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SPECIFICTION
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LabID

labintegrateddata.org

Free plan WebAPISelf-hosted
Visit labintegrateddata.org
Spec score 7.8 #9 of 28 in Life Sciences Software

What it is

LabID is a platform for research teams to manage lab inventory, electronic lab notes, research data, and metadata. Teams can track and share consumables, equipment, storage locations, and specialized inventory types. Its notebook supports formatted notes with tables and pictures, plus links to protocols and lab items, attachments, comments, and sharing. Notes can be timestamped using RFC 3161-compliant digital timestamps and exported as PDF or static HTML.

For data management, LabID registers raw and derived datasets, records assay metadata, and connects datasets to their originating samples and specimens. Teams can register, version, and share workflows from Git, WorkflowHub, or Galaxy, then track runs and provenance. Integrations include Galaxy, WorkflowHub, Git, S3 storage, and LibreOffice document editing. A CLI and API support automated ingestion and custom data-registration clients. Organizations can self-host LabID and customize inventory models, vocabularies, workflows, and integrations. The free, open-source deployment costs nothing. The EMBL installation is only available under VPN; users outside EMBL can deploy their own instance.

Spec sheet

Purpose
LabID is a platform for research teams to manage lab inventory, research data and metadata, and electronic lab notes.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Intended users
The documentation describes LabID as designed for scientists and research groups managing lab inventory, notes, and datasets.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.labintegrateddata.org
Deployment
Organizations can deploy LabID on their own infrastructure and customize inventory models, vocabularies, workflows, and integrations.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Integrations
The site describes integrations with Galaxy, WorkflowHub, Git, S3 storage, and LibreOffice document editing.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Support
The team directs users to its Slack community and provides the contact email [email protected] for questions and support requests.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Headquarters
Heidelberg, GermanyRead 28 Sep 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Access controls
LabID permissions let users keep items private or share them with individuals, groups, and collaborators.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
API and automation
LabID provides a CLI and API for automated data and metadata ingestion and custom data-registration clients.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
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.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.labintegrateddata.org
Data export
The site says inventory can be exported as structured spreadsheets and ELN notes as PDFs or static HTML.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Data management
LabID registers raw and derived datasets, captures assay metadata, and links datasets to originating samples and specimens.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Electronic lab notebook
The ELN supports formatted notes with tables and pictures, links to protocols and lab items, attachments, comments, and sharing.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Inventory
Users can track and share consumables, equipment, and storage locations, and add specialized inventory types.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Timestamping
The ELN page describes RFC 3161 compliant digital timestamping for notes to protect intellectual property.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org
Workflow management
Users can register, version, and share workflows from Git, WorkflowHub, or Galaxy and track workflow runs and provenance.Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org

Plans and prices

Free and open-source Free Self-hosted deployment on your own infrastructure Read 7 Oct 2026 · labintegrateddata.org

Every LabID plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Tracks consumables, equipment, and storage locations.
  • Links datasets to originating samples and specimens.
  • Supports workflow versioning and run provenance.
  • Offers API access and structured spreadsheet exports.
  • ELN notes support RFC 3161 digital timestamping.

Limits

  • The EMBL installation is unavailable externally.
  • Self-hosting requires an organization's own infrastructure.
  • No audit trail is listed.

Who it suits

LabID suits scientists and research groups that need to manage inventory, notes, datasets, and workflows. It may fit organizations able to deploy and customize software on their own infrastructure.

Verdict

LabID brings inventory, ELN, dataset, and workflow management into one research platform, with self-hosting and customization options. Teams outside EMBL need to deploy their own instance to use it.

Where Specifiction places it

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