Signals Notebook: Managing Experiment Templates

Effective management of experiment templates in Signals Notebook includes copying, printing, and deleting templates as needed. This article explains how to perform these management actions to help administrators maintain an organized template library that meets their organization's evolving needs.

Solution:

Template Management Options

The Actions button in the upper-right corner of the Experiment Templates window provides three key management functions:

• Create a copy of an experiment template
• Print the template content to PDF format
• Delete templates that are no longer needed

Copying an Experiment Template

Creating a copy of an existing template allows you to use it as a starting point for new templates without modifying the original.

1. Navigate to the experiment template you wish to copy
2. Click the Actions button in the upper-right corner
3. Select the "Copy" option
4. In the Copy Experiment System Template window that appears:
   • Optionally rename the template copy
   • Enter a description if desired
   • Choose one of the following options:
     • Check "Copy Entire Template" to duplicate all content and settings
     • Uncheck "Copy Entire Template" and select specific items to copy
5. Click the "Copy System Template" button

The system will create a duplicate template with your selected content and settings.

Printing an Experiment Template to PDF

Exporting templates to PDF format allows you to access template information outside of Signals Notebook and share it with users who may not have direct system access.

1. Navigate to your experiment template
2. Click the Actions button in the upper-right corner
3. Select "Print to PDF" option
4. In the Print to PDF dialog, configure the following output options:
   • Content Options:
     • Output per page headers: Adds headers to all pages
     • Output per page footers: Adds footers to all pages
     • Embed documents as attachments: Includes attachments in the PDF
     • Include related experiments: Adds relationship information
     • Include comments: Includes comments from experiment and element levels
     • Include history: Adds the experiment's history to the document
   • Media Options: Set sheet size properties
5. Click the "Print to PDF" button

The system will generate a PDF document with your selected content and formatting options.

Trashing an Experiment Template

When templates are no longer needed, they can be removed from the active template library.

1. Navigate to your experiment template
2. Click the Actions button in the upper-right corner
3. Select the "Trash" option
4. Confirm the action by clicking the "Trash" button in the confirmation message

Important Notes About Trashing Templates:

• The template is initially moved to a trash state
• You can restore a recently trashed template by clicking the Actions button and selecting "Restore"
• Once you navigate away from the trashed template, it cannot be restored and will be permanently deleted
• Exercise caution when trashing templates, especially those that may be in use across the organization

Best Practices for Template Management

1. Regular Audits: Periodically review your template library to identify obsolete or redundant templates
2. Version Control: Consider including version information in template names or descriptions
3. Documentation: Export important templates to PDF for documentation and backup purposes
4. Testing: Test copied templates before making them available to users
5. Communication: Inform users when templates are being retired or replaced

By effectively managing experiment templates, organizations can maintain a streamlined, relevant template library that supports scientific workflows while reducing clutter and confusion.