Simplify the way you collect, manage, and report chromatography test results with Empower Software. Empower is Waters’ compliant-ready chromatography data software (CDS) package for advanced data acquisition, management, processing, reporting, and distribution.

Simplify Data Acquisition, Processing, and Reporting

Designed for a data-secured, regulated lab environment, Empower will help your lab perform more efficiently and securely:

• Store and retrieve chromatography data using an embedded, relational database; simplifying data retrieval by searching using criteria that is meaningful to you.
• Save time, reduce manual integration, and calculate more precise peak integrations with Empower's ApexTrack™ algorithm.
• Easily control Waters ACQUITY UPLC and Alliance HPLC systems, as well as non-Waters HPLC, GC, PDA, and MS systems.
• Achieve more enhanced detection capabilities when using Waters mass detectors or the Waters Photodiode Array (PDA) Detector.
• Grow seamlessly from a single workstation to an enterprise-wide system with Empower's scalable, modular architecture, which fits into the most modern, secure, HA (high availability) corporate architecture.

Options That Match the Way You Work

With Empower Software, you can multi-task with ease – no need for multiple software packages. Three intuitive interfaces help anyone in your lab work more efficiently. Choose the option that matches the way you work, and you’re up and running in just a few clicks:

• Acquire data and control a variety of instruments, including HPLC, UPLC, and GC.
• Apply advanced detection techniques such as MS and PDA without outsourcing to a third party.
• Deploy applications such as dissolution, method validation, integrated chemical structures and polymer or size exclusion analysis.

Unique Interface Options

Empower Software represents a fundamental shift in UPLC, HPLC, and LC/MS system usability. Empower is equipped with unique interface options designed for your lab - regardless of the task or user's skill level.
When users log in, they are presented with the application that provides the appropriate workflow for them. If authorized, users can select another software interface that is suitable for their current task.

• QuickStart - Collect, process, and report data from a single-window access. Use a wizard to set up methods and run assays. Navigate the entire Empower environment from one screen, including instrument control, view plotted data in real time, view raw data, and access tools to customize and print reports.
• Pro - Access to all software functions for advanced users, system administrators, or anyone who needs total control.
• Open Access - Select your method and the number of samples you need to run, and get started with the click of a mouse. No chromatography experience necessary.

Empower's QuickStart interface provides single-window control of your entire chromatographic workflow.

Detect and Integrate Shoulder Peaks

ApexTrack’s patented integration algorithm uses curvature criteria which are much more sensitive than the slope criteria used in traditional integration, and it requires fewer adjustments of integration parameters. ApexTrack effectively detects and integrates shouldered peaks, providing more reliable detection of low-level peaks on noisy or sloping baselines. The end result: less manual manipulation and more accurate results.

Custom Calculations for Critical Decisions

Instead of relying on spreadsheets to reduce raw data into decision-critical formats, Empower enables you to perform custom calculations. Simply use a wizard to set up your parameters, such as averages, %RSD, a not-to-exceed percentage threshold for the peak area of an active component, etc. After the calculation is configured once, the answer is automatically determined for you every time data are processed; no more data transfer, spreadsheet manipulation, or worries about transfer errors.

Share Reports

With results and reports stored within the same database, you can easily share information with colleagues across the globe:

• Create combined summary reports across laboratories, instruments, and projects, regardless of where data was acquired or processed.
• Create a PDF or email your report to colleagues.
• Distribute methods and information electronically
• Access information on the system between remote sites.
• Review and electronically sign off results.

Embedded Relational Database

The strength of Empower lies in its embedded relational database, which:

• Stores chromatographic results, automatically linking all metadata; information doesn’t have to be manually tracked or documented, and is not misplaced as paper documentation can be.
• Finding data is fast and easy; search on information that is relevant to you and your samples.
• Not a flat file environment — no awkward folder or method naming conventions; no manual method and result versioning—with Empower, complete data traceability and documentation is automatic. Answering questions during review or in an audit is simplified.
• Automatic time stamps of user activity.

   

Empower Software’s built-in database manages all raw data, methods,
and results by permanently linking all aspects of the electronic record together.
Even if methods or sequences are subsequently updated, the Empower database
will always retrieve the actual version used for any reported result.

Designed for the Enterprise

Whether you are challenged with globalization or consolidation, Empower Software allows organizations to deploy in a reliable, recoverable WAN environment that provides continuous service, maximizes capital investments and minimizes administrative costs.

Rapid Deployment

Empower allows faster and simpler software deployment by allowing silent push installs for unattended installation from a single, remote location. Leverage Citrix® or VMWare virtualization technologies for even faster deployment, and validate your environment faster than before with our qualification tools and Advanced Verification Technology™ (AVT) Service.

Disaster Recovery

Empower addresses the challenges of a wide area network. Configuration choices such as virtualization, Citrix, or server clustering and server mirroring ensure high availability, performance, and protection from hardware and software failures.

Scalability

Whether you need to run a single personal workstation, support a small group of scientists, or support a network for the entire lab or an enterprise-sized organization, Empower offers a configuration to meet your needs. The Enterprise solution can be scaled up or down as needed to include any number of instruments and users.

Empower features a distributed architecture; the user sees a single application, but the software operates with separate components for processing and reporting, for the embedded relational database (built with Oracle technology), and for instrument acquisition and control.

Standardization

Empower promotes collaboration and provides capabilities that allow a corporation to standardize on one CDS.

• Simplified and harmonized workflow
• Streamlined and integrated method development and validation
• Multi-vendor instrument control for UPLC, LC, GC, MS, and PDA
• Ability to share data across a corporation; even if your corporation spans different geographies Architecture that is designed for an enterprise environment
• Reduced training efforts and cost
• Standardized data format to reduce time for data review and electronic approval

LDAP

To aid in user account creation and ease-of-use when logging in and signing off reports, Waters has implemented LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) authentication using the Microsoft Active Directory (AD) model. Empower 3 is ready to integrate into your company’s existing AD LDAP environment.

Empower Software’s networked environment is highly scalable from single workstations
to a network for the entire lab or organization.

Migrate your data to the chromatography software standard

Waters Data Converter 2, an option for Empower Software gives laboratories the ability to import chromatographic data from multiple software platforms and analytical technologies into Empower and take full advantage of Empower's advanced data processing, reporting, and distribution capabilities.

Data Converter 2’s powerful functionality creates advantages not only for the laboratory, but at the business level as well.

Key benefits include:

• Optimize operational efficiency by providing a pathway to standardize data management, processing, and reporting on Empower, even when multi-vendor instrument control isn’t possible.

• More readily meet regulatory requirements by allowing inspectors to view the original data without the original application.

• Facilitates collaboration by allowing you to compare data on Empower Software that was created on a partner’s non-Empower chromatography data system.

• Enhances productivity at the bench by allowing multiple users to automatically import data and then simultaneously process in Empower via the client-server architecture.

Chromatographic data acquired on External Systems A and B are converted by Waters Data Converter 2.
The converted data and metadata are stored in the Empower database.

Liquid Chromatography (HPLC and UPLC)

Waters is the only company in the LC instruments industry that offers an end-to-end system solution for chromatography, including software. From custom calculations to final reports and e-signatures, Empower Software manages all your data needs and makes your lab more productive. Empower controls and processes data for our HPLC and UPLC instruments. Our software also manages and collects data from non-Waters HPLC instruments.

Gas Chromatography (GC)

Empower works with a wide range of separation and detection technologies, including gas chromatography instruments. Empower can control up to four GC systems — including Agilent, Shimadzu, Varian, PerkinElmer, and CTC Analytics—from one workstation. Empower saves all of your configurations and method parameters to its database for full documentation.

Mass Spectrometry (MS)

Empower enables you to control Waters LC/MS systems in a routine lab environment. The software’s comprehensive data management capabilities provide for enhanced MS data interaction with minimal training.

Photo Diode Array (PDA)

By combining Empower with a Waters PDA detection system, you can acquire, analyze, store, and retrieve single wavelength data, multi-wavelength data, complete spectra — or all three.

Built-in advanced mathematical algorithms let you check peak purity, match against our spectral libraries, and see the finest spectral details. You can also merge PDA and MS data from a single injection for a detailed investigation of any particular sample and its unknowns.

UltraPerformance Convergence Chromatography (UPC²)

Empower enables you to control Waters UltraPerformance Convergence Chromatography™ (UPC²™).  This technology marries the unrealized potential of SFC with Waters proven UPLC® technology to allow you to separate, detect, and quantify structural analogs, isomers, enantiomeric and diasteriomeric mixtures.  The high-throughput and productivity of UPC² combined with Empower’s comprehensive data management and report generation means that you can make decisions faster.

Dissolution Baths

With Empower Dissolution Software and instrument control, you can automate the entire dissolution process. The Waters e2695 Dissolution System pairs with Hanson, Distek, Erweka, Varian and Sotax dissolution baths. Run dissolution methods by sampling from single or dual 6- or 8-vessel baths and dictate sampling times and sample aliquot volumes. After sampling, Empower's embedded calculations and customized reporting make it easy for you to display and share the dissolution results.

Fraction Collection

Control of the Waters Fraction Collector III allows you to collect fractions based on time or detector threshold/slope. Real-time feedback from the Fraction Collector III indicates the state of the collection process and the location of the collected fractions. Configure multiple racks, including custom configurations to accommodate a variety of collection vessels. The interface enables software-assisted manual collection with its Override Function. Fraction collection information is embedded with the Empower data set and is available to you in its comprehensive reports and relational database.

Capillary Electrophoresis (CE)

Empower works with the Beckman Coulter CE to enable biopharmaceutical development and QC groups to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze protein purity, charge isoform distribution and glycan analysis.  Empower’s comprehensive data management, data processing, and compliance-ready features ensures that you can easily summarize your biologics characterization studies.

Manage CDS Systems in a Regulated Environment

Waters' compliant-ready software guides the administrator through a simple one-time configuration to ensure that the system is configured to comply with GxP and 21 CFR Part 11 regulations.

Multi-level security is provided for every job - from assigning access privileges, password expiry, and automated log-outs due to inactivity, to establishing audit trails and regulating new projects. Empower ensures the utmost integrity and traceability for all of your raw data, metadata, and test results.

Empower also helps you manage your compliance on a day-to-day basis with such capabilities as secure time-stamped audit trails. Records can be easily reviewed so you can apply the appropriate electronic signatures.

All data is relationally stored, so full documentation is automatic and complete.

Empower Software's enhanced compliance features improve lab productivity while maintaining regulatory compliance.
You can review reports in an electronic format and apply your electronic signature,
which is automatically appended to the report and saved in the Empower 3 database.

Chemical Structures

The Empower Chemical Structures option allows you to place chemical structures on your spectral and chromatographic plots. You can also fully document and retrieve structural information related to your analyses. When structural information is stored with your chromatographic data, you can search and retrieve that data.

An Advanced Chemical Structures option is offered through a partnership with Advanced Chemistry Development (ACD Labs). The option includes an Empower-enabled version of ACD’s ChemSketch structure drawing software, which lets you create, edit, and search chemical structures directly from Empower.

Dissolution

Empower Software's Dissolution option provides the fastest, most accurate way to ensure the integrity of your HPLC dissolution testing methods and results. By combining Empower Software with a Waters Alliance® Dissolution System, you can:

• Manage the analysis and reporting for everything from pill drop, to the production and distribution of test results.
• Control multiple dissolution baths from a single analytical system.
• Gain simultaneous control of multiple systems from a single workstation.

Gel Permeation / Size Exclusion Chromatography For Polymer Analysis

Analytical and polymer chemists who perform gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Size Exclusion (SEC), polymer, or polymer additive analysis need to effectively collect, manage, and report GPCV/SEC data. Empower 3 Software’s GPC/SEC option leverages the capabilities of Empower 3, plus provides features specifically for managing these results.

System Suitability

The Empower System Suitability option verifies the functional performance of each instrument component of the system, along with the performance of the entire analytical procedure so you can:

• Automatically ensure your system suitability check standards pass their individual and combined acceptance criteria so that you know your system is good-to-go.
• Set your system to notify you, or try again, if your system is operating outside of your defined limits.
• Perform tracking and trending, as well as statistical analysis.
• Measure against regulatory standards, or against internal historical performance.
• Use for LC, GC, IC, CIA/CE, GPC/V, PDA, and MS.

Laboratory Analytics

At-a-glance views of key chromatography data to help you maximize laboratory resources

Empower Laboratory Analytics assembles and displays critical chromatography performance data in easy-to-view, graphical dashboards so that you can focus on what’s most important―the interpretation of key information, not its collection:

• Maximize system utilization
• Manage resources
• Identify training needs
• Identify error messages that affect your workflows
• Identify non-robust processing methods
• Plan for capital expenditures
• Identify opportunities to shorten run times with UPLC® technology
• Improve your decision making

The at-a-glance dashboards let you quickly and accurately determine how laboratory resources are being used, without significant manual effort.   You will be able to make evidence-based decisions on which improvements are needed to increase laboratory efficiency. 

Empower Laboratory Analytics offers a range of prebuilt dashboard types, including:

• System summary
• System usage
• Project usage analysis
• Methods analysis

Mobile

Monitor your chromatography system anytime, anywhere

Empower Mobile gives you wireless access to Empower Software from a tablet or smartphone, making it easier to know what’s happening in your laboratory no matter where you are to:

• Improve laboratory efficiency
• Easily find and share results remotely
• Expedite workflow for signoff on reports
• Lower operating costs for system administration tasks
• Reduce sample and mobile phase waste

Whether you are an analyst, manager, or system administrator, this easy-to-use application, specially designed to run on mobile devices, gives you the flexibility to work on other priorities, knowing that you can use your mobile device at any time to:

• Monitor system status
• Perform routine system administration tasks
• Review and Signoff Reports

Empower Mobile is versatile and has been optimized to work with Apple iPad & iPhone and Android tablet & smartphone devices. 

Empower Mobile can be installed on your Empower Software network in either workgroup or enterprise configurations, at no additional cost to you.