An empirical data management system (EDMS) (100, 200, 300, 400) such as an Electronic Laboratory Notebook system or a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), said EDMS (100, 200, 300, 400) comprising: an application server running an EDMS server application; a process instrument in communication with the application server, wherein the process instrument is configured to determine process data from an experimental or manufacturing process; an environmental sensor unit (190, 210) in communication with the application server, wherein the environmental sensor unit (190, 210) is configured to determine environmental data describing an environmental condition of the process instrument; a data storage system in communication with the application server, wherein the data storage system comprises specified environmental operating ranges of the process instrument and an aggregated data file comprising process data received from the process instrument and environmental data received from the environmental sensor unit (190, 210) describing the environmental condition of the process instrument, wherein environmental data is stored in the aggregated data file as metadata which characterizes the environmental condition of the process instrument at the time the process data is received from the process instrument; and a correlation module programmed with instructions and logic to compare data stored in the data storage system including the specified environmental operating ranges of the process instrument and environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file to determine if a correlation exists between environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file and the specified operating ranges of the process instrument, wherein the correlation is whether or not environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file is within the specified operating ranges of the process instrument, wherein upon determination of existence of the correlation, the correlation module is programmed with instructions and logic to prompt a user with a message warning the user that environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file is not within the specified environmental operating ranges of the process equipment and a further message selected from the group consisting of: (i) a recommendation to modify process data; (ii) a recommendation to calculate a correction or offset factor for process data received from the process instrument; (iii) a recommendation to modify a result of the experimental or manufacturing process; (iv) a recommendation to abandon the experimental or manufacturing process; and (v) a recommendation to modify a process step, process run, or process protocol of the experimental or manufacturing process. an application server running an EDMS server application; a process instrument in communication with the application server, wherein the process instrument is configured to determine process data from an experimental or manufacturing process; an environmental sensor unit (190, 210) in communication with the application server, wherein the environmental sensor unit (190, 210) is configured to determine environmental data describing an environmental condition of the process instrument; a data storage system in communication with the application server, wherein the data storage system comprises specified environmental operating ranges of the process instrument and an aggregated data file comprising process data received from the process instrument and environmental data received from the environmental sensor unit (190, 210) describing the environmental condition of the process instrument, wherein environmental data is stored in the aggregated data file as metadata which characterizes the environmental condition of the process instrument at the time the process data is received from the process instrument; and a correlation module programmed with instructions and logic to compare data stored in the data storage system including the specified environmental operating ranges of the process instrument and environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file to determine if a correlation exists between environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file and the specified operating ranges of the process instrument, wherein the correlation is whether or not environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file is within the specified operating ranges of the process instrument, wherein upon determination of existence of the correlation, the correlation module is programmed with instructions and logic to prompt a user with a message warning the user that environmental data stored as metadata in the aggregated data file is not within the specified environmental operating ranges of the process equipment and a further message selected from the group consisting of: (i) a recommendation to modify process data; (ii) a recommendation to calculate a correction or offset factor for process data received from the process instrument; (iii) a recommendation to modify a result of the experimental or manufacturing process; (iv) a recommendation to abandon the experimental or manufacturing process; and (v) a recommendation to modify a process step, process run, or process protocol of the experimental or manufacturing process.