Labstep makes creating and running protocols easy. You can add interactive elements and run your protocol in real time in just a few clicks. Keep reading to learn how.

Creating a new protocol:

1. Click on 'New Protocol' (from the workspace overview or Protocol Library)

2. Click on 'Untitled Protocol' to rename it

3. Enter the name of your choice

Labstep team tip: You can copy-paste text, tables and images from another document directly into the protocol entry!

Labstep team tip: If you don't want any collaborators to edit your protocol, you can create a new version of it which will lock the 'Version #1' and prevent anyone from modifying it (including you). You can add a description for the new version. Please note, every time a new version is created, the previous one will be locked. You can keep track of the versions by clicking on 'Activity' or 'Version #x - Latest'

Drafting a Protocol:

If you need to update a protocol but want to prevent people from using this version until it's ready, you can keep it in "Draft" mode until it's ready to use and change to live mode. Please note that only someone with the appropriate permissions can set a protocol live.

Managing collaborators:

1. Click on the person icon 👤+ , located right next to yours to add collaborators

2. Click on the search bar with the field 'Search for users to assign'

3. Select which member you wish to assign the protocol to

4. From there, you can assign/unassign yourself or others

5. Click on 'Done' or the cross ✖ once you've finished

Labstep team tip: As the creator of the protocol, you are not automatically assigned to it. You can choose to assign it to yourself or others. The person(s) assigned to the protocol will be in charge of running it.

Editing a protocol:

Interactive steps

1. Select the text you wish to wrap

2. Click on the checkmark icon (✓)

3. The selected text is now an interactive step of your protocol!

Labstep team tip: Labstep recognises bullet/numbered lists as steps. You can click once on the tick icon, and it will wrap each bullet point as an individual step automatically.

Labstep team tip: To unwrap a step, click on the cross ✖ at the top right-hand corner of the chosen step

Linking Inventory fields to the inventory:

1. Highlight a product/substance to link; a pop-up will appear

2. Click on 'Inventory'

3. Select the resource, add in the amount and unit

4. Click on 'Done'

Labstep team tip: You can add an Inventory field by typing /, or reference one by typing @ . To link it to a resource, simply select the resource of your choice, then click on 'Done', it will be linked to it automatically.

Labstep team tip: You can add additional data in 'Advanced Settings' such as 'Input/Output', 'Lineage', Variable and 'Category'.

Adding a timer:

1. Navigate to the right-hand side menu

2. Click on 'Timers'

3. Click on 'Add Timer'

4. Add a name and fill in the appropriate time field(s)

5. Drag the timer to your desired location within your protocol entry, you can add it multiple times throughout the protocol

Labstep team tip: Click on the timer to edit it accordingly. To delete it, navigate to 'Timers', then click on the vertical ellipsis ⋮ next to your timer's name and click on 'Delete'.

Adding other elements:

- Type / , to add in a 'Step', 'Table', 'Inventory', 'Data', 'Timer', 'File', 'Image', 'Link' or 'Code Snippet'

- Type @ , to reference an existing 'Inventory', 'Data', 'Timer', 'Step' or 'Table' (In this protocol), or click 'Add new Inventory' to create a new one. You can also add an Inventory present in the Workspace but not in the Protocol (In this Workspace)

- Click on the vertical ellipsis ⋮ to add tags to your protocol.

- Click on 'Data' to add in files such as tables or images

- Once you've used the protocol in an experiment, you'll be able to see which experiment the protocol is linked to in 'Linked Experiments'

- Click on 'Notes' to add and view notes from yourself and your collaborators

Labstep team tip: You can check all the changes that occurred within a protocol by clicking on 'Activity'.

Running a protocol:

1. Navigate to the Protocol library

2. Click on 'Start'

3. Click on the check mark icon to mark a step as completed

4. Click on the timer (if you have one), and click on the play icon ▶ to start it

5. Once you've completed all the steps, and you've filled in all the necessary steps, click on 'Mark as Complete'

Labstep team tip: You can find the protocol you've just run in your Experiments library under the name "Run of [Protocol's name]".

You can also run a protocol from an Experiment by clicking on the 'Protocols' tab, and then clicking on 'Start' next to the desired protocol.

Enabling the completion checklist:

1. Click on the gear icon on the left-hand sidebar menu

2. Click on 'Experiments'

3. Tick the box next to 'Completion Checklist'

Labstep team tip: The completion checklist helps you to make sure you have forgotten anything while conducting your experiment or running your protocol by highlighting missing data fields and incomplete steps.

Still need help?

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