Download Quick Start Guide for ELN New User at the bottom of the page.
The LabArchives ELN is a digital notebook that makes it simple to record, organize, analyze, and share experiments and data wherever you are. Boost your productivity and data availability by consolidating all of your workflows, methods, and findings onto an accessible, secure, cloud-based platform. We recognize that we have a significant responsibility to protect and secure your data, which is why our application undergoes annual external audits.
Sign up for LabArchives
Create your LabArchives account in a few easy steps.
- Go to one of our regional servers:
- If your institution has enabled Single Sign-On, select from the Sign in through your institution dropdown list.
- If you would like to create a free account, click Sign up for free.
- An Activation Link will be sent to your email. If you do not receive the Activation email, please check your Spam folder.
Create a Notebook
If your account has Notebook creation privileges, a default Notebook will be made for you called My Notebook. Customize this Notebook or create new Notebooks to manage project and research data.
- To make a New Notebook, click the + from the list of Notebooks.
- In the Create New Notebook window, name the Notebook, select a folder layout, and click Create Notebook.
Organize the Notebook
Once the Notebook has been created, it can be organized with a system of folders and pages. Rename, move, or delete the folder structure based on your needs. Organize Notebooks by project, team, researcher, instrument, or create a standardized folder structure for multiple Notebooks.
- To create a new folder or page, click + New in the Notebook Navigator.
- All folders and pages can be moved using drag and drop.
- Right click (Ctrl + Click for Macs) on the folder or page name for options like renaming, deleting the item, or duplicating a folder or a page. If a page or folder is deleted, it can be retrieved from the Deleted Items folder.
- Subfolders can also be created within other folders to better organize your information.
Add Data to the Notebook
If you are a Notebook member with edit access, you will have the ability to add data to pages in the Notebook using various entry types. To create an entry, select from the Add Entry toolbar at the top right of each page. The + New option reveals additional entry types.
To place an entry between two existing entries, move the cursor between the two entries and select from the insert toolbar.
Rich Text
The Rich Text entry is the most common entry type in LabArchives and allows for text formatting such as font style, color and sizing. You can also add tables, embed images, videos and links.
Attachments
Any file format can be uploaded to LabArchives. Recognized file formats will display a thumbnail.
To add an Attachment, select Attachment from the Add Entry toolbar or drag and drop the file.
Microsoft Office Documents can be edited within LabArchives using Microsoft Office for the web.
Images like .jpg, .gif, .png can be annotated with the Image Annotator.
Widgets
Widgets allow users to extend the capabilities of LabArchives. Create data collection forms, templates, and even custom programs that operate within the Notebooks.
Select Widget from the Add Entry toolbar and choose from a list of default Widgets to add as an entry to the page.
The Widget Manager can be used to create custom Widgets. Navigate to the triple-dot menu, Widgets, and then Widget Manager.
The Widget Manager is only available to Enterprise and Professional Edition users.
Working with Entries
Hover over an entry to reveal the Entry Toolbar.
Edit Entries
To edit an entry, click the Pencil icon. When you finish editing your entry, click Save to page.
Tagging
Tagging allows you to add metadata to your Notebook and can be used to create a controlled vocabulary to help classify your data and improve searching. Click the More menu and select Tags.
Linking
Links can be added to point to a web address or to another page or entry in the Notebook.
Using Version when this link was created, you can link to an entry in its current state. Click the More menu and select Links.
Commenting
To communicate with members of the Notebook, add a comment to an entry through the Comment icon. To alert a specific user, use @mentions. Mentioned users will receive an email notification and an Activity Feed notification.
Review Past Versions
LabArchives stores every version of each entry and page that you make. Each revision is stored with an exact date and time stamp of when the entry was changed. You can always revert to a previous version of the data or undelete an item. To view the history for a single entry, visit the entry toolbar. To view the complete page history, select Page Tools and View revisions.
Share Data in LabArchives
One of the most helpful features of LabArchives is its ability to share data. You can share data with individuals in your lab or with external collaborators. Sharing is limited to Notebook Owners, Notebook Administrators, and Account Administrators.
Share a Notebook, Folder, Page or a Single Entry
To share a Notebook, folder, or page, right click (Ctrl + Click for Macs) on the name of the item and click Share.
On the Invite People tab, type in the email address of the user and assign their level of access as either To Edit or To View and click Send.
User Management
To manage all users with access to a Notebook, click the triple-dot menu from the Notebook, select Notebook Settings, then the User Management tab.
To add a new User to the Notebook, select New User, type in their email address and click Add User. To remove a User from the Notebook, click the Trash Can icon.
Additional Help and Support
Find help through the Information icon and visit the Knowledgebase to browse by support topic, view Video tutorials, or submit a question directly to our Support team.
View the Quick Start Guide on Notebook Setup and Administration for a review of how to add and manage data in the LabArchives Notebook.