The VersaComp Antibody Capture Bead kits from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences are designed to set compensation for multicolor flow cytometry experiments by allowing researchers to utilize the same reagents used in their experiments. Two vials are provided; one contains positive beads, microspheres that capture conjugates in single-color stains, and the second vial contains negative beads that provide particles with a measure of autofluorescence similar to unstained cells across the different excitation/emission wavelength combinations including those excited by violet lasers. Using positive and negative beads for each conjugate allows generation of a compensation matrix to correct for the spectral overlap of that conjugate into other channels. The kits allow customers to use their own test reagents and can be used with any cytometer including configurations with more than three lasers.