Transitioning to a Modern ELN
The article discusses how modern Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs), exemplified by Dotmatics ELN, have evolved beyond simple digitization to support cross-disciplinary R&D teams in pharma and materials science by integrating diverse data, streamlining workflows, enabling advanced searchable and shareable data access, and facilitating faster, collaborative innovation throughout the make-test-decide cycle.
A lot has changed in the 30 years since ELNs came onto the scene.
R&D is rapidly evolving. In pharma, for example, small molecule domination has given way to new therapeutic types, with chemical modification of biologics increasingly common and unique delivery systems increasingly vital. In chemicals and materials, researchers must innovate while also shortening product-development lifecycles and meeting regulatory demands. Now more than ever, cross-discipline teams need to efficiently work together with skyrocketing volumes of disparate data.
As R&D evolves, so should your expectations of your ELN. It’s not just about digitizing lab notes and protecting IP anymore. It’s about helping teams streamline workflows, make sense of their data, build off of each other’s discoveries, and work together to innovate. This is where a lot of ELNs struggle. Narrow-scope ELNs cannot meet the demands of today’s cross-discipline research. Broad solutions oftentimes fail to support user’s unique scientific workflows. Dotmatics ELN is different. As a hub to Dotmatics’ rich collection of integrated R&D solutions, Dotmatics ELN provides all users working across the make-test-decide innovation cycle with quick access to the data and tools they need to make better decisions, faster.
Why Consider an Electronic Notebook
Compared to paper notebooks, ELNs are:
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Searchable – Forget flipping through physical notebooks looking for the data you need. Dotmatics ELN unites all data into a master data source that you can search using multiple parameters, in whatever way best suits you. So, chemists can search by structure, biologists by sequence, managers by scientist, API, etc. You can view data on the fly, export tables and charts, and more. With Dotmatics ELN the scientific project data you need are truly at your fingertips.
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Sharable – Say goodbye to copying, scanning, uploading, and emailing. Dotmatics ELN unites all your organization’s scientific data in one collaborative ELN. Researchers can share results, comments, and insights. But fear not. You can finetune user permissions to ensure your projects and data are only accessible to those who have been granted proper rights.
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Securable – Want security without cabinets and locks? Dotmatics ELN lets you control user access to different data sets and functionality, and you can assign aliases and project codes when working with CROs. Behind the scenes, there is encrypted data transfer on a secure, dedicated AWS instance, or you can securely host on-site.
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Repeatable – Ensure all your experiments are repeatable. Dotmatics ELN can be set up to warn users if key experimental details haven’t been entered. You can also create a library of reusable protocol templates to standardize the detailed steps of highly-structured experiments or capture the varied steps of ad hoc experiments. Safety and regulatory reminders can be built into templates to be sure important considerations are not forgotten.
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Verifiable – Stop chasing down signatures. Dotmatics ELN lets you record all experiments with a full audit trail and set up signing and countersigning workflows.
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Portable – Stop lugging around notebooks. Dotmatics ELN keeps digital records of all your experiments. Access your work anywhere, anytime. You just need an internet connection.
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Archivable – Free time to innovate by eliminating the need for manual record backups. Dotmatics ELN feeds all your scientific project data into a secure, backed-up archive.
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Inheritable – Keep projects going even after team members move on. With Dotmatics ELN, people may say goodbye, but project data remain forever.
Migrating to an ELN
Change can be hard—even after you’ve found the perfect solution. Dotmatics can help. We can work with you to develop a phased rollout plan. Many customers love this approach because it means:
- no feedback frenzy for internal managers
- no flurry of requests for custom ELN templates, screens, or reports
- no flood of IT support requests
- no overwhelming super-users with appeals for help
You don’t need to rip your researchers’ current paper notebooks or ELNs out of their hands. You can gradually shift. Rollout to a few groups at a time. Get their feedback. Reassess and readjust. Forge ahead.
Dotmatics can work with you to explore all your migration concerns, including:
- end-user requirements
- permission controls
- workflow support
- data migrations
- technical compatibilities
- language and location issues
- compliance regulations
- whatever else is a priority for you
Next Steps
Contact us today to see how Dotmatics' ELN and additional solutions can help you realize the benefits of a modern system.
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