diff --git a/+dj/+internal/AutoPopulate.m b/+dj/+internal/AutoPopulate.m
index fd3f5bf0..b6f63c56 100755
--- a/+dj/+internal/AutoPopulate.m
+++ b/+dj/+internal/AutoPopulate.m
@@ -349,8 +349,8 @@ function cleanup(self, key)
         
         
         function jobKey = makeJobKey(self, key)
-            hash = dj.internal.hash(key);
-            jobKey = struct('table_name', self.className, 'key_hash', hash(1:32));
+            jobKey = struct('table_name', self.className, ...
+                            'key_hash', key_hash(key));
         end
         
         
diff --git a/+dj/key_hash.m b/+dj/key_hash.m
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1f152d41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/+dj/key_hash.m
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+% dj.key_hash - key hashing function for populate jobs, etc
+
+function s = key_hash(key)
+  s = dj.internal.hash(key);
+  s = s(1:32);
+end
+
diff --git a/docs-parts/computation/06-distributed-computing_jobs_by_key.rst b/docs-parts/computation/06-distributed-computing_jobs_by_key.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9240bbe9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs-parts/computation/06-distributed-computing_jobs_by_key.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+
+This can be done by using `dj.internal.hash` to convert the key as follows:
+
+.. code-block:: matlab
+
+    > job_key = struct('table_name', 'Lab.SessionAnalysis', ...
+                       'key_hash', dj.key_hash(key));
+    > Lab.Jobs() & job_key
+
+
+    ans = 
+
+
+    Object Lab.Jobs
+
+     :: the job reservation table for +Lab ::
+
+              TABLE_NAME                         KEY_HASH                     status       error_message      user        host          pid        connection_id           timestamp              key        error_stack
+        _______________________    ____________________________________    ____________    _____________    ________    _________    __________    _____________    _______________________    __________    ___________
+
+        {'Lab.SessionAnalysis'}    {'jA9sN_5PvusWwmznLGcAZbTn5pGtba-z'}    {'error'}     {0×0 char}      {'datajoint@localhost'}    {'localhost'}    6.5356e+05        1919         {'2021-01-22 23:50:07'}    {'=BLOB='}    {'=BLOB='} 
+
+    1 tuples (0.127 s)
+
+    > del(Lab.Jobs() & job_key;
+
+    > Lab.Jobs() & job_key
+
+    ans = 
+
+
+    Object Lab.Jobs
+
+     :: the job reservation table for +Lab ::
+
+    0 tuples (0.0309 s)
+
diff --git a/tests/test_schemas/+Lab/SessionAnalysis.m b/tests/test_schemas/+Lab/SessionAnalysis.m
index 258f35fa..ed386c42 100644
--- a/tests/test_schemas/+Lab/SessionAnalysis.m
+++ b/tests/test_schemas/+Lab/SessionAnalysis.m
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function makeTuples(self,key)
             r = sprintf('connection_id = %d', c.serverId);
 
             j = fetch(Lab.Jobs() & r, '*');
-
+            
             if isempty(j)
                 key.session_analysis = key.session_id;
             else