A vial retainer system for an automated processing apparatus. The vial retainer system includes a track mounted to the processing apparatus, a rack adapted to slide in a longitudinal direction on the track, and a vial retainer positioned over the rack. The rack is movable in a distal direction to install the rack on the processing apparatus, and in a proximal direction, opposite the distal direction, to remove the rack from the processing apparatus. The rack is adapted to hold one or more vials in an upright orientation. The vial retainer has one or more a sloped surfaces inclined such that a distal end of each sloped surface is closer to the track than a proximal end of each sloped surface.