EndNote Online guide

There are three main ways to add references to your EndNote Online account:

• transfer (sync) an existing desktop EndNote library to EndNote Online
• export references from a database
• enter a reference manually.

Transfer your desktop library

If you already have an EndNote desktop library, you can synchronise this with your online library. You can only sync your EndNote Online library with one desktop library per computer.

To sync your desktop library with your EndNote Online account, you will need to connect the two by setting your preferences in the desktop software:

1. Go to “Edit”, then “Preferences”.
2. Choose “Sync” from the menu, and fill in your EndNote username and password (your account credentials).
3. At the bottom of the EndNote Preferences Sync window you can choose to make the library sync automatically.
4. Click “Apply” to save your settings, then “OK” to exit the Preferences window.
5. Click “Library” and “Sync” to manually start the syncing process.

Export references from a database

Databases with a direct export feature

Some databases have an export feature specifically for EndNote Online, such as Web of Science or Library Search. Every database is different, but look for links or buttons within the database that say “Export to EndNote Online” or something similar.

Web of Science

For example, in Web of Science you should:

1. Search for information on a topic of interest to you and, from the results list, select the items that you would like to save to your EndNote Online library.
2. Select “Export…” and then “EndNote Online” from the drop-down menu (located at the top and bottom of your results), and then sign in to your EndNote Online account.
3. Press “Export” to add the items straight to your EndNote Online account.

Library Search

In Library Search you should:

1. Search for information on a topic of interest to you and, from the results list, select the items that you would like to save to your EndNote Online library.
2. Click the three little dots at the top of the search results to display more actions and select “EndNote Online” and then sign in to your EndNote Online account.
3. Press “Export” to add the items straight to your EndNote Online account.

Remember that these references will not appear in your EndNote desktop library until you sync it with your EndNote Online library.

Databases without an export option

If the database you are using does not have an “Export to EndNote Online” feature, you can use the option to export to an EndNote Desktop library instead:

1. From the search results list, select the items you would like to save to your EndNote Online library.
2. Find and click the “cite”, “export”, “send to” or “download” button.
3. Choose a file format such as EndNote Desktop or RIS (depending on the options available) and click to download your citations as a file.
4. In EndNote Online, go to the “Collect” tab and choose “Import References”.
5. Use the “Choose File” button to select the downloaded file of citations.
6. Use the Import Option drop-down menu to select which database the citations came from. If you downloaded the citations as a .ris file you can use the RefMan RIS import option. Use the “Select Favorites” link to see the full list of import options.
7. Use the “To” drop-down menu to select a group to add the references to, or select [unfiled] to add them to the library without adding them to a group.
8. Click “Import”.

Manually enter a reference

You can also enter a reference manually:

1. From the "Collect" tab in the EndNote Online menu, choose "New reference".
2. Select the reference type (eg “book”) from the drop-down menu
3. Enter the details of the item. You do not have to fill in every field, just the ones that are relevant to your reference type.
4. Press “Save” to add the reference to your EndNote Online library.