A system for triggering an information dependent mass spectrometry scan in real time, comprising: a separation device configured to separate one or more compounds from a sample mixture over a time period; a mass spectrometer configured to perform a mass spectrometry scan of a group of two or more multiple reaction monitoring, MRM, transitions of a known compound on the separating sample mixture at each of a plurality of time intervals of the time period; and a processor configured to: receive from the mass spectrometer each mass spectrometry scan at each of the plurality of time intervals, determine at each of the plurality of time intervals that a received mass spectrometry scan at the time interval and one or more preceding received mass spectrometry scans include two or more time-varying ion signals that represent the group of two or more MRM transitions, assign a selection criterion to represent the group of two or more MRM transitions by combining one or more signal characteristics of the two or more time-varying ion signals; and if the one or more characteristics of the two or more time-varying ion signals meet the selection criterion, instructs the mass spectrometer to perform a dependent mass spectrometry scan of the separating sample mixture for a precursor ion of the known compound at the time interval. a separation device configured to separate one or more compounds from a sample mixture over a time period; a mass spectrometer configured to perform a mass spectrometry scan of a group of two or more multiple reaction monitoring, MRM, transitions of a known compound on the separating sample mixture at each of a plurality of time intervals of the time period; and a processor configured to: receive from the mass spectrometer each mass spectrometry scan at each of the plurality of time intervals, determine at each of the plurality of time intervals that a received mass spectrometry scan at the time interval and one or more preceding received mass spectrometry scans include two or more time-varying ion signals that represent the group of two or more MRM transitions, assign a selection criterion to represent the group of two or more MRM transitions by combining one or more signal characteristics of the two or more time-varying ion signals; and if the one or more characteristics of the two or more time-varying ion signals meet the selection criterion, instructs the mass spectrometer to perform a dependent mass spectrometry scan of the separating sample mixture for a precursor ion of the known compound at the time interval. receive from the mass spectrometer each mass spectrometry scan at each of the plurality of time intervals, determine at each of the plurality of time intervals that a received mass spectrometry scan at the time interval and one or more preceding received mass spectrometry scans include two or more time-varying ion signals that represent the group of two or more MRM transitions, assign a selection criterion to represent the group of two or more MRM transitions by combining one or more signal characteristics of the two or more time-varying ion signals; and if the one or more characteristics of the two or more time-varying ion signals meet the selection criterion, instructs the mass spectrometer to perform a dependent mass spectrometry scan of the separating sample mixture for a precursor ion of the known compound at the time interval.