Electronic lab notebook for

DZNE scientists

General information

What are the benefits of using an electronic lab notebook?

Integrate all your data directly into your records
Search and filter through full texts to find entries
Customize entries by dragging and dropping different elements
Collaborate with colleagues
Create templates and protocols for recurring workflows
Set up multiple databases to organize laboratory materials
Securely encrypted via SSL and backed up regularly
Signature workflows enable witnessing processes and full compliance
To see a full list of features, click here.

Request a demo

DZNE central installation

Labfolder can be used on the central installation provided by the DZNE, where all of your data will be securely stored locally. The use of Labfolder at DZNE on an individual basis is voluntary (group leaders can strongly encourage but not require its use). For any groups within which there is use of paper laboratory notebooks, the DZNE internal rule on paper lab notebooks still applies (“DZNE Standards for Recording and Archiving Research Data on Paper Format”).

Notes

  • Currently Labfolder is only available to DZNE users (with DZNE email addresses)!
  • To access Labfolder, you must be connected to the DZNE network (cable/WLAN/VPN)!

 

Settings on the DZNE Labfolder installation

    • All software licence costs are paid centrally, not from the group budget.
    • Access to Labfolder is done through the DZNE network or VPN (no cloud storage).
    • The Labfolder groups will be started by the Research Group Leaders and each research group = 1 Labfolder group.
    • Currently LabFolder is only available to DZNE users (with DZNE email addresses).
    • Upload limit is 25 Mb/file. Labfolder is not a data repository and raw data need to be saved at the DZNE server.
    • Dropbox and Figshare are not activated. The DZNE has the Nextcloud platform, a safe internal system, to share files.
    • Deletion of any content is prevented (there is the option to hide).
    • Research group leaders should check that the creation of private projects is prevented!

    Please contact the DZNE Project Team labfolder@dzne.de for more information

  • Labfolder White Papers

    Our white papers section provides important information on compliance regulations and guidelines that are typically implemented in laboratories and how Labfolder helps you to comply to these.

    Go to white papers

How to get access

Use Labfolder with your entire group

Labfolder groups are started by the DZNE Research Group Leaders, who are responsible for organizing the notebook structure. Invite your group members to join and assign them initial access/administrative rights to become users of the shared Labfolder projects.

Research Group Leaders who wish to start Labfolder use, please complete the following form:


We would highly recommend to schedule a:

  • Kick-off session for research group leaders (and admin.) to get a better understanding of your needs and how to organise projects and teams.
  • Labfolder Training for all members of the lab to introduce all functionalities and so enabling you to start using the ELN efficiently.
  • Labregister Training for all members of the lab to introduce the built-in inventory system.

 

Adjust the Labfolder group settings

Once your group is set up, we kindly ask you to double check that all group settings are appropriately set. This includes by default that no content can be deleted. Additionally you should prevent users to work in private projects and you can choose to allow people to be part of multiple subgroups.

  1. Go to Manage > Groups and select you Labfolder group.
  2. Navigate to the Admin group settings on the right hand side.
  3. Make sure that you Prevent Private Projects to ensure that all content is generated in the group space of Labfolder.

 

 

Invite your colleagues

Once the group structure is set up, administrators can invite team members. Users do not need to have their own account at the time of an invitation. They will receive an email with instructions on how to register and/or join a group.

After joining your group you can use your electronic laboratory notebook to collaborate with your colleagues in real-time. They will be able to add their own entries to common projects, create a shared repository of protocols, comment on your data to speed up troubleshooting, and even assign and receive tasks to improve lab efficiency.

To invite your colleagues, please follow the steps below:

    1. Go to Manage > Groups
    2. Select the Group where you want to invite Members.

    1. Click the + Add button and select Invite user. Please note: If the User is already a part of the Group and you would like to move them into a Subgroup then rather drag and drop the user between Subgroups instead.
    2. Enter their email address and click Ok!

Join your group

If you were invited to join a Labfolder group, an invitation will be sent to your email address. To accept this group invitation, you can click on the Accept Invitation button in the middle of the email to create your account or simply login with your existing login credentials. Then follow these simple steps:

 

    1. Open the email titled Join your Labfolder team! from system@labfolder.com. Click on the Join the team! button in the middle of the message. The link to the registration page will be opened in a new tab.
    2. Login with your existing credentials. If you don’t have an account yet, simply create one using the button provided.Then when signed in, navigate to MANAGE > Groups.

    1. Click on Invitation pending on the top panel.
    2. The admin who invited you and the group that you will join is stated in the dropdown window. Also, a warning will display if the admin of the group prevents private projects. Confirm by clicking the Join Group button.

Self-training materials

Self-training materials to set up your ELN for success

To get yourself acquainted with Labfolder, we recommend that you take a look at our guide. Here, you will find step-by-step explanations and animations demonstrating how to use each feature.

Go to guide

Our website also provides a helpdesk where you can find frequently asked questions. Questions are sorted by topics, but you can also use the search bar at the top of the page to find them.

Go to helpdesk

YouTube Tutorials

Here you can find our two video tutorial series for Labfolder and Labregister. In these videos, you learn everything you need to know to get started with our electronic lab notebook and our inventory management system.


Here is a short video to get you started with Labfolder’s exclusive Signature Workflows app which offers the right tools to streamline complex processes for verifying entries within collaborative projects.


Schedule an online training

Your Labfolder Success Manager

Hi, I am Katharina. As the DZNE success manager I am supporting you with the optimal implementation of Labfolder by consulting you in individual introductory calls and providing you with training sessions.
Before joining Labforward, I worked in various biochemical as well as biotechnological laboratories. Starting out working with traditional notebooks before using ELNs myself, I am convinced that ELNs are the future for modern labs as they make daily work and collaboration so much easier.

Katharina Marx

Click on one of the links below to schedule a kick-off session (to get a better understanding of your specific needs) or an online training workshop for your team

Schedule a Kick-off session    Schedule an online Training Workshop

In case you have any specific questions or requests, you can contact me via katharina.marx@labforward.io.

 

Offered types of training

 

🔵 Labfolder Training: Learn about all ELN functionalities

Are you ready to begin the journey of optimizing your data, improving collaboration, effortlessly complying with laboratory standards, and generally making life in the lab easier? Then schedule a Labfolder training session to set up your ELN for success.

This training session consists of two parts:

  • a 30 minute admin training to explain all admin functionalities of the Labfolder ELN, including the management of Labfolder groups and projects
  • a 60 minute user training to get a full introduction to all ELN functionalities, enabling you to use Labfolder efficiently 

 

During this interactive training session you will be able to ask any questions you might have regarding your ELN!

 

🟢 Labregister Training: Learn how to benefit from our built-in inventory system

Every researcher works with a number of materials, such as antibodies, chemicals or plasmids. You may even wish to catalogue devices that are used in your laboratory.

Using this built-in inventory system allows you to categorize your inventory lists and manage access rights appropriately. Additionally, you will be able to link your inventory items in your lab notes which can help you to increase traceability and reproducibility of your experiments. 

Interested in managing your inventory with Labregister? Then book this session.

 

🟡 Signature Workflows Training: Learn about the Digital Signature App

Data integrity and compliance  are among the most important topics in scientific research today. With this in mind we believe that an ELN must play a central role. Our app, Signature Workflows, streamlines the process of signing and verifying entries within collaborative projects. This is especially beneficial if you have to follow complex validation processes.

Would you like to learn more about the benefits and how to set up Signature Workflows? Then this session is the right one for you to book.

 

🔴 Q&A Session

Usually, explaining all available features or going through tutorials is a great way to get started with a new software. But sometimes the really difficult questions arise only once you have actually started using your ELN. Do not hesitate to reach out to us via the support button in the ELN. Or collect all questions that you (and your entire team) have and book a dedicated Q&A.

Stay informed

Labforward Live Webinars

Our team again has carefully chosen and prepared a new round of webinars. With these live sessions, you will get the opportunity to learn more about the various aspects of Laboratory 4.0

Go to Webinars

Latest Server Updates

To keep yourself up to date on any server updates, such as the functionalities that have been added to Labfolder and which bugs were fixed, please take a look at our server release notes.

Release notes

Roadmap Updates

Follow our most recent roadmap updates for all Labforward products here.

Roadmap updates

Contact

Labfolder’s Support Team

Labfolder’s support team is entirely composed of former scientists, understanding the struggles in the laboratory. We are happy to help you with any questions you may have about using our ELN. In order to quickly address any problems you are experiencing, we would kindly ask you to send a short description together with some screenshots to feedback@labfolder.com.

We are also the right people to contact if you have any suggestions for features that you think are missing in Labfolder. Again, please explain want functionality you are looking for and what you are trying to achieve with this.

 

Your DZNE IT and Scientific Strategy Office

With a local installation of Labfolder’s ELN, please refer any questions about the group registration, how data is stored locally or general IT issues to your DZNE Project Team in the IT and Scientific Strategy Office. Here, you can also request to arrange an on-site training, if needed.

Please send an email to labfolder@dzne.de.

DZNE FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Our website provides a helpdesk where you can find frequently asked questions. Questions are sorted by topics, but you can also use the search bar at the top of the page to find them.

Go to helpdesk

 

Other DZNE users have asked

How can I manage collaborative projects with other research groups?

Traditionally, research findings are recorded by the scientist in their own personal paper books. This however does not reflect on the collaborative efforts of a research team on a certain topic, nor does it provide a sustainable way for long-term research documentation. One important advantage that Labfolder’s electronic lab notebook offers is a flexible structure supporting collaborations within the DZNE, according to your needs.
To start collaborative work, please follow these guidelines: Collaboration in Labfolder

 

Can I reorganize entries, projects, templates or folders?

In Labfolder your research data is entered in the form of Entries. Each entry belongs to a specific Project, which resembles a notebook. If several projects work on the same topic you can organize them in Folders, making it easy to get a better structure your entire research.
Users are able to create folders at any point of time and rearrange projects using the drag&drop functionality. However, as each entry is uniquely associated to a project, users are not able to move entries across projects.
In Labfolder it is only possible to hide an entry in a ‘source’ project and create a copy in the ‘destination’ project. This however means that you will have duplicate information in the ELN. In the course of this action, it is obvious that any links created to the ‘source’ entry will continue to lead there, while the created copy received a new entry ID which has not been linked yet.

 

Is there a common pool of protocols or templates (PCR, cloning, transfection, etc) that I can benefit from?

Labfolder aims to provide a seamless integration of your existing protocols through the Upload + Extract of Word files. These can then easily be shared inside your Labfolder group, for everyone to access.
At this point, we do not have a common pool of protocols which could be shared across different research teams. We do acknowledge your request for this type of protocol sharing, however it is unlikely that this will be realized in the near future.

 

Copy/pasting destroyed my original formatting!

Labfolder provides a text and table editor similar, but not 100% identical to Word or Excel. Sometimes, in the transition to the Labfolder formattings can appear different or ‘destroyed’. We recommend to use plain format, which will be compatible with Labfolder. If you spot such a format incompatibility, please send a short description and a screenshot of the before and after to our support team (feedback@labfolder.com).
We are only able to work on formatting issues, if we know exactly what you are referring to and we are happy about your assistance on this to continuously improve our product.

 

Can I access the DZNE Server from outside the DZNE?

In general, a DZNE user must have the VPN Desktop Client app installed on their computer (DZNE IT would help with this). The VPN connection instructions are available on the DZNE intranet.