IDBS E-WorkBook vs openBIS
IDBS E-WorkBook
idbs.comopenBIS
openbis.chSide by side
| Figure | IDBS E-WorkBook | openBIS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 0 |
| Spec score · Electronic Lab Notebook Software | 7.8 (#12) | 7.4 (#18) |
| Deployment | IDBS describes E-WorkBook as available in cloud and on-premise deployments. | The documentation lists standalone and Docker system documentation, and the site says binary releases are available for download. |
| Intended users | IDBS describes E-WorkBook as having a long history with top pharmaceutical companies and other large companies in adjacent sectors. | The openRDM.swiss service based on openBIS is aimed at experimental research groups in Swiss universities or research institutes. |
| Inventory | The inventory capability tracks equipment and raw material use across experiments. | It tracks lab materials and samples and lets users create experimental procedures to share with lab members. |
| Support | IDBS customer support operates 24×5, from 11:30 AEST Monday through 17:00 PST Friday, according to its support page. | SIS describes its email support for openBIS as “best effort.” |
In their own words
IDBS E-WorkBook
IDBS E-WorkBook combines electronic lab notebook, laboratory execution system and LIMS capabilities for research and development. Its ELN captures experimental data and supports searching structured and unstructured content, tagging, comments, dashboards and collaboration on experiments and projects. Version control, audit trails and multi-step digital signatures support compliance workflows; IDBS states that the offering is 21 CFR Part 11 and GxP compliant. The Chemistry module supports compound and reaction drawing, reagent lookup, amount calculations, product registration and compound or substructure searches. Instrument Reader can capture measurements from networked lab equipment directly into the notebook, while inventory tracking records equipment and raw material use across experiments. The product supports cloud and on-premise deployments, with browser access and APIs for connecting systems and instruments. E-WorkBook Request is a managed SaaS environment with a guaranteed 99% uptime and a REST API. IDBS says its cloud is built on Amazon Web Services and identifies ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 management systems, as well as SOC 1, SOC 2 and SOC 3 data-center certifications. Pricing is available on request.
openBIS
openBIS combines research data management, a digital lab notebook, and sample and protocol management. Researchers can connect data of any size and format to experiments through its web interface or API. The notebook links experiments with materials, samples, and protocols in the inventory, where teams can track lab materials and create experimental procedures to share with lab members.
BigDataLink provides a git-like way to link large datasets across locations while openBIS serves as the metadata repository. The system supports Excel import and export, and lab notebooks and inventory folders can be exported to Excel and PDF. User profiles and access privileges govern access, and database modifications are tracked. Plugins can extend existing functions or add new ones. Jupyter notebooks can be used with openBIS, and its APIs can connect workflow managers for cluster analysis.