How To Choose the Best Electronic Lab Notebook for Your Lab

Finding the best electronic lab notebook (ELN) to fit your lab’s needs is crucial for modern research. Electronic lab notebooks are designed to replace traditional paper notebooks, offering numerous improvements in reproducibility, traceability, accountability, and organization. ELNs also reduce the risk of data loss due to researcher turnover and enhance collaboration within research teams. 

The critical nature of ELN software makes selecting the best ELN for your laboratory an important task. ELNs often have a variety of features to compare, all designed to document, organize, and share research data. Following these steps can help you sort through the ELN features to find the ones vital to your lab.

 

Contents: 1. Assess Your ELN Needs | 2. Discover What’s Available | 3. Demo the Best Choices

 

1. Assess Your Lab’s Needs and Identify The Best Electronic Lab Notebook Features

The best electronic lab notebook will be the one that fits the actual needs of your lab. Reflect on the specific needs and challenges your lab faces. Consider categories like organization, consistency, process adherence, and scalability. Based on these needs, identify the ELN features that are most important, such as:

• Templates: Pre-constructed forms for common experiments or protocols.
• Data Handling: Capability to include images, graphs, and other multimedia elements.
• Search Functionality: Ability to quickly find specific entries using keywords, tags, or filters.
• Access and Collaboration: Support for multiple users and remote access.
• Security: Data integrity, version control, and secure access permissions.

Take time to document these requirements clearly. Consult with your team to ensure all perspectives are considered, which will help you avoid overlooking critical features.

Different Types of ELNs

There are various types of ELNs, each with different capabilities and costs. Most fall into these three categories:

• Basic Text Editors: Low-cost options like Microsoft Word or OneNote, which offer basic digital documentation without integrated data management. These are suitable for simple note-taking but lack advanced features needed for comprehensive lab management.
• Standalone ELNs: Provide structured data entry, search functionalities, and security features but may require separate systems for data management. They offer a good balance between functionality and cost but might necessitate additional software for complete data integration.
• Integrated ELNs: Combine data capture, storage, and notebook functionalities, offering a centralized solution for data management and analysis. These systems are more sophisticated and often come with higher costs, but they provide seamless integration and enhanced efficiency.

 

2. Begin Your Search

Start looking around for different options available as ELNs. There are various methods to kickstart your search:

• Do some googling: Use search engines to explore the market and identify available ELN options.
• Ask colleagues for recommendations: Seek advice from peers and colleagues who have experience with different ELNs.
• Check with professional organizations: Look for recommendations and reviews from professional organizations related to your field.

As you discover options, keep in mind the importance of aligning the ELN’s features with your lab’s specific needs.

Evaluate Long-Term Viability and Vendor Support

Choosing the right vendor is as important as selecting the right ELN. Consider the following factors:

• Vendor’s Reputation: Research the vendor’s history and read reviews from other users.
• Product Updates: Ensure the vendor regularly updates their software to keep up with technological advances and user needs.
• Customer Support: Look for vendors that offer robust customer support, including training and troubleshooting assistance.
• Scalability: Confirm that the ELN can handle increasing volumes of data and users as your lab grows.

It’s also beneficial to ask vendors about their future development plans and how they handle customer feedback and requests for new features.

 

3. Narrow Down Your Top Choices and Request Demos

Now that you’ve got a good idea of a few potential ELNs, it’s time to pick the best one for your lab. You’ll need to see the software in action through demos and trials to decide if it will really work for you. 

Make sure all relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process. This may include researchers, leads, IT staff, and any team members who will use the ELN. Gather input on their needs and preferences, and compare that to what’s available for software. Once you’ve been able to identify the best fits, reach out and request demos and trial versions to test the software with your data and workflows. 

During the demos, pay attention to:

• Usability: Is the interface user-friendly?
• Performance: Does the software run smoothly and efficiently?
• Compatibility: Does it integrate well with your existing systems and workflows?
• Support: How responsive and helpful is the vendor’s support team during the trial period?

 

LabKey’s Electronic Lab Notebook

Our user-friendly ELN software is designed to help scientists efficiently document their experiments and share their ongoing research. Having a data-connected electronic lab notebook allows labs to seamlessly and securely integrate with sample management, assay data and other registered data while enabling collaboration and efficiency in the organization. Take a tour to see how this powerful tool could help your lab.