Electronic Lab Notebook - FAQ

The electronic lab book facilitates the documentation of experiments, since digitally presented results, can be integrated directly into the records. Projects can be shared with colleagues, or be worked on alone. By means of a full-text search, filter and the possibility of indexing, it is easy to find related entries, even years after the actual experiments. For recurring workflows, templates can be created to save time in documenting the results.

The offer is directed at all interested work groups and individual users in the BIH, Charité and MDC.

The BIH QUEST Center for Responsible Research at the BIH has opted for labfolder, the browser-based, electronic laborbuch software from Labforward GmbH. For general information about Labfolder, visit https://www.labfolder.com.

Interested work groups can apply here for access to the Electronic Laboratory Book.
Single user accesses can be created here. Further information on registration and the difference between group and individual user access can be found here.

Current information on training courses can be found here

No, using the electronic lab notebook at the BIH is free of charges for the workgroups.

No, the use of labfolder - including training and support - is only an offer. The use of paper lab books is also possible as well as the use of other electronic lab notebook solutions as long as they meet the requirements of Good Scientific Practice (GCP), the corresponding DIN ISO regulations and the 21CFR11 of the FDA.

No, the electronic lab book can only be used to document the results of laboratory research. Personal data cannot be recorded here. An extension of the existing regulation is currently under consideration.

labfolder, is run on BIH's own servers. Their availability is well over 99%. Research data will never leave this protected area. The data is kept on redundant storages which are saved daily. Access to the data is only possible for registered users. Within the eln, each workgroup has its own, closed area, in which projects can be shared with individual group members or the whole group. The creator of the respective project decides for which projects this should be the case.

As with the paper lab books, the data belong to the institution at which the researcher is employed.

The entries and all files can be exported at any time. The XHTML formats PDF are available for this purpose.

Not so far, however, interfaces are conceivable and planned. For further questions concerning LIMS, please contact the IT department at BIH.