--- title: "General Settings in Sample Definitions" id: "general-settings-in-sample-definitions" project: "MES User Manual" url: "https://docs.sepasoft.com/articles/user-manual/general-settings-in-sample-definitions" updated: 2026-10-01T17:58:30Z --- # General Settings in Sample Definitions **Sepasoft MES Module Suite** Sample Definitions include a section for general settings: | General Settings | Description | | --- | --- | | **Name** | Enter a name for the sample definition. You can change this name after saving. | | **Description** | Sample definition description | | **Measurement Count** | This number becomes the upper limit for the measurement count for each Sample Definition Attribute.

**Example:** If Measurement Count is set to 5 here and you set an attribute within this definition to 10, then, only 5 samples is allowed to be collected.



Default sample size for attributes on this definition. In **MES 3.81.12 SP3**, **MES 4.83.1 SP3**, and later, an attribute can use a sample size smaller or larger than this value.



Leave the existing note that zero is not accepted as the definition Measurement Count.




| ![Warning](/resources/Storage/user-manual/Warning.png) | **Version 3.81.4 RC4 and later:** Zero is not accepted as a valid Sample Definition Measure Count |
| --- | --- | | | **Interval Type** | Defines how the samples are scheduled. If set to an automatic interval, such as time-based or schedules, and Auto Approve = True, then system automatically takes the sample.

Interval Type is set in two places: Sample Definition and Location. The top-level Sample Definition settings is used as the default setting and when the definition is associated with testing location(s) in the Location settings, the default is overwritten at the Location level if needed. This is useful when the Sample Definition is used for multiple locations and the interval is different at each location. | | **Coming Due** | In minutes by default | | **Over Due** | In minutes by default | | **Interval** | The unit based on the Interval Type. The interval for automatically scheduling samples. | | **Duration** | The number of minutes needed to take a sample. This sets the ScheduledFinish field for the Sample. | | **AutoApprove** | Sets the sample values to be approved automatically. | **Sepasoft MES Module Suite**