Signed documents · Electronic lab notebook (ELN)
A markdown electronic lab notebook that freezes, signs, and proves it.
Write like a doc, submit, and the content locks. Approval lines sign in order — every signature re-authenticated, RFC 3161 timestamped, and hash-chained into a tamper-evident workspace ledger. Built for e-approvals and national R&D research notes.
Available on every plan, including Free · No credit card required
Why a signature holds up
The three things an e-notebook has to prove.
Electronic signature
Every signature is an Ed25519 digital signature applied after re-authentication — not a typed name in a comment field.
Trusted timestamp
Writing, submitting and signing each get an RFC 3161 timestamp, so the order of events stays verifiable years later.
Tamper evidence
Signed documents are hash-chained into the workspace ledger. Alter anything after the fact and the chain breaks — the change becomes detectable.
How it works
From draft to signed record.
- 1
Write in markdown
Draft like any document — tables, images, attachments, live co-editing.
- 2
Submit, and it freezes
Submitting locks the body. From then on, the only way to change it is a new revision — the original stays intact.
- 3
The approval line signs
Sequential, parallel, or N of M. A research-note preset gives you the classic author → reviewer two-step by picking just the reviewer.
- 4
Completed, and kept
Signed documents cannot be deleted and are preserved for 30 years. A print-ready copy is emailed when the line completes.
Signers outside your team don't need an account.
Send an email link. The signer opens it, verifies with a 6-digit code from their inbox, and signs — no signup, no license. When the document completes, a print-ready copy lands back in everyone's email as an attachment.
Attach a signed document to any table row.
Experiment ledgers and inspection ledgers live as database tables — and every row can carry its own signed document. A signing inbox with a sidebar badge shows what's waiting for you, and pending documents can be signed in batches.
Available on every plan, including Free · No credit card required
FAQ
About signed documents & e-notebooks
- Does this meet the requirements for national R&D electronic lab notebooks?
- It covers the three core requirements: electronic signatures (Ed25519, re-authenticated at signing time), trusted timestamps (RFC 3161), and tamper evidence (hash chaining in the workspace ledger).
- Can Notion or Google Drive replace an electronic lab notebook?
- They record, but they can't prove. An ELN's requirement isn't storage — it's proving who wrote what and when: e-signatures, trusted timestamps, and tamper evidence. General cloud notes can't prove any of the three by themselves.
- Do I need a lab notebook template?
- Write freely in markdown — pick the lab-notebook preset and the approval steps (author → reviewer) attach automatically. You only designate the reviewer (PI or lead researcher).
- Can someone without a Rootr account sign?
- Yes. They open the email link, verify with a 6-digit code sent to their email, and sign. A print-ready copy is attached by email once the document completes.
- Can a signed document be deleted or edited?
- No to deletion — signed documents are preserved for 30 years. Changes happen through a new revision, so the signed history stays intact.
- Is signed documents a paid add-on?
- No. It's available on every plan, including Free. See pricing →
Make your records stand up to scrutiny.
Start free with 3 seats — signed documents are included on every plan.