Home
Key concepts
Details on documents and templates, the data editors and the Content editor of PLA 3.0.
Documents
PLA 3.0 securely stores all your data within electronic documents. Documents are organized within a database and presented through a folder tree for easy navigation and access. Your data remains complete, accurate, and consistent throughout its life cycle, thus ensuring data integrity.
Work with documents
Learn how you manage documents within PLA 3.0, including renaming, importing and exporting, calculating, and signing documents.
Set element values
Set up your document by entering values for document elements.
Enter values
Set up your document by entering values for document elements. For some elements, you can enter a value such as text, or a date. Other elements serve to provide structure for subelements.

Get started
Explore PLA 3.0, its key features and ongoing enhancements. Learn how it fits into your environment, and how to log in and register.
User interface
PLA 3.0 supports you in your daily work by providing a set of graphical and textual user interface elements. Learn about the different elements and how to use them efficiently.
Key concepts
Details on documents and templates, the data editors and the Content editor of PLA 3.0.
- Documents
  PLA 3.0 securely stores all your data within electronic documents. Documents are organized within a database and presented through a folder tree for easy navigation and access. Your data remains complete, accurate, and consistent throughout its life cycle, thus ensuring data integrity.
  - Create documents
    Create a document to store your data.
  - Work with documents
    Learn how you manage documents within PLA 3.0, including renaming, importing and exporting, calculating, and signing documents.
    - Rename documents
      You can rename a document anytime. As documents are identified by their document keys, renaming a document does not impact existing references.
    - Open documents
      Open a document to change its setup, enter observation data, or perform document-related actions.
    - Set element values
      Set up your document by entering values for document elements.
      - Enter values
        Set up your document by entering values for document elements. For some elements, you can enter a value such as text, or a date. Other elements serve to provide structure for subelements.
      - Reference elements
        Some elements require a reference to another element. This allows you to set up an element once and reuse it several times within the same document.
      - Select alternatives
        Some document types let you choose between different options for elements. These options are mutually exclusive, that is, you can only select one alternative at a time.
    - Manage attachments
      If supported by the document version, you can manually add attachments to a document. Examples of manually added attachments are reports and Standard Operation Procedures.
    - Use barcodes
      Use barcodes for convenient exchange of document data and to organize your database. You can use them as labels for your documents and for attaching reports to documents based on the barcode included in the report.
  - Organize documents
    Create folders and subfolders to organize your documents and to set up a folder tree that suits your needs. Move, copy and delete folders and documents to adapt your folder tree if required. Organizing documents requires sufficient permissions.
  - Document actions
    The action bar of PLA 3.0 provides a set of actions you can perform on documents and document data. The actions you can perform depend on the document type.
  - Document properties
    Document properties include general information such as document type, date of creation, and signature details. They also include the property keys available for data aggregation and the label of a document in the form of a barcode.
- Templates
  Use templates to simplify tasks, standardize processes, and improve data security. Define document structures and initial values for documents, and control who can view and edit document sections and individual elements within documents.
- Data tables
  Data tables in PLA 3.0 act as containers for observation data or referenced data. You use them to configure the display of observation data and to set up automated data flows between PLA 3.0 documents, thus minimizing the need for manual interaction.
- Position factors
  PLA 3.0 can handle a wide range of plate layouts and is not restricted to any particular format. Position factors in PLA 3.0 support you in defining plate layouts. They let you associate your observation data in PLA 3.0 with its physical location on a plate or rack.
- Data aggregation
  Data aggregation in PLA 3.0 lets you automatically transfer data and results from source to target PLA 3.0 documents, thus supporting complex and compliant operations. Manually entering data in spreadsheets or other programs is not necessary.
Data analysis
Data analysis add-ons offer a wide range of capabilities, ranging from analytical methods over comprehensive analysis to statistical process control. PLA 3.0 also provides a set of add-ons that support and supplement data analysis add-ons.
Data import
Use data acquisition and data import add-ons to import external response values and observation data into PLA 3.0 for further processing and evaluation.
Installation
Details on the deployment and installation of licensed PLA 3.0 versions.
Licensing
Details on the licensing solution of PLA 3.0, the available licensing options, and the activation and management of licenses.
Administration
Details on system administration tasks such as setup and maintenance of databases and add-ons, user accounts, access rights, and migration and update procedures.
Regulatory compliance
PLA 3.0 supports you in achieving compliance with regulations such as ISPE GAMP^® 5 and 21 CFR Part 11. It also provides options to validate PLA 3.0 in your environment.
PDF downloads
Download PDF guides of current and previous framework and add-on versions.
Sample lab
Meet the team of Stegmann Labs Inc. and use our sample laboratory to explore core features and functions of PLA 3.0.
Glossary
Find definitions of terms.

Enter values

Set up your document by entering values for document elements. For some elements, you can enter a value such as text, or a date. Other elements serve to provide structure for subelements.

Procedure

To enter element values:

In the Element pane of the Content editor, navigate to the element and select its current value.

Tip: To quickly find elements by their name, use the Find and filter dialog: Open the Edit menu, and select Find. Enter your filter criterion and select Filter.

Enter or select the new value and hit Enter on your keyboard to confirm it.

PLA 3.0 has several control types to enter values, for example a simple input box to type in a number or text. An icon in the central pane of the Content editor indicates what type of value you can enter for an element.

The following table lists some common control types:


Icon	Data type	Description
	Color	Select a color from the color catalog or enter an RGB value to define a color.
	Dataset	Shift-click the entry to open the respective dataset.
	Date	Enter a date or use the arrow buttons to select a date.
	Date and time	Enter a date and time or use the arrow buttons to select a date and time.
	Double	Enter a double-precision value.
	Integer	Enter an integer number.
	List	Select an entry from the drop-down list.
	Multi-line text	Enter multiple lines of text.
	No value /unknown type	Indicates a summary element. In the case of reference elements, allows you to add a reference to another element in the same document.
	Reference	Add a reference to another document.
	Text	Enter a single line of text.
	Time	Enter a time or use the arrow buttons to select a time.