LabID
Heidelberg, Germany
What it is
LabID is a platform for research teams managing lab inventory, research data and metadata, and electronic lab notes. It is available on the web, through an API, or as a self-hosted deployment on an organization’s infrastructure. Teams can track consumables, equipment, and storage locations, create specialized inventory types, and control sharing with individuals, groups, or collaborators. Its electronic lab notebook supports formatted notes with tables, pictures, attachments, comments, and links to protocols and lab items. Notes can be exported as PDF or static HTML and receive RFC 3161 compliant digital timestamps. LabID registers raw and derived datasets, captures assay metadata, and connects datasets to samples and specimens. Teams can register, version, and share workflows from Git, WorkflowHub, or Galaxy and track runs and provenance. Integrations include those services, S3 storage, and LibreOffice document editing. A CLI and API support automated data and metadata ingestion; inventory can be exported as structured spreadsheets. The free, open-source platform is customizable, while the EMBL installation is restricted to VPN access.
For and against
For
- Free and open source for self-hosting
- Tracks inventory, datasets, notes, and workflows
- ELN notes support digital timestamping
- API and CLI support automated ingestion
- Inventory exports as structured spreadsheets
Against
- EMBL installation is unavailable externally
- Self-hosting requires an organization’s own infrastructure
The verdict
LabID brings several research-management tasks into one platform, with customization and integration options for teams. Its self-hosting option is relevant to users outside the VPN-restricted EMBL installation.
Who it suits
It suits scientists and research groups that need to organize inventory, lab notes, datasets, and workflow records. Organizations that cannot access the EMBL installation can deploy their own instance.
Plans and prices
Free and open-source
Self-hosted deployment on your own infrastructure
Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
On the record
- Access controls
- LabID permissions let users keep items private or share them with individuals, groups, and collaborators.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- API and automation
- LabID provides a CLI and API for automated data and metadata ingestion and custom data-registration clients.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Availability limit
- The FAQ says the EMBL installation is under VPN and unavailable externally; users outside EMBL can deploy their own free, open-source instance.docs.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Data export
- The site says inventory can be exported as structured spreadsheets and ELN notes as PDFs or static HTML.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Data management
- LabID registers raw and derived datasets, captures assay metadata, and links datasets to originating samples and specimens.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Organizations can deploy LabID on their own infrastructure and customize inventory models, vocabularies, workflows, and integrations.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Electronic lab notebook
- The ELN supports formatted notes with tables and pictures, links to protocols and lab items, attachments, comments, and sharing.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The site describes integrations with Galaxy, WorkflowHub, Git, S3 storage, and LibreOffice document editing.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The documentation describes LabID as designed for scientists and research groups managing lab inventory, notes, and datasets.docs.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Inventory
- Users can track and share consumables, equipment, and storage locations, and add specialized inventory types.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- LabID is a platform for research teams to manage lab inventory, research data and metadata, and electronic lab notes.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The team directs users to its Slack community and provides the contact email [email protected] for questions and support requests.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Timestamping
- The ELN page describes RFC 3161 compliant digital timestamping for notes to protect intellectual property.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
- Workflow management
- Users can register, version, and share workflows from Git, WorkflowHub, or Galaxy and track workflow runs and provenance.labintegrateddata.org · read 7 Oct 2026
