Microsoft Office for the Web

  • Updated

LabArchives integrates with Microsoft Office for the Web, allowing you to create, view, and edit Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files directly in your Notebook. This integration provides a convenient way to manage experimental data, lab protocols, and presentations without leaving the LabArchives platform. A full revision history is also supported allowing you to keep track of edits and revert to earlier versions of the documents if necessary. 

Editing in Office for the web is supported for Word files up 100 MB, for Excel files up 25MB, and for Powerpoint files up to 300 MB. Older file types like .doc, .xls, and .ppt can be viewed in LabArchives but cannot be edited using Office for the Web.  If you're using LabArchives at a non-academic site, you may be prompted to log in to an Office 365 account before editing or viewing documents.

Office documents can be added to a notebook through the Attachment feature or by using the Office Document Entry. The Attachment entry is preferred for working with existing documents, whereas using the Office Document entry let's you create a new Office Document directly in LabArchives. Visit the Attachments entry article for additional information on uploading Attachments to a notebook.

Adding and Managing Office Documents

To create a new Word, Excel or Powerpoint file in LabArchives, select Office Document from the +New Add Entry menu or the Favorites menu. 

Office_Document_Location.png

Choose the document type (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint), enter a name, and click Create your Office Document.

Create_Office_Document.png

Tip: Name files with a clear description, date, initials, and grant or project number—for example, Progress_Report_2025-05-29_JD_GR12345.docx—to keep them organized and easy to track and locate using LabArchives' search features.

Your new document will open in a separate browser tab using Microsoft Office for the Web. Changes are automatically saved. Simply close the tab when you’re done—your updates will be reflected in LabArchives and part of the revisions history. Anyone with edit access to the entry will be able to contribute to the document. 

Excel_Microsoft_Office_for_Web.png

Once the document is created and saved, it will appear as an entry in your notebook. The Office Document tool tray will include the ability to View (eye icon), Download, and Edit (document icon). 

Microsoft_Office_for_the_Web_attachment_options.png

Editing Office documents directly in LabArchives may not be supported on Android or iOS devices using Office for the Web.

Note: While Office for the Web supports most features, it may not handle complex formatting, formulas, or charts. For full functionality, use the Microsoft Office Plugin to open and edit documents in the desktop version of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. Changes will automatically sync back to LabArchives. Learn more at Microsoft Office Plugin for Windows or Microsoft Office Plugin for Mac.