Data is added to a LabArchives notebook page through an Entry. There are a variety of Entry Types supported including Attachments, Rich Text, Headings, Inventory List, Widgets, and Forms. All Entries in a LabArchives Notebook include a full revision history capturing each edit with the ability to revert to earlier versions of the entry. We recommend you view the Example Notebook Page article to see how you can format an experiment page using a variety of entry types.
Adding Notebook Entries
From the top of each page, the Add Entry + New menu provides access to a list of supported Entry types. The toolbar will also display your frequently used Entry types.
When selecting an Entry type to add to the notebook page, the entry will either go to the top or bottom of the page, depending on your notebook settings. These can be adjusted by the notebook Owner. Learn more about adjusting notebook settings.
After the Entry is placed on the page, you can move it using the Arrow up or Arrow down icons. You can also move it to another page with the Move to page option. View the article on Moving and Rearranging Entries to learn more.
Entries can also be placed in a specific location on the page by using the Insert Entry option. Rather than selecting the Add Entry + New Menu, hover your mouse between existing entries on the page. When the Insert flag appears, click on it to open the Insert Entry toolbar, then choose the Entry type that you would like to add to the page.
Editing and Saving Notebook Entries
A notebook entry can be edited through the Entry Toolbar. Hover over an entry to reveal the toolbar and click the pencil icon, or double-click the entry to begin editing. After editing, click Save to Page to apply your changes. All changes are recorded in the Revision History for both the entry and the page. View Revision History to learn more.
When a notebook member edits an entry on a shared page, the entry is locked to show someone is editing. This collaboration feature supports Rich Text Entries, Plain Text Entries, Headings, Sketches, and Widgets. A message saying Currently being edited by will appear.
The three dots next to a member's name pulse while they're typing. Viewers of the page can see live updates. When the member clicks Save to Page or Cancel, the lock is removed and the entry becomes editable again.
While editing an entry, If a member is inactive for more than 10 minutes, a warning message appears. Edits made up to that point are saved, and the entry is unlocked. LabArchives also saves work automatically after 5 seconds of inactivity.
If the member leaves the page without clicking Save to Page or Cancel, the entry remains locked temporarily. Any edits made will be saved.
Auto-Save
While editing an entry, if a notebook member is inactive for 10 minutes, a warning appears. All edits up to that point are saved and the entry unlocks.
Changes are auto-saved after 5 seconds of inactivity. A spinning icon in the top-left confirms this. The first auto-save creates a new revision labeled automatically saved. Subsequent auto-saves in the same session replace the previous one. Clicking Save to Page replaces the auto-save with a final saved version.
If the member clicks Cancel or navigates away to a different page in the notebook without clicking Save to Page, a warning will appear. Choosing Discard changes permanently deletes the unsaved edits.
If a member exits without clicking Save to Page or Cancel, the entry remains temporarily locked for several minutes, but edits are saved.
If no further edits are made for 10 minutes, a Session Timed Out warning appears. Changes made up to that point are retained.