E-LabNotebook 3 Feature Reference
A complete list of features organized by category.
Organizing Work
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Projects & Folders | Organize all experimental work in hierarchical projects and folders. Supports unlimited nesting depth. |
| Drag & Drop | Move items and subfolders between folders by dragging and dropping to reorganize project structure. |
| Search | Full-text search across all projects for item names, note contents, and data values. |
| Archive | Archive completed projects to keep your workspace clean while retaining full access. |
| Tags | Add custom tags to items for flexible cross-project categorization and retrieval. |
| Cross-project Links | Create links between items in different projects to establish relationships between experiments. |
Working with Items
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Item Types | Three specialized item types: Procedures for experimental protocols, Actions for individual operation steps, Specimens for sample information. |
| Templates | Create new items from predefined templates to ensure team members follow standardized workflows. |
| File Attachment | Attach files of any type to items. Files are stored on the local filesystem or a WebDAV server. |
| Notes | Add rich-text notes to items to record experimental observations, results, and comments. |
| Values | Add structured key-value data with support for multiple data types (numbers, text, dates, etc.) and custom units. |
| Export / Import | Export items to a portable format and import them into other databases. |
Previewing Files
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| In-place Preview | Preview attached files directly within ELN3 without opening external applications. Supports images, text, and common scientific data formats. |
| Auto Thumbnails | Automatically generate thumbnails for attached image files for quick browsing. |
| Configurable Scope | Configure which file types have preview enabled and how previews are displayed. |
Protocols & Compliance
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Protocol Forms | Define custom protocol forms with required fields, default values, and validation rules. Ensure researchers record data following standard procedures. |
| Review Workflow | Items go through a submit, review, approve workflow. Reviewers can approve or return items. |
| Electronic Signatures | 21 CFR Part 11 compliant electronic signatures. Signing requires password authentication; signature records include timestamp and signing intent. |
| Integrity Verification | Verify the integrity of signed items to detect any unauthorized modifications after signing. |
Data Analysis
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Scatter Plot | Create scatter plots from item data values with linear regression analysis to help identify data trends. |
| Unit Converter | Built-in unit conversion tool supporting conversion between common scientific units. |
| CSV Export | Export data values to CSV format for further processing in Excel or other analysis tools. |
Administration
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| User Management | Administrators can create and manage user accounts, set roles and permissions. |
| Template Management | Create and manage item templates, define standardized data capture formats and workflows. |
| Equipment Registry | Maintain a lab equipment registry and associate items with the equipment used. |
| Value Types | Define custom value types (e.g., temperature, pressure, thickness) with units and validation rules. |
| Audit Log | Complete audit log recording all user actions with timestamps, user information, and action details. |