Groups for every experimental need...
Flexibility and increased performance are available by creating groups for every different type of analysis and sample. For instance, if you have collected samples from three different tissue types, from several individuals, and using four different stains, you might consider having one group for each tissue type (since each tissue may have its own lymphocyte gate), and one group for each staining combination (so that you can add the appropriate gates for each stain automatically). In this case, each sample will belong to two groups. From one group will come the lymphocyte gate, and from another, the specific staining gate. You could then createa third group for each individual, so that you can view just that individual's tubes.
When you collect compensation samples, it is convenient to create a group just for the compensation tubes. These tubes may have their own lymphocyte gates which are more or less restrictive than you would use for the general analyses. Also, it is a convenient way to segregate the compensation tubes from the other tubes when you display samples in the workspace.
Groups that automate processes for you...
Making a group "Live" (from the Modify Group dialog) will alert FlowJo to examine samples as they are added to the workspace and, if they match a specific group criteria, automatically add them to the proper group. Useful when working with multiple datasets/folders that fit the same criteria.
Synchronizing groups (from the Modify Group dialog) allows you to update all a gate for all samples in a group. This skips the step of dragging gates over and over to reapply them to the group.
