Labguru offers a range of elements designed to help you store and manage data in a structured and organized manner across your account. Each element is optimized to handle and present different types of data.

This article will guide you through the various elements that can be added to protocols, experiments, and requests, explaining how to leverage them to enhance the functionality of both Labguru's Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).

Unless noted otherwise, all elements can be created within any of these areas: protocol, experiment, or request.

To add an element, go to the toolbar of each section and select from the displayed options or the 'More' menu.

The text element is the most basic functionality in Labguru. In this you can add freeform text, add images, embed movies, tables, etc.

You can also annotate images you enter into this element by clicking on the image. This will only change the displayed image, while the original can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.

The spreadsheet element of the ELN offers basic Excel functions and exclusive advanced options. In this element you can create functions, graphs, sort and filter your data. Each spreadsheet element is also available to be exported as a CSV file.

You can attach any type of files to a section. Just click on the clipboard icon on the top left corner of the section, and you'll be able to drag, or choose the file/s in the popup.

You can make the attached files visible within the section using the option "add to page" (available for images, PDF, Excel, Powerpoint and HTML files) or select to download or delete them. ​

Now the files attached can also be edited locally, click here to learn more.

The steps element allows to document a sequence of actions that needs to be to be done and track your progress.

You can also recreate previously saved versions of this element by clicking on the 'Versions' hyperlink located at the top right of the element.

The form element in Labguru is an excellent tool for creating documentation, organizing and aggregating data, and generating reports. By incorporating a form element within a protocol, you can design a tailored form with specific input fields that restrict data entry to certain types, such as text, numbers, dates, inventory items, and lab members, among others.

This structured framework ensures consistency, allowing users conducting experiments based on this template to aggregate and compare results across different runs effectively.

Use the sketch element to create freehand illustrations and interactive experiment notes

Adding samples to your work is a great way to link between your inventory and your experiments. In the sample element you can efficiently document what you're using interactively, without opening cabinets and storage units. Using this element will allow you to keep an accurate record of your used and unused samples in real time.

When in a protocol - the sample element will provide you with the general information about your items (collection, manufacturer, etc.), while in an experiment you can choose exactly which stock (storage location, quantity available, lot number, etc.) and how much of it you're using.

Utilize this element to document and book instruments from your 'Equipment' list. You can select an instrument from the existing list or add a new one. To book a time slot, use the instrument calendar located on the right. Additionally, you can monitor each instrument's maintenance status through the icons displayed next to the instrument name.

At the protocol level, you can define a type that allows for a filtered selection within experiments, ensuring only relevant options appear in the list.

You can add an individual compounds chemical structures and/or reaction schemes directly into your protocol experiment using Ketcher, Labguru's integrated Chemical editing tool. Using this tool you can draw or import the structure of each molecule, describe a reaction, and use the added stoichiometric table to get a yield calculation based on the reactants and product quantities (volume or weight) and the mole ratio of the reaction.

The plate element is most effective when you place it in the same section as your Samples element. This will allow populating the wells from the list of samples you've already added to the experiment.

Each well can hold annotations, be marked as a control, and you can even set Add also free text annotations to well without samples.

Keep tack of the code you create in Labguru! You can add the code element and have easy access to your code, the results and any additional aspects of your work within a single experiment page.