ELN templates

SUMMARY:

ELN templates are a great way of speeding up and streamlining the layout and format of your experiment pages.

There is already a default template but follow the below steps to create a custom template for ELN:-

1.Create a custom field

2. Create a page template

3. Applying the template to the page

1. Create custom fields

• To customize ELN pages and ELN pages templates, users can first create custom fields.
• Go to  ELN ADD-ON -> ADMIN -> TEMPLATE -> MANAGE CUSTOM FIELDS
  

  NOTE : Superadmin and PI (Personal Investigator) can add custom fields along with the PI. If there is no PI  defined, no other user-level (except superadmin) can add custom fields.

• 1. Add the name to the field
• 2. Define the type of the field. This means that if you want your custom field inside the page template to be a
  – A free text (where you can write what you require)
  – A checkbox (to mark the step complete)
  – A select list (multiple options to select) 
  – A date field; (to add the date)
  – A link field (where you can link the record from LabCollector) 
  – A grid field (where you can create a table). The grid field type allows the creation of a two-column table that you can fill with values of your choice.
• 3. You can select if your custom field is a mandatory option for a user to fill or not. This function ensures that the required information must be completed. To help your colleagues to understand the data requirements, use the help text section.
• 4. Help text will allow you to explain to a user a bit about the custom field.
• 5. You can select the length of words you can write in the field.
• Once you are done you can click on “Add Custom field”.
• Your custom field will then be visible above under the pool of fields title.
  *If a template page in ELN is using the custom field then it will appear under the “template using it” section.
  

• In case you select the field type as a “select list” or “checkbox” then you can click on the option to add the value list. For example, like below for the PCR master mix we added:
  *To add the value write in the empty box and click on “Update values” option, this will save you each created value.
  

• In a similar way you can create as many customs fields as it will be required in your page template.

2. Create a page template

• To create a template for a page go to ELN ADD-ON -> ADMIN -> TEMPLATE -> VIEW / EDIT TEMPLATE.
• To add a new template click on
• You will see the below page
  (*We have already filled the option for an RTPCR experiment after a siRNA knockdown.)
  

• 1. You can add the name of the template required.
  2. You can add the category for the template page. For example, a particular experiment can require various sub-experiments and you can put them all in one category. This will help you to find your template faster while assigning the pages with the template. To create a category go to  ELN ADD-ON -> ADMIN -> TEMPLATE -> VIEW / EDIT TEMPLATE.
  – Then click on the categories option:
  
  – Write the name of the category and click on the “Update values” option.
  *The categories being used will show a “lock” icon meaning that they cannot be deleted. Categories that are not in use can be deleted with the “garbage bin” icon.
  
  
  
• 3. Here you can add the template description if you wish.
• 4. Here you can add the page content that will be by default present when you assign a page to the template.
  * The option allows you to perform a backup of your ELN page and download the backup of the page.
• 5. You can select what options you need in your template.
  – For example, like the excel sheet or diagram designer option, associated files to attach any file (pdf, word, etc) that you require.
  – *You can also select the pre-made template for the excel sheets (Spreadsheet data and the Flat spreadsheet).
  – Here you can add pre-made graphs so that you can just change values depending upon the experiment.
  – This way all your data across your ELN with be homogenous and standardized.
• 6. Here you can add the custom fields that you made in section 1 above.
  – From the drop-down list, you will be able to see the list of custom fields.
  – You can select the custom field that you require and click on “+Add” option.
• 7. This option will allow you to tailor the access rights of the page template. 
  – You can share your template with all ELN users or with some groups or with the same users.
  * the groups are created in LabCollector and they can be used in ELN add-on.
  *You can create a group and define its access settings in LABCOLLECTOR HOMEPAGE -> ADMIN -> MANAGE GROUP POLICIES
  *You can then add users to the pre-defined group by going to LABCOLLECTOR HOMEPAGE -> ADMIN -> MANAGE USERS -> ACTIVE USERS LISTS -> GROUP POLICY
• 8. Once you finish creating/editing the template click on the “Submit” option.
• You will be redirected to the template page where you will be able to see your template library and search the template by using options like category or name or user, etc.
• The first template in the list is the default template, by default, it is a blank template with the page options enabled, you can change this by editing this template.
• On the same page, you also have the versioning information for each template under the “Version” section.
• You will be able to see the actions that you can perform on your template:
  –
• A. Here you can view the template.
• B. Here you can edit the template.
• C. here you can duplicate the template.
• D. here you can archive the template. 
  *Remember you cannot delete the template you can only archive them.

3. Applying the template to the page

• To apply the template to a page, choose or create the book /project and experiment that you need.
• When you do so, the “Add new experiment pop-up will ask you to choose the workflow template.
  For example. like below:-
  
• 1. You can choose the page template from here according to the category.
• 2. You can give a name to the page.
• 3. You can select an icon for your page if you require it.
• 4. You can define tags to make it easier to search the page in the future.
• 5. Once you are done, click on the submit option.
• Your page will have the template you selected.
  

• You will be able to see the custom field that you created in section 1 where when you click on edit you can edit the field.
  – As the field type was grid you will be able to add rows below the defined grid heading (buffer, dNTPs, etc) and add the values as required.
  *We have already added some values in the above image just to show an example.

Related topics:

• Read our manual on LabCollector.
• Check our KB on ELN workflow.
• Read more on how to create book, experiment & page
• Read more on how LabCollector interface looks like.