Ten simple rules for implementing electronic lab notebooks (ELNs)

An electronic lab notebook (ELN) is a software tool for documenting laboratory experiments, research data, and processes.ELNs are set to replace paper lab notebooks as part of the ongoing digital transformation 1.ELNs offer many benefits over physical lab notebooks.First, ELNs are connected to a networked digital environment 2 through their import and export functions and seamless interfaces to other programmes.ELNs can therefore play a central role in an institution's Research Data Management (RDM) strategy (see definition in S1 Text).Second, ELNs enable researchers to collaborate 3, whether within their own group or with others, through a common medium.Third, ELNs make an important contribution to Good Research Practice (GRP) 4 by facilitating the tracking, tracing, and documentation of research processes and results through time.ELNs also prevent data loss and guarantee data security.Finally, ELNs support the FAIR data principles 5, for example, through the assignment of metadata, tags, and persistent identifiers (PIDs).In order to successfully implement an ELN in your institution, we recommend that you involve staff from different areas (i.e., researchers, professors, lab managers and assistants, IT experts, librarians, and staff council (see definition in S1 Text)) at all stages of product selection and evaluation to achieve the greatest possible consensus.The following 10 rules offer guidance on implementing an ELN in your institution, bearing in mind that each institution may require a solution tailored to its specific needs.We also discuss the benefits of open-source ELNs and the importance of standardisation.