📘 Starting a New Experiment Notebook (The Scientific Protocol Guide)

Purpose: This guide details the mandatory steps for all users creating a new Notebook in CERF, ensuring the highest level of data integrity and compliance from Day Zero. This section guides you through selection, parameter definition, and initial setup.

✅ Pre-Creation Prerequisites & Authorization

• Administrator Policy Check: Before beginning, verify that your organization’s business policies permit Notebook creation for this experiment type. (If policies restrict functionality, the ‘Flexible’ option may be unavailable.)
• User Role Requirement: You must possess the Notebook Creator role within the specific workgroup of the project.

🚀 Phase 1: Initiation – The Creation Flow

To create a new Notebook:

1. Navigate to Collections  Select New Collection > Notebook. This launches the designated creation dialog.
2. Nomenclature: Provide a unique, descriptive title for the notebook and a detailed description of its intended scope and purpose.

🧬 Selecting Core Parameters (Crucial Decisions)

The following parameters lock in the structural integrity of the notebook:

1. Workgroup Assignment: Select the most relevant workgroup from the dropdown list. This limits the Notebook’s visibility to authorized parties.
2. Digital Signature Workflow Protocol (MANDATORY): Select the required signing workflow from the limited protocol options.
   • This choice determines the number of co-signers and their mandatory roles required for final sign-off on all contained entries.
   • Action: If no cosigners are needed, select “No Cosigners.”

Note: The chosen Digital Signature Workflow for this Notebook cannot be changed later

🔄 Structural Template Selection

The template sets the initial scaffold for your data:

• Flexible Notebooks (Recommended Default): Allows greater flexibility in structuring sections and pages as research evolves. Note: Use this unless internal policy dictates strict adherence.
• Compliance/Rigid Notebooks: Binds the notebook to specific, mandatory departmental or regulatory structures, pre-allocating resources for compliance auditing.

🔬 Phase 2: Project Scoping & Resource Management (The Scaffold)

After selecting a template and completing the core parameters, you must define the initial structure:

• Template Selection: The dialog allows selection of a specific template to initialize the Notebook.
  • Basic Template: Provides one starting section with one page—ideal for foundational documentation.
  • Empty Template: Starts with zero sections and pages; suited for advanced users who plan their structure externally but wish to containerize it within CERF.
  • Custom Templates: Users and Administrators can create custom templates to better enforce institutional requirements

💡 Advanced Consideration: Resource Visibility (If Policy Allows)

If granted by your administrator, the creation dialog may include choices regarding resource visibility, defining which system assets are available or tracked within this notebook.