AcqKey is an acquisition set (an imported method, or an instrument). QntKey is one quantitation ion or transition. SmpKey is the reporting key that groups injections of the same physical sample.

Key Review is the matrix where those three meet: you see every AcqKey × QntKey × dilution for one SmpKey, then pick the result that reports.

Key Review across instruments and quants Rows are analyte by AcqKey. Columns are QntKeys under dilution bands. One chosen cell per analyte for the SmpKey. Key Review  one SmpKey, several instruments and ions SmpKey SAMPLE-14 was injected on LC-QQQ and GC-MS, neat and 10x. Columns are QntKeys under dilution bands. SmpKey SAMPLE-14 Dilution band 1x Dilution band 10x Group Sum Analyte AcqKey Sel Rej Q1 Q2 Q1 (10x) Stimulants 12.4 Caffeine LC-QQQ Ï 12.4 Q 195->138 11.9 Q 195->110  Caffeine GC-MS 13.1 above curve  1.28 diluted Xanthines 3.1 Theobromine LC-QQQ Ï 3.10 Q 181->138 fail ion ratio  Chosen result for this analyte on the SmpKey (reports use this) Failed qualifier / flag  still visible, not auto-picked AcqKey = acquisition set (instrument or imported method). Q1 / Q2 = QntKey. Tick Reject to drop a row from Group sum. Auto-pick prefers a passing neat result over a diluted or above-curve one. The side Amount grid lists one concentration per SumGroup for the selected sample key.
Key Review matrix for SAMPLE-14 across LC-QQQ and GC-MS

Acquisition sets

Acquisition sets and quant keys Two instruments imported as AcqKeys. Each analyte can have several QntKeys. Samples carry an AcqKey so they match the right method slice. AcqKey and QntKey  how many methods fit in one batch An AcqKey is an imported acquisition set. A QntKey is one quantitation ion / transition on that analyte. AcqKey LC-QQQ Imported MassHunter method Caffeine Q1 195 -> 138 Q2 195 -> 110 Theobromine Q1 181 -> 138 ISTD caffeine-d9 AcqKey GC-MS Appended second method Caffeine Q1 m/z 194 own curve and ISTD Sample file AcqKey = GC-MS matches this slice Same analyte name on two AcqKeys is allowed. Key Review stacks those rows. Navigator AcqKey checkboxes hide a whole instrument. ISTD links stay inside an AcqKey unless you point a Quant at another Analyte|Quant explicitly.
Two AcqKeys, each with its own analytes, QntKeys, and ISTD
Key Meaning
AcqKey Slice of the method. Append a second vendor method to create one. Samples carry AcqKey so they match the right slice.
QntKey One Quant on that analyte (Q1, Q2, …). Each has its own curve and optional ISTD.
SmpKey Manual override, or the auto key from the method extraction table. All files that share it compete for one reported result per analyte name.
Dilution band log₁₀ of Dilution (1→0, 10→1, 100→2). Columns group by band.

Navigator AcqKey checkboxes hide a whole instrument from every grid, including Key Review.

Open Key Review

View → Key Review (or the ribbon). It follows the current SmpKey.

Rows: SumGroup → analyte name → AcqKey.
Fixed columns: Group, Group sum, Analyte, Selected, Reject, AcqKey.
Then one super-cell per QntKey under each dilution band.

The side Amount grid lists one concentration per SumGroup (the group sum of accepted analytes).

How a cell is chosen

Auto-pick, per analyte name inside the SmpKey:

  1. Skip rejected samples and results rejected for the key.
  2. Prefer a result that is not above the curve.
  3. Prefer the lower dilution band (neat over 10×).
  4. You can override with Selected, or drop a row with Reject.

The green outline is the winner. Reports that call Q.KeyCompound read that winner.

Failed qualifier / ion-ratio cells stay visible so you can see why they lost.

Typical setups

Two instruments, same samples. Append the GC method as AcqKey GC-MS. Give both data files the same SmpKey. Key Review stacks LC and GC rows; pick one (or keep both in Group sum if they are different SumGroups).

Several ions, one instrument. One AcqKey, Q1 / Q2 / Q3 columns. Qualifier percent lives on the Quant; Key Review shows pass/fail in the super-cell.

Dilution series. Same SmpKey, Dilution 1 and 10. Auto-pick keeps the neat result when it is on-scale, and falls back to 10× when the neat point is above the curve.

Group sum

SumGroup on the AnalyteNames master (isomer family, residue group). Group sum adds accepted members. Bracketed isomer names can cover across SumGroups. Reject a row to keep it out of the sum without deleting the result.