Computers can be used for better and more efficient management and organisation of laboratories. A computer like the human brain receives information, stores and processes it and then displays the results. It receives information through input devices and stores it in its memory, processes that information in the central processing unit and displays it on an out put device like a monitor or through a printer. The physical parts of the computer form its hardware and the instructions given to the computer to process the information form the software.

Software can be of two kinds, system software that controls the actual working of the computer and applications software that are the programs written to achieve the desired results for the user. The most important categories of applications software useful for laboratory organisation and management are: database, spreadsheet$ communications programs and word processing.

Any organisation and management of information basically involves three steps. Data input, Data processing and Data output. Before using computerised systems it is important to understand and decide what the aims are what software/programs will meet those aims and what hardware will support the programs. It is also important to work out the costs of using a computerised system.