As we work to continuously bring you new and improved features and functionality, we set aside one week each year to focus on adding as many detailed improvements to the platform as possible. There are 20 updates to share with you this year in addition to the features in our monthly product release notes.
Notebook
Benchling Notebook helps users log their experiments, create protocols, and capture results against their samples.
Paste Special
Users can now Paste Special when right-clicking in a table.
Created new table formula TEXTJOIN ()
Users can leverage the TEXTJOIN function on tables to combine text from multiple ranges and/or strings. TEXTJOIN allows users to reference a range of single entity-link cells in other structured tables, adding them all to a single multi-link field.
API filter for in progress Entries
Users can now filter for in progress entries using the API reviewStatus parameter.
API filter for Author ID
Users can now filter entries by authorIds in the API.
“Add from Worklist” for Plate and Box Creation Tables
Users can now select “Add from Worklist” when creating plate and box creation tables.
“Export Audit Logs” in Notebook Information tab
Users will now be able to export audit logs when clicking on the Notebook information tab.
Molecular Biology
Benchling’s Molecular Biology application is a cutting edge in silico design tool that supports the latest scientific workflows.
Gaps permitted in consensus alignments
When generating a consensus sequence, users will now get a result that appropriately weights gaps.
Condensed oligo import flows
Users can now import both RNA and DNA oligos from the same import menu.
Updated wording on text modal after Bulk Assembly
After completing a Bulk Assembly, the modal now reads Create New Assembly instead of Repeat Assembly.
Bulk Assembly option in the status bar
Users can now navigate to both Assembly and Bulk Assembly from the status bar.
Set from Selection updated to display as a drop-down menu
Set from Selection now displays as a drop-down menu when creating primers.
Species name clean-up
When searching for a species' codon frequency table, expected and polished syntax for genus and species names displays.
Increased capability of finding trace data of existing sequences
We now have more robust capabilities to find an existing trace. We can find traces even when the sequence has been used as a template before.
Better help text when deleting bases
When deleting bases on sequence maps, an explanatory tooltip displays.
CRISPR genome additions
Academic users can now access more CRISPR genomes.
Virtual digests now available as .png files
Users can now download and copy virtual digests as .png files.
Casing of natural analog base is preserved when changing base monomer
When changing a base monomer, the platform now respects the casing of the original base.
New selection menu to add modifications to a range of nucleotides
Users can now directly access the Edit Monomer modal by highlighting and right-clicking a range of bases and selecting Add Modifications. Previously, users needed to navigate to the nucleotides tab to select the nucleotide positions for modification.
Lab Automation
Benchling for Lab Automation enables seamless integration of Benchling to liquid handlers, plate readers, imaging instruments, and more.
Add items to worklists from Lab Auto results table
Users can now add items in schema field columns to worklists from a Lab Auto results table.
A01 well format supported in WELL_COORDINATES lookup steps
Two-digit alphanumeric (A01) formatting is now supported in WELL_COORDINATES lookup steps.
Run schema tab titles display when editing a run schema
Run schema names now display as tabs when editing a run schema via the UI.
Access Management
Suspending Benchling Admins
Tenant admins can now suspend Benchling admins.
Username character limit increased to 30 characters
Benchling usernames can now have up to 30 characters.
Capability for adding organization admins
Users can now add an organization admin after the organization capabilities are assigned.
User details display in overflow menu
Users now have more visibility on user-level permissions by accessing View user details in the Tenant Admin Console overflow menu.
Application Core
Update “Add to Worklist” default
In the Add to Worklist modal, objects are now added to a new worklist by default. Previously, objects were added to an existing worklist by default.