--- title: "Electronic lab notebook: experiments, protocols and e-signatures" description: "Record experiments, reuse versioned protocols and collect e-signatures in Biocompile's electronic lab notebook, with every approval step kept in the audit log." url: https://www.biocompile.com/docs/electronic-lab-notebook/ section: "Projects and assistant" last_updated: 2026-10-23 --- # Electronic lab notebook: experiments, protocols and e-signatures > Record experiments, reuse versioned protocols and collect e-signatures in Biocompile's electronic lab notebook, with every approval step kept in the audit log. Source: https://www.biocompile.com/docs/electronic-lab-notebook/. Index of all Biocompile documentation: https://www.biocompile.com/docs/index.md Biocompile's electronic lab notebook is built from experiments and protocols that live on a project. You record steps and lab notes in an experiment, reuse a protocol as a method, and send records for review and e-signature. Every approval step is written to the organization's audit log. ## Experiments An experiment records what you did to test one or more hypotheses. When you create one, you fill in these fields: - **Experiment Name**, which must be unique. Otherwise Biocompile shows "Experiment name already exists". - A description of what the experiment is about and what you want to achieve. - **Tests Hypotheses**, to link the hypotheses the experiment will test. - **Predecessor Experiments**, to chain this experiment to the ones it depends on. Choose **Create Experiment** to save it. If the experiment already exists in the project, choose **Link existing experiment instead**. An experiment has one of five statuses: Planned, In Progress, Completed, Failed or Cancelled. The **Steps & Notes** tab holds the work itself. Add a step as an **Action** or a **Note**, describe it, and record observations, results and deviations in its **Lab Notes**. Mark a step **Critical** or **Optional**, and duplicate a step from its options menu. **Summary Notes** document the overall methodology. The **Experiment Chain** lists what the experiment depends on and what requires it. Completed experiments keep their record intact. Their banner reads "Completed. Structure is frozen." Checkboxes, deviation notes, lab notes and parameter values stay editable. ## Protocols A protocol is a reusable procedure that you write once and load into experiments. Create one with **Create Protocol**, give it a **Protocol Name** such as PCR Amplification or Western Blot, and describe its purpose and procedure. A protocol is a Draft until you publish it, then it is Published. A published protocol shows "Published (v" followed by its version number, and its content is frozen. To change it, choose **New Version**. Biocompile creates a new draft version and keeps the earlier ones under the **Versions** tab. A new version shows the protocol it was derived from. To use a protocol in an experiment, choose **Load Protocol**, search for it and choose **Import Protocol**. Result: Biocompile shows "Protocol imported", and all steps and actions are copied into the experiment as a method. ## Review and e-signature Records that need approval go through the approval policy of your organization. The policy is a list of steps, and each step names who may sign it: any organization member, a team member, a team leader, an organization admin, or a team leader or admin. A team can override the organization default under **Approval Policy** in its settings. To send a record for approval, choose **Submit for Review**, then assign one person to each step as Reviewer or Approver. You cannot assign yourself, and each step needs a different person. When a step is assigned to you, the record tells you that action is needed. Choose **Sign Off**, enter your password in the **Sign Document** dialog and choose **Sign**. Choose **Reject** to open **Request Changes**, explain what needs to be fixed and confirm. The author then updates the record and chooses **Re-submit**. Until the last step is signed, the submitter can choose **Withdraw**. After the final signature, the record shows "This document has been approved and is now locked." A signed record keeps reference names as they appeared at signing. Comments stay informal discussion and are not part of the approved record. ## Audit trail The audit log records member, team, invite, settings and approval events for the organization. Open the organization's **Audit Log**, or choose **View Full Audit Log** to page through 50 events at a time. The columns are Time, Actor, Action, Target and Details. Filter by event type, or by a **From** and **To** date, and choose **Clear** to reset the filters. The approval events are: - Approval Submitted, Approval Resubmitted and Approval Withdrawn. - Approval Signed, Approval Approved and Approval Rejected. - Approval Reset, Entity Locked and Signature Failed. ## Limitations | What is limited | The limit | What to do instead | | --- | --- | --- | | Structure of a completed experiment | Frozen | Edit checkboxes, notes and parameter values, or create a new experiment | | Content of a published protocol | Frozen | Choose **New Version** | | Content of an approved record | Locked | Make a controlled change through a new submission | | Audit history on some plans | Shows a limited number of recent days | The log then shows a "Limited history" notice with the number of days | ## Troubleshooting ### "Experiment name already exists" Another experiment in the project uses that name. Choose a different **Experiment Name**, or choose **Link existing experiment instead**. ### "You cannot assign yourself as a reviewer or approver." The person who submits a record cannot sign it. Assign each step to a colleague. ### "Each step must be assigned to a different person." Two steps have the same assignee. Give every step its own Reviewer or Approver. ### "Incorrect password. Please try again." Signing needs the password of your own account. Enter it again in the **Sign Document** dialog. ### "No approval policy applies to this entity type." Your organization has no approval steps for this kind of record, so there is nothing to submit. An organization admin adds steps to the approval policy. ## Common questions ### Does Biocompile support electronic signatures on lab records? Yes. Each approval step is signed by a named person who confirms with their account password, and the signed record is locked. Biocompile writes each submission, signature, rejection and withdrawal to the audit log. ### Can I reuse a protocol in several experiments? Yes. Load the protocol into an experiment with **Load Protocol**, and its steps and actions are copied in. Publishing a protocol freezes that version, and **New Version** starts the next draft. ### Can I still edit an experiment after it is completed? Partly. The structure is frozen, but checkboxes, deviation notes, lab notes and parameter values remain editable. ## Related - [Research projects: hypotheses, evidence and decisions](https://www.biocompile.com/docs/projects.md) - [Research reports: save cited findings and build on them](https://www.biocompile.com/docs/research-reports.md) - [Organization members: invitations, roles and teams](https://www.biocompile.com/docs/organization-members.md) ## Get access to Biocompile Biocompile is used in the browser at https://app.biocompile.com. It is free to start and no payment method is required: sign up at https://app.biocompile.com/signup?mc_cta=docs-md&mc_path=/docs/electronic-lab-notebook.md. If your team already uses Biocompile, ask an organization admin to invite you. Research teams that want hands-on setup can apply for the founder-led pilot at https://www.biocompile.com/pilot/. Questions: https://www.biocompile.com/contact/.