Why it matters
Calls depend on inputs, reference data, software, and settings. Recording these details helps explain why rerunning the same sample can produce a different result after a pipeline update.
A practical example
Suppose a laboratory changes its filtering threshold and a previously reported candidate no longer appears. A preserved workflow record lets an analyst distinguish a changed interpretation from a changed sample or altered input file.
An important distinction
A called variant is not automatically a harmful variant. Detecting a sequence difference and determining its clinical or biological meaning are separate tasks. Security controls protect the process, but they do not replace scientific validation.
Sources and further reading
- PRIMARY SOURCE SAM/BAM, CRAM, and VCF format specifications
The example above is hypothetical. Related cases provide context; they do not imply that every case involved this mechanism.