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Authorization

Follow this guide to create a new BIOVIA ELN credential that will allow Nexla to authenticate to and exchange data with your BIOVIA ELN instance.
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BIOVIA ELN

Prerequisites​

To connect Nexla to BIOVIA ELN, you will need an API authentication token (or username and password credentials) and the base URL of your BIOVIA ELN deployment. BIOVIA ELN is typically deployed on-premise or in a private cloud environment managed by your organization, so connection details are specific to your organization's installation.

Identify Your BIOVIA ELN Instance URL​

Because BIOVIA ELN is primarily deployed as an on-premise or private cloud solution, the base URL for your instance is determined by your organization's infrastructure configuration.

  1. Contact your BIOVIA ELN system administrator to obtain the base URL for your organization's BIOVIA ELN deployment. The URL typically follows the pattern https://your-instance.example.com or https://biovia.your-organization.com.

  2. Confirm that the BIOVIA ELN REST API is enabled for your instance. API access may need to be enabled by your system administrator in the BIOVIA ELN administration console.

BIOVIA ELN REST API access is typically controlled at the administrator level. Your BIOVIA ELN system administrator can confirm whether the API is enabled and provide the correct base URL and API endpoint paths for your deployment.

Obtain API Authentication Credentials​

BIOVIA ELN supports API authentication using an API token or username and password credentials. The method available to you depends on your organization's BIOVIA ELN configuration and version.

Obtain an API Token​

API tokens provide a secure, non-interactive method of authenticating with the BIOVIA ELN API and are the recommended approach for automated integrations such as Nexla data flows.

  1. Sign in to your BIOVIA ELN instance using your organizational credentials.

  2. Navigate to your user profile settings. Depending on your BIOVIA ELN version, this may be accessible through My Profile, Account Settings, or the user menu in the upper right corner of the interface.

  3. Locate the API Tokens or Developer Access section within your profile settings.

  4. Click Generate Token or Create API Token to create a new token for use with Nexla.

  5. Enter a descriptive name for the token (for example, "Nexla Integration") to identify its purpose.

  6. Copy the generated token immediately and store it in a secure location, as the token value may not be displayed again after initial creation.

Important

Treat your BIOVIA ELN API token as a sensitive credential. Do not share it in emails, code repositories, or other insecure locations. If a token is compromised, revoke it immediately through your BIOVIA ELN profile settings and generate a replacement.

If API token management is not visible in your profile settings, your organization may restrict API token creation to administrators. Contact your BIOVIA ELN system administrator to request an API token or to obtain the appropriate credentials for API access.

Using Username and Password Authentication​

If your BIOVIA ELN deployment uses username and password authentication for API access rather than token-based authentication, you will use your standard BIOVIA ELN login credentials when configuring the Nexla credential.

  1. Confirm with your BIOVIA ELN system administrator that username/password authentication is enabled for API access in your deployment.

  2. Use the same username and password that you use to sign in to the BIOVIA ELN web interface. In some configurations, a dedicated service account with appropriate API access permissions may be required.

Using a dedicated service account for API integrations is recommended as a security best practice. A service account provides controlled, auditable API access and prevents disruptions if an individual user's account status changes. Contact your BIOVIA ELN administrator to set up a service account if needed.

Create a BIOVIA ELN Credential​

  • To create a new BIOVIA ELN credential, after selecting the data source/destination type, click the Add Credential tile to open the Add New Credential overlay.

Credential Name & Description​

  1. Enter a name for the credential in the Credential Name field and a short, meaningful description in the Credential Description field.

    Resource descriptions are recommended but are not required. They should be used to provide information about the resource purpose, data freshness, etc. that can help the owner and other users efficiently understand and utilize the resource.

Base URL​

  1. Enter the base URL of your BIOVIA ELN instance in the Base URL field. This is the root URL of your organization's BIOVIA ELN deployment, including the protocol (for example, https://biovia.your-organization.com). Do not include a trailing slash.

    The Base URL is specific to your organization's BIOVIA ELN deployment. Contact your BIOVIA ELN system administrator if you are unsure of the correct base URL for your instance.

Authentication Token​

  1. Enter your BIOVIA ELN API token in the Token field. This token authenticates Nexla with your BIOVIA ELN instance and is included in the authorization header of each API request. The token value is obtained from your BIOVIA ELN profile settings as described in the prerequisites above.

    If your BIOVIA ELN instance uses username and password authentication instead of token-based authentication, enter your BIOVIA ELN username in the Username field and your password in the Password field rather than providing an API token.

Save the Credential​

  1. Once all of the relevant steps in the above sections have been completed, click the Save button at the bottom of the overlay to save the configured credential.

  2. The newly added credential will now appear in a tile on the Authenticate screen during data source/destination creation and can be selected for use with a new data source or destination.