FAQ
Q: I use several different instruments. How can I bring the results into iLabber?
A: Data files up to 1MB can be added to an attached file section. To display the results in an experiment, copy and paste from your instrument application into an image section. Many instruments can output to a pdf file. These can be added to a pdf section.
Q: Can I import spectra into iLabber?
A: See the above answer
Q: Can iLabber calculate reaction related data from a drawn reaction?
A: In the Reaction Section, iLabber can calculate molecular weights of a drawn reaction and then uses these to calculate quantities in the stoichiometric table. You will need to have a premium account for this functionality.
Q: What does Submit mean?
A: Submitting an experiment or part of an experiment means that the submitted sections are locked and cannot be altered any more. An experiment can be submitted at any point during editing. The experiment can be submitted in its entirety, or from the top to a selected section.
Remember that there is no close experiment functionality in iLabber. New sections can always be added after any given time. New findings can be added to the original experiment or can be entered as a new experiment with a related experiment link to the earlier work.
Q: What does Countersign mean?
A: Countersigning an experiment certifies that you have read and understood the experiment. This adds to the validity of the experiment by corroborating the content and the date of submission.
Q: How does iLabber help me keep track of my experiments?
A:Your experiments are automatically sorted by date and project. You can link experiments using the related experiments section. You can also add keywords to help find experiments and you can free text search all the text in experiments.
Q: What does iLabber bring me as a Chemist?
A: Using iLabber can save a lot of time. Importing structures and automatic stoichiometry tables save time in synthesis planning. The cloning of experiments and the copying of sections saves considerable time when repeating work or performing similar work.
The optional chemical structure searching adds even more power to iLabber.
Q: What does iLabber bring me as a Biologist?
A: iLabber makes it easy to store Excel spreadsheets and images in your experiments. The in-line image annotation tools provide a quick and easy way to annotate images and this text is searchable too. The screen capture tool offers a quick way of bringing in data from other applications and instruments (or use copy/paste).
Q: What does iLabber bring me as a Technician?
A: The supervisor technician workflow is much easier in iLabber. One user can plan an experiment and a second user can then clone this experiment to fill in the details and results. Both scientists have full access to the experiments all the time.
You save time entering the plans into your notebook and you don’t have to worry about your supervisor borrowing your notebook.
Q: How does sharing of experiments work?
A: Sharing an experiment allows one or more of your colleagues to add sections to your experiments. Each user can only edit their own sections.
Q: Is it possible to have more than one scientist per experiment?
A: Yes by using the Share Experiment function.
Q: Is there a limitation to the number of contributors to an experiment?
A: Only by the number of users who are members of the experiment project.
Q: Do I need to have specific software on my computer to see the data?
A: Any data displayed in an experiment is visible without special software. Specific software is required to open attached files (file attachment section).
Q: Can I send experiments to friends who are not part of the iLabber community?
A: Yes you can email a pdf version of the experiment using the Email Experiment function (Filemenu).
Q: Is iLabber ConturELN? Please clarify.
A: iLabber is based on the core functionality of ConturELN but has been adapted to work for smaller user groups with a medium speed connection between the client and server. Since the iLabber servers are located at Contur, they cannot link to other in-house databases and systems in the same way as ConturELN can.
Q: How can iLabber save valuable lab time for me and my colleagues?
A: iLabber can save time in many ways. The search function saves time looking for information. The clone function saves time when repeating work as does ‘My Sections’.
iLabber is far easier and quicker compared to printing and taping images, Excel sheets etc into a lab notebook.
Users will also learn how templates can be used to save time.
Data can be copied directly into reports.
Q: Can I share an experiment with a colleague that also is an iLabber user?
A: Yes, as long you both are part of the same work group you can use the Share Experiment function.
