In many areas of chemical synthesis, drug discovery, and materials research, combinatorial approaches are becoming more and more important. One of the most serious bottlenecks in this area is the chemical analysis and screening of the products. Was the correct product produced? Were all the possible products produced? What is their purity? Where in a combinatorial library are the 'hits'? If a relatively large number of lead compounds or hits have been identified, what is the most effective way for their thorough chemical analysis? The key goals of this symposium were to provide an overview over the current state-of-the-art analytical strategies used in combinatorial chemistry, and to show how obstacles can be overcome by new analytical tools and strategies. It was fascinating to experience how many areas of chemistry are influenced by combinatorial chemistry nowadays, and it was impressive to witness the efforts being made by software developers and chemists alike to overcome some remaining hurdles in this area.