one note as an electronic lab notebook

[GoMommaGo]

I am sure that this has been done before, but I am looking for suggestions on
how to implement OneNote as a secure electronic lab notebook (ELN).
Specifically, it should be able to:

* "lock" pages for editing once a user deems a page complete. This is
essential to ensure that data is not altered at a later date.
* allow peer/manager review, preferably with digital signatures - perhaps in
a separate section that is read only for the notebook owner and read/write
for managers and peers. It should also easily allow managers and peers
ability to see what has changed in a notebook since their last view (this
OneNote feature doesn't seem to work as advertised in a shared notebook.

Currently, we have our trial ELNs stored on an SVN repository with
permissions set for specific sections. We still have not figured out a way
to allow users to LOCK pages for ANY future editing. Our only potential
solution at this point is to run a periodic hash on our entire notebook
database. It is also nearly impossible for managers to determine what has
changed in a notebook since they last looked at it.

While commercial ELNs exist, our engineers prefer the flexible nature of
OneNote - it is more like a whiteboard environment than any other piece of
software out there, which means we have a greater likelihood of documentation
compliance. Of course, its flexibility may also prove its impracticality as
a legally binding notebook.

Anyone?

Thanks,

MaryBeth

 

[Erik Sojka (MVP)]

OneNote by itself is not designed to meet any compliance or legal
requirements in that way. You can possibly play with NTFS permissions to
set a particular Section (*.ONE) file to Read-Only.

There are some options under the View menu which might be able to help with
the "What's new?" question.

 

[GoMommaGo]

Thanks, Erik.

It is just a little frustrating. OneNote does everything we want it to do
in terms of flexibility and ease of use. It just comes up short on tracking
and security.

We have played with the options under the view menu, but they don't seem to
be very stable. Content in my own notebook that I created will randomly show
up as "unread" weeks after I created it. Will play some more.

Thanks for your help! If anyone else has suggestions, I am all ears!

MaryBeth

 

[Alustryl]

We use OneNote as our electronic lab notebook. For security and tracking,
we've found it easiest to simply convert each day's records to pdf, digitally
sign, send to the supervisor for their digital signature, and then store the
signed documents on a secured server. This way, if the notebook were ever
corrupted or lost, the daily reports would still be available. With Adobe
Professional 8, the digital signature will show any changes made after the
document was signed. This way, proof of work and tracking is digitally
encrypted.
Hope this helps.