LabLynx ELabELN Solution Platform
Publisher: John Jones
ELabELN is a cloud-hosted, browser-based electronic lab notebook and general laboratory data management platform, built from the ground up by researchers, for researchers. It replaces paper notebooks and disconnected spreadsheets with a single, searchable, fully audited digital environment where experiments, protocols…
Every experiment starts from a template and captures protocols with required fields, status management, operator attribution, timeline-linked steps, linked resources, file attachments, and electronic signatures — replacing the paper notebook with something searchable and audit-ready.
- Time-stamped and version-controlled entries preserve original data while allowing iterative updates
- Rich text editor supports formatting, embedded images, tables, code blocks, and LaTeX equations
- Custom metadata fields of multiple types track exactly the data your protocol requires
- Color-coded categorization for fast visual recognition of entry type
- Entries can be linked directly to the resources — instruments, reagents, personnel — used in the work
- Locked protocol steps in validated templates cannot be skipped, reordered, or modified
Because ELabELN is web-based, there is nothing to install, and every entry is time-stamped at the server rather than the client — closing the door on the two most common sources of paper-notebook disputes: illegible handwriting and back-dated entries.
A growing library of experiment and resource templates gives every lab a starting point — material testing, microbiology testing, inventory, equipment, customers, personnel, storage locations, standard operating procedures, and more.
- Templates standardize recurring procedures, reducing time spent on repetitive documentation
- Consistency across team members and experiments improves reproducibility of results
- Templates can be built directly from existing SOPs or test protocols
- Supported field types include text, radio buttons, dropdowns, date/time, and linked resources
- Multi-step workflows can be captured as a single reusable template
An academic lab might template a qPCR protocol for student reproducibility; a manufacturing QA lab might template an incoming-material inspection; a forensic lab might template chain-of-custody intake. Same engine, different starting points.
The Resources panel tracks persistent entities: consumables, long-term assets, instruments, freezers, fridges, cabinets, staff, suppliers, clients, and subcontracted labs — with no limit on entries and no constraint on how you organize categories.
- Hierarchical inventory: storage location → container → unit
- View contents by location, or trace every experiment that used a given resource
- Resource categories are fully customizable to match a lab's unique needs
- Resources link directly to experiments — a run template can pull in current instrument calibration status automatically
| Resource Type | Example Use |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Calibration status pulled automatically into linked experiment templates |
| Consumables & Reagent Lots | Lot-level traceability into every experiment where the lot was used |
| Storage Locations | Hierarchical tracking from location down to individual container |
| Personnel / Suppliers / Clients | Organizational entities managed alongside physical inventory |
The built-in Scheduler supports calendar-view booking of instruments and resources, drag-and-drop scheduling, and maintenance or calibration schedule management, so the whole lab can see what's booked and what's due.
- Any resource can be scheduled on the calendar to streamline workflow execution
- Drag-and-drop rescheduling reduces friction when priorities shift
- Maintenance and calibration schedules surface upcoming and overdue service dates
- Kiosk-style, touchscreen check-in/check-out lets floor technicians book or sign a tool in or out without full ELN access
A microfabrication lab uses an Android touchscreen kiosk mounted next to a mask aligner so technicians can sign the instrument in and out between runs without needing a full ELN login.
ELabELN implements electronic signatures at three levels of increasing cryptographic strength, backed by an immutable audit trail that operates at the field, body-text, and access-event level.
Password-confirmed re-authentication at the exact moment of signing, capturing full name, server-side timestamp, and a mandatory meaning field.
Ed25519 public-key signing of a SHA-256 hash of the record content — any later alteration fails independent verification.
An independent, accredited Timestamp Authority issues a court-admissible token proving the record existed at that exact moment. Blockchain timestamping is also available.
- Field-level changelog captures original value, new value, timestamp, and user for every structured field change
- Body text revision history creates a versioned diff-comparable snapshot on every save
- Entry locking prevents further editing of a completed, signed entry
- Audit trail export available as formatted PDF or bulk ZIP archive for inspection
Entries support WYSIWYG and Markdown editing with headings, tables, lists, code blocks, LaTeX math, inline images, and a draw/sketch canvas — plus typed custom metadata fields for anything a protocol needs to capture.
- Custom metadata field types include text, number, date, checkbox, select, multi-select, radio button, and URL
- LaTeX notation renders inline and display-mode mathematical equations
- Syntax-highlighted code blocks preserve exact computational procedures
- Free-draw annotation tool supports handwritten notes directly within an entry
- Sortable result tables allow column-header click sorting to spot outliers or threshold breaches
LabVia connects ELabELN directly to laboratory instruments — hundreds of instrument profiles are supported for real-time data capture, removing manual transcription and the errors that come with it.
- Direct instrument data import into linked experiment entries
- Real-time data capture reduces transcription lag and manual entry error
- Workflow automation triggers downstream steps as instrument data arrives
- Available as LabVia Hub (on-premises) or LabVia Cloud (hosted orchestration)
LabVia is offered as an add-on application alongside the core ELabELN platform.
Powerful filter and search capabilities, tag-based organization, and instant QR code label generation mean that no entry, sample, or resource is ever more than a few keystrokes or a scan away.
- Full-text and filtered search across experiments, resources, and templates
- Tagging and categorization make retrieval fast regardless of entry volume
- Color-coded categories give at-a-glance recognition of page type
- QR-coded labels can be generated instantly for physical samples, containers, or equipment
Role-based access control (RBAC) is enforced at the user, group, project, and site level, with granular permission assignment and SSO/IAM integration that removes the need for IT support during onboarding.
- Granular permission assignment by system administrators
- SSO/IAM integration supports institutional and enterprise identity providers
- Configurable multi-factor authentication for user accounts
- External collaborator access with project-level sharing — clients see only their own data
LabDrive brings controlled document management to the ELabELN ecosystem — approval workflows, version control, and secure file sharing for the SOPs, protocols, and controlled documents that sit alongside your experiment data.
- Approval workflows route documents for sign-off before they go live
- Version control keeps a clean history of every controlled document revision
- Secure sharing and access permissions match ELabELN's RBAC model
LabVista surfaces the trends hiding inside your experiment and resource data — dashboards, scheduled reports, and configurable alerts that flag issues before they become incidents.
- Configurable dashboards summarize experiment throughput, instrument usage, and resource status
- Scheduled and on-demand reporting for management and quality review
- Alerts can be configured against thresholds relevant to your lab's workflows
A documented RESTful API lets ELabELN connect to LIMS, ERP, and third-party scientific software, while LabLynx's fully managed AWS hosting handles the infrastructure so your team doesn't have to.
- RESTful API for programmatic access to experiments, resources, and metadata
- Native integration path into ELab LIMS within the LabLynx ecosystem
- Fully managed hosting and cloud infrastructure — no local servers to maintain
- LabLynx handles backups, security patching, and user support