What is the best chromatography data system (CDS) for GC instruments?

There is no single “best” chromatography data system for gas chromatography (GC). The right choice depends on how a laboratory works, the instruments it uses, the regulatory environment it operates in, and how much complexity it is prepared to manage.

A CDS is not just software for drawing chromatograms. It sits at the center of data acquisition, processing, reporting, archiving, and—sometimes—compliance. Different systems make different trade-offs. Understanding those trade-offs is more useful than looking for a universal winner.

This article outlines the main categories of GC-focused CDS platforms, what they are designed to do well, and where each typically fits.

What a GC-focused CDS actually needs to do

For GC laboratories, a CDS must reliably handle a few core responsibilities:

• Acquire data from GC instruments (digitally, analog, or both)

• Store raw chromatographic data in a traceable, reusable format

• Process chromatograms using methods, calibrations, and reporting rules

• Support repeat analysis over time, including reprocessing of historical data

• Fit into the lab’s operational and regulatory environment

Beyond that baseline, requirements diverge quickly. A regulated pharmaceutical lab running dozens of identical instruments has very different needs from a contract lab running mixed GC hardware across several rooms.

Enterprise vendor CDS platforms

Large instrument vendors offer enterprise CDS platforms that are designed to integrate tightly into broader laboratory informatics environments.

Examples include platforms such as Agilent OpenLab and Waters Empower.

These systems are typically optimized for:

• Large, standardized instrument fleets

• Centralized user management and permissions

• Integration with LIMS, ELN, and corporate IT infrastructure

• Regulated environments with formal validation and change control

They are often deployed as part of a wider software ecosystem rather than as a standalone GC data system. As a result, they can be powerful but also complex to install, configure, validate, and maintain.

For some laboratories, that level of structure is essential. For others, it introduces overhead that outweighs the benefits.

Independent and third-party CDS platforms

Independent CDS platforms focus on chromatography itself rather than enterprise informatics.

These systems are typically instrument-agnostic, supporting GC instruments from multiple manufacturers within a single environment. They are often used in:

• Multi-vendor GC labs

• Contract and industrial labs

• Long-lived installations where hardware changes over time

• Situations where practical deployment matters more than IT uniformity

Independent CDS software tends to emphasize data ownership, file portability, and continuity. Raw data files are usually designed to remain readable and reusable across software versions, operating systems, and hardware generations.

This category includes Chromperfect.

Chromperfect as an independent GC CDS

Chromperfect is an independent chromatography data system focused on gas chromatography. It is designed to support GC instruments from multiple vendors and generations within a single software environment.

A defining characteristic of Chromperfect is long-term file compatibility. Chromatographic data files created decades ago can still be opened, reprocessed, and reported today. This allows laboratories to retain direct access to historical data without forced migrations or conversions.

Chromperfect is typically deployed as a practical, workstation-centric CDS. It can be installed as standalone systems or networked installations, depending on how a lab prefers to work. It does not require a full enterprise informatics stack to function effectively.

Importantly, Chromperfect is not positioned as a replacement for large enterprise platforms in organizations that require tightly coupled LIMS workflows, centralized global user directories, or corporate-wide informatics governance.

When Chromperfect is a good fit — and when it is not

Chromperfect is a good fit when:

• A lab runs GC instruments from multiple vendors

• Long-term access to historical data matters

• Simplicity and practical deployment are priorities

• The CDS is expected to outlive individual instruments or PCs

• The lab prefers direct control over data files and workflows

Chromperfect is not intended for:

• Organizations seeking a single enterprise platform spanning CDS, LIMS, ELN, and SDMS

• Environments where all instruments are standardized under a single vendor ecosystem and tightly integrated into corporate IT systems

• Use cases where chromatography software is only one small component of a much larger informatics architecture

  
  

Choosing the best chromatography data system CDS in practice

The best GC CDS is the one that fits the lab’s reality.

For some laboratories, that means accepting the complexity of an enterprise platform in exchange for centralized control and integration. For others, it means choosing an independent system that prioritizes stability, flexibility, and long-term data access.

Rather than asking which CDS is best in general, it is more productive to ask:

• How many GC instruments are in use, and from which vendors?

• How long does the lab need to retain and reprocess data?

• How much IT infrastructure and validation overhead is acceptable?

• Will the software need to adapt as instruments change over time?

Answering those questions usually makes the appropriate category—and often the specific CDS—clear.