order date/time, a screenshot of any error, and whether the issue persists after adding required insurance/guarantor details or AOE. Use the in‑product **I need help → Contact Elation Support** or visit [https://help.elationemr.com/s/contactsupport](https://help.elationemr.com/s/contactsupport). ## Related Articles * [Lab Orders & Results Introduction](/articles/Lab-Orders-and-Results-Introduction) * [Lab Orders & Results - Using the electronic Lab Order Form](/articles/Electronic-Lab-Order-Form) * [Practice Home Guide- Checking for requiring action items](/articles/follow-up-outstanding-orders-referrals) * [Lab Orders & Results - Using the regular Lab Order Form](/articles/Regular-Lab-Order-Form) * [Lab Orders & Results - Managing lab vendors](/articles/Managing-lab-vendors) * [Letter & Referral Guide - Faxing lab, radiology or other orders to vendors](/articles/efaxing-lab-and-radiology-orders)