4 Essential Support Resources for Golden Helix Software Users

         January 5, 2023

Golden Helix provides extensive resources to help our users who are just getting started and address any issues they may encounter as they become more familiar with our software.

Our resources are constantly updated and are tailored to the needs of our users. If you’re facing a problem, it’s likely that others have encountered it as well, and we’ve included the solution in our resources. In addition to our support documentation, our Field Application Scientist (FAS) team is always available to assist users and provide timely and accurate responses to requests. In this blog, we’ll provide an overview of the resources available to help users troubleshoot and overcome any challenges they may face while using our software.

OUR 2 SNPS… The Golden Helix Blog

One of the first resources you should familiarize yourself with is our blog, OUR 2 SNPS… If you’re reading this, you’re already on it! Our blog posts are tailored to specific details and use cases and provide a wealth of information about the capabilities of our software and how it has evolved over time. They also address common questions and issues that users encounter. Our blog is a great resource for finding solutions to problems and learning about new features and updates.

There are several ways to explore our blog site and find the information you need. For example, you can click on the Authors tab in the top-right of the navigation bar (Figure 1) to see the profiles of all of our contributing authors and browse our blog posts based on the expertise of the writers. Our blog covers a range of topics, including general information written by our FAS team, technical content produced by our Development Team, and updates from our Marketing Team about all the exciting events happening.

Figure 1: Navigating the Golden Helix Blog
Figure 1: Navigating the Golden Helix Blog

Our blog site is designed to be user-friendly and help you find the information you need quickly and easily. You can use the Search utility, the magnifying glass located in the top right corner of the navigation, to search for specific topics using keywords. Alternatively, you can scroll down and sort our blog posts by category to find relevant information (Figure 2). Our blog covers a wide range of topics and includes detailed, practical information on a variety of issues. We’ve worked hard to ensure that our blog is easy to navigate and that the information is presented in a clear and accessible way. We encourage you to explore our blog and discover the wealth of knowledge it has to offer.

Figure 2: Blog categories
Figure 2: Blog categories

Resources Tab

The Resources tab on our website is another great place to find helpful information and resources. When you click on the tab, you’ll find a number of links to different resources that can help you learn more about our software and how it can be used.

Figure 3: The Resources tab
Figure 3: The Resources tab

One of the options you’ll find under the Resources tab is White Papers, Published Articles, and eBooks. These pages provide information on the history of Golden Helix and how we’ve built relationships with our customers. They may not necessarily provide answers to specific workflow questions, but they offer a wealth of information on how our software has evolved, how users have implemented it, and how we’ve grown and adapted over time. The free eBooks, in particular, are a great resource that showcases the various use cases for our software and can be a helpful starting point for interested users.

In addition to these resources, you’ll also find a link to our Webcasts under the Resources tab. These webcasts are released on a monthly basis and provide information on the latest updates and features of our software. Some focus on new features, while others provide a user’s perspective on specific workflows. These webcasts are a great resource for users who want to learn the fundamentals of using Golden Helix’s software suite.

Learning Hub: VarSeq Resources

If you have more specific needs, you may find the VarSeq Resources page to be especially helpful. This page includes several sections that offer a range of resources for users of our VarSeq software.

The VarSeq Onboarding and Training section is a growing collection of short videos and articles that provide detailed information on specific aspects of using the software. The VarSeq Tutorials section includes in-depth, comprehensive tutorials on specific use cases, complete with starting data. Together, these two resources offer almost everything you need to get started with VarSeq and become proficient in using it. Both sections are written in a colloquial, approachable style and provide excellent support that emulates the hands-on support we strive to provide.

In addition to these resources, the VarSeq Resources page also includes several other sections that provide technical information and resources for getting started with VarSeq and navigating the software.

The VarSeq manual, in particular, is an exceptionally detailed resource that covers a wide range of capabilities within the software. It includes sections on advanced tools like VSPipeline and VSWarehouse and includes an FAQ section with answers to common workflow questions. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, the VarSeq Resources page has something to offer.

Sentieon

Beyond the VarSeq software suite, we’re proud to provide our users with support regarding Sentieon, our partner company specializing in secondary analysis. Sentieon’s software is integral to many of our customers’ workflows, and as a very precise command line software package, the learning curve can be quite steep, and any technical difficulties challenging to troubleshoot. Luckily, our Sentieon start-up guide provides concise instructions on getting started and yields robust scripts that will give users an easy start with secondary analysis. Furthermore, Sentieon’s support page has a number of essential links, including their own start-up guide, their app notes, and their thorough documentation. Bioinformaticians handling the secondary analysis pipeline for VarSeq workflows will certainly want to familiarize themselves with these resources.

Still Need Help?

As thorough and accessible as the resources detailed in this blog are, some issues require a human touch. That’s why our Field Application Scientist team is here to provide support whenever you need it. Whether you have a quick question that can be solved with a couple of emails or you need more in-depth assistance via Zoom, our team is always ready to assist. If you have an issue that you can’t solve with the resources provided on our blog, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’re here to help!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *