2022-02-02 Here Is Why You Should Choose Labii ELN Over Labfolder
2022-02-02
Today, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your scientific research and findings are safe and secure. While paper lab notebooks have been an essential part of the scientific community for generations, there’s no question that the digital lab notebook has quickly become the most popular choice among research professionals today. A electronic lab notebook provides an easy-to-use platform for scientists to share their work with other scientists while making sure that they document every step along the way—from conducting the experiment to analyzing the results—in an easy-to-read format that can be accessed by anyone who needs it.
Although paper lab notebooks have been used by researchers and lab technicians for many years, there are clear benefits to using electronic lab notebooks as well. An electronic lab notebooks (ELN) can help you keep records of your experiments and improve your research process, making your lab work more efficient and productive. Plus, it provides added security in case the physical notebook falls into the wrong hands or becomes damaged due to the elements like humidity or water damage. An electronic lab notebook (ELN) is an essential tool for scientists in the lab, giving them faster access to their data and helping them record and share their results with ease. But, that doesn’t mean all ELNs are created equal! From the ELN’s design to the way it interacts with other applications on your computer, there are many factors that determine how useful your electronic lab notebooks will be to you and your team members.
Labfolder (https://www.labfolder.com/) is a cloud-based Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) that enables scientists to optimize their research data management and laboratory processes. Labii ( https://www.labii.com/ ) facilitates research and development by providing a user-friendly, customizable Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to document, manage, and interpret data. Labii ELN & LIMS can be configured for any type of data, and the functions can easily be enhanced and expanded by stand-alone applications. In this article, we will compare the text editor, table editor, image editor, and files manager of the two solutions.
1. Text Editor
Figure 1. Labii text editor.
Figure 2. Labfolder text editor.
One of the major components of an ELN is the text editor, used for capturing the research data in text format. One can tell from a glance that Labii is much more capable when it comes to text editing. Basic text editing functions like formatting, tabular data formation, and bullet points are similar between both editors. Compared to Labfolder, Labii has the advantage of being able to import a wide variety of local documents from the computer. 1) Files of any type can be inserted into notes. One can easily import and edit all local formats (docx, .txt, .md, .csv, .tsv, .xlsx, .jpg, .png, .jpeg, .gif, .bmp). 2) Labii ELN is enhanced with widgets. In order to help you with your scientific research, Labii has created hundreds of widgets. It allows you to perform molecular biology, ELISA data analysis, chemical structure drawing, workflow management, etc. All of these widgets are now natively supported by the Labii ELN. This enables you to document your scientific research in an unlimited number of ways. 3) Increase document efficiency by inserting text from a section or file. When the text data has already been typed somewhere else, there is no reason to retype it. You can insert data from an external file document or a section with the insert text function in seconds. Additionally, text can be exported as pdf and docx. As a result, Labii is the more preferred ELN for text editing. Learn more at https://docs.labii.com/widgets/office/text#ckeditor-classic
2. Table editor
Figure 3. Labii table editor
Figure 4. Labfolder table editor
Table editors are also frequently used in the ELN to document tabular data. The basic functionality of both editors is similar. They both offer formatting options at the top. The toolbars on Labii are more user-friendly, and the icons are larger so it's easier to select the options. Labii stands out in that it provides chart functionality in the toolbar. One of the best features of Labii is its ability to import local file formats (.xlsx, .tsv, .csv). This is not possible with Labfolder. Due to its limitations, it is less desirable. Learn more at https://docs.labii.com/widgets/office/table#spreadjs-table
3. Image editor
Figure 5. Labii image editor.
Figure 6. Labfolder image editor.
A good image editor is also vital in ELN as it can be used to edit the pictures to better annotate the findings. The interface and menu of Labii ELN make it far more preferable than its competitors. Labii comes with many advanced features. The top toolbar is well organized and contains all the icons you need to edit images. The icons are larger for accessibility. Comparatively to Labfolder, it is much more convenient to export and import local formats. Learn more at https://docs.labii.com/widgets/office/drawing
4. Files management
Figure 7. Labii files management.
Figure 8. Labfolder files management
In ELN, file management is also essential. Often, researchers need to add additional files to the experiment record. Labfolder's file element is simplistic and lacks advanced options. Files can only be externally linked. Labii wins here easily due to its sophisticated file widget with multiple advanced options. Labii's Files widget can do the following:
drag and drop
upload multiple files at the same time
display the existing files
preview the column data of a file
preview the content of the file
edit the uploaded file
Format control for changes (also displays one particular version of a file)
Learn more at https://docs.labii.com/widgets/office/file.
Other Labii features
Along with these features, Labii ( https://www.labii.com/ ) offers additional features with the help of widgets. A few worth mentioning are molecular biology suite ( https://docs.labii.com/widgets/biology/plasmid-editor ), chemical structures ( https://docs.labii.com/widgets/chemistry/chemical-drawing ), inventory management, Supplier management, Gantt charts, Expense Tracking and much more. Moreover, Labii is accessible for multiple users at once which makes it a team ELN.
Summary
Labii ( https://www.labii.com/ ) is one of the best ELN launched recently. It clearly stands out in comparison with a traditional ELN, Labfolder. Comparing the four modules of Labfolder with Labii makes it clear that Labii stands out with its advanced features like import and export of local formats and convenient interface. In case, you want to store files in a local computer or use local files, always prefer Labii. It focuses on the accessibility of users as well as on the accuracy of ELN for scientific prosperity.
To know more about Labii, visit https://www.labii.com/electronic-lab-notebook .
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