With general entry templates, users can modify any part of an entry created from a template. However, this can be an issue in compliant lab settings where defined procedures can’t be modified. Fill-in templates solve this by enabling admins to lock templates to ensure users can only fill in data to stay compliant.
Getting started
To ensure the feature is enabled on your tenant, contact a Benchling representative.
Fill-in template user capabilities
In fill-in only entries, users can:
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Attach files into upload placeholders
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Check checkboxes
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Fill in table data
Users can’t add, modify, or delete any other part of the template.
Creating fill-in templates
You can create fill-in templates when creating a new template or from existing templates.
Create a new fill-in template
To make a new template fill-in only, check Fill-in only in the Create template modal. For steps, visit Creating entry templates and template collections.
Make existing templates fill-in only
You can set existing templates as fill-in only in the template header. From the drop-down menu next to the gear icon in the top-right corner, select Fill-in only.
Lock a column
To display table columns as read-only in an entry created from a template and prevent users from modifying its content, you can lock table columns.
To lock a table column:
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In the template, click v at the top of the column you want locked.
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Select Lock column.
In the Column Header Context menu, you can also:
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Delete column
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Unlock column (if locked)
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Insert column left
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Insert column right
Insert a text box
You can add text boxes to templates enabling users to enter free text directly in an entry and format their text. With text boxes, users can capture observation notes and summaries, @-mention users, link entities, and more.
To insert a text box into a template, select Text box from the Insert menu in the entry header.