Abstract: Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) has gained significant attention in recent years due to its capability to directly analyze solid samples under quasi-nondestructive conditions, and to provide in-situ elemental concentration information with a certain spatial resolution. However, quantitative analysis of soft samples by LA-ICP-MS remains a challenge due to elemental fractionation and complex matrix effects. To obtain reliable and comparable results, the corresponding measurement protocol not only requires the use of verified methods, but also the establishment of correct calibration methods based on standards, thus enabling the traceability of measurement results. This paper reviews relevant literature published by domestic and foreign research teams since 2000, and introduces the common measurement strategies of LA-ICP-MS for three different types of soft samples. By summarizing the verification parameters of the five methods, the current situation of quantitative methods is analyzed from three aspects: method precision, accuracy, and representativeness. The paper also highlights the problem of method traceability. The results show that the quantification strategy that matches the matrix and is synchronized with the measurement is more advantageous. However, the lack of a fully matrix-matched certified reference material (CRM) limits the research on sampling representativeness and traceability of measurement results. Therefore, these two aspects will be the key problems to be addressed in the future when using LA-ICP-MS to carry out quantitative analysis methods of soft samples. Although some researchers have conducted studies on the synthesis method of soft standard and the traceability of measurement results by isotope dilution method, there are still several issues that need to be resolved.