How To Choose the Right ELN Vendor for Your Lab

Because Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) software is a foundational tool for modern labs, selecting the best ELN vendor is just as important as choosing the right feature set. ELN softwares come with a wide variety of capabilities to evaluate, all geared toward documenting, organizing, and sharing research data. The steps below will guide you through choosing the best ELN vendor for your lab’s unique needs.

1. Before Finding ELN Vendors, Assess Your Lab’s Needs

Define your lab’s pain points: The right ELN vendor will offer a solution that aligns closely with your lab’s actual needs. Reflect on the challenges your lab faces and the goals you want to achieve. Consider ELN benefit categories like organization, consistency, process adherence, and scalability.

Prioritize the ELN features You Need

• Templates: Pre-constructed forms for common experiments or protocols.
• Data Handling: Capability to include images, graphs, and other multimedia elements.
• Search Functionality: Ability to quickly find specific entries using keywords, tags, or filters.
• Access and Collaboration: Support for multiple users and remote access.
• Security: Data integrity, version control, and secure access permissions.

Make sure your chosen vendor not only offers these features but actively supports them through regular updates and clear documentation. Discuss your requirements with your team to ensure all perspectives are considered.

 

2. Consider Vendor Types and Business Models

As you evaluate ELN providers, think critically about the type of vendor you want to work with:

• Startup ELN Vendors: Innovative and flexible, but sometimes lack stability or extensive support.
• Established Vendors: Provide infrastructure, long-term partnership, and reliability.
• Niche Vendors: Offer domain-specific solutions (e.g., a biotech ELN for biologics research).

Choosing the right vendor type helps ensure alignment with your lab’s growth and specialization.

 

3. Begin Your ELN Vendor Search

Kickstart your search using the following strategies:

• Check online: Explore ELN vendors online, and check whether their offerings align with recognized professional standards in your field—for example, ISBER for biobanking or FAIR data principles for general lab informatics.
• Seek Peer Recommendations: Ask trusted colleagues which vendors they’ve used and why.
• Consult Professional Organizations: Many publish reviews, buyer’s guides, or vendor comparisons.

Track how well each solution matches your priorities and the level of support they offer.

 

4. How to Evaluate an ELN Vendor

Selecting a reliable ELN vendor means evaluating more than just their product’s feature set. Consider:

• Vendor Reputation: Research the vendor’s history, customer base, and testimonials.
• Product Updates: Do they release updates regularly and communicate improvements?
• Customer Support: Look for onboarding, training, and troubleshooting support.
• Scalability: Can the vendor support your lab as it grows?

Key questions to ask vendors:

• How do you incorporate customer feedback?
• What’s on your development roadmap?
• Do you support integrations with our current tools?
• Can you share references from similar labs?

Watch for red flags: lack of documentation, infrequent updates, unclear pricing, or poor communication.

 

5. Request Demos from Your Shortlisted ELN Vendors

Once you’ve narrowed down your vendor list, request demos and trials. Include all key stakeholders—researchers, IT staff, lab managers—in the demo process. Gather their input and test using your actual workflows.

Evaluate the software on:

• Usability: Is the interface intuitive and efficient?
• Performance: Does the software run smoothly with your data?
• Compatibility: Can it integrate with your current systems?
• Support: Is the vendor helpful and responsive during the trial?

Hands-on evaluation will help you confidently choose the right ELN vendor.

 

LabKey: A Trusted ELN Vendor

LabKey is more than just an ELN provider—we’re a collaborative partner committed to helping your lab thrive. Our ELN software is integrated with several existing software solutions, providing just the right level of connected data management for your organization. Our user-friendly electronic lab notebook supports secure documentation, seamless integration with assay data and sample management, and scalable workflows.

Take a Tour of LabKey ELN →

Explore our tools and discover why labs trust LabKey as their ELN vendor of choice.