EndNote: EndNote Online & Sharing

EndNote Online has limited functionality compared to the desktop version, but can be incredibly useful as a complement. It allows you to:

• use your library across multiple computers,
• use EndNote on a tablet, iPad, or Chromebook,
• insert citations into Google Docs and the browser version of MS Word (if you have the new EndNote Online 21), and 
• share your library with colleagues.

You must create an EndNote Online account to share your library or cite your references in online documents, even if you do not intend to use the online account.  If you have EndNote 20 or earlier, shared groups must be accessed and managed using EndNote Online. The Cite While You Write plug-in in Google Docs & browser-based Word also require you to log in using an EndNote Online 21 account.

Important: before you sync your library, create a backup. Note that each account can have only one synced library.

There are currently two versions of EndNote Online, accessed through different login sites:

• EndNote Online 21: If you sync your EndNote Online account with an EndNote 21 desktop library, you will be able to access the Cite While You Write feature to insert citations in browser-based documents. If you don't yet have EndNote 21, you can still access the older EndNote Online Classic.
• EndNote Online Classic/EndNote Basic: This is the older or free version. You don't need to be an ECU student or staff member to sign up, but the features are limited compared to the desktop version. If you are close to graduation but would like to continue using EndNote, sync to EndNote Online to maintain access to your library. If you are a researcher working with external users who don't have access to their own EndNote licenses, they can sign up for a free account to share your library.

How can you create an EndNote Online account and use its features? You can find instructions below, or check the official EndNote support site for more detail.

To create an account with enhanced features, you will need to sync your library from a licensed copy of EndNote desktop. This process not only creates your online account, but also syncs your desktop and online libraries, so you can access your references from anywhere. If you have EndNote installed onto your computer from the ECU download links, sync from your library directly. If you do not, you can access the licensed version of EndNote 21 from the ECU Library computers, and create your online account there.

Before you sync, save a backup copy of your EndNote library. This will help you restore your original library if anything goes wrong in the sync process. In some cases, syncing can delete or duplicate items from your library, so a backup copy can reduce stress and wasted time.

To sync/create an account:

• With your EndNote library open, go to EndNote preferences to find the sync options. On Windows, this is under Edit > Preferences > Sync. On Mac, this is under EndNote 20/21 > Settings > Sync.
• Click on Enable Sync. You will be prompted to either create an account or log in to your pre-existing EndNote online account.
• Click Sign Up and follow the prompts. You do not have to use your ECU email address.

If you want to use EndNote with Google Docs or browser-based Word, you will need to sync your account using EndNote 21. If you have an earlier version of EndNote, you can do this on campus on one of the computers in the Library, or download EndNote 21 to upgrade now.

Once your account is created, you can access information about your synced account through the Sync Status left-hand menu item.

If you are collaborating with a group, you can share your EndNote library with the group. Once you have synced your account to EndNote Online, each member can access and use the shared library through the desktop application as usual.

Sharing a library: setup

Each shared library must have an owner. Consider who in your group is the best person to own and maintain the library: although all users with appropriate access can make changes, the owner of the library is the only one who can grant permissions to other users or back up the shared library.

The library owner should create an EndNote Online account and sync their library. See above for instructions on syncing a library.

Once the library is synced, you can use and share the library using the desktop version of EndNote. To share, the owner must choose File > Share:

Add group members using their email addresses. When adding them, the library owner can choose what level of permissions they need. Read & Write will allow members to add, delete, and edit items in the shared library. Read will only allow them to view the references, and all changes will need to go through the owner. When the owner clicks Invite, members will receive an email invitation.

Accessing a shared library

Each group member must log in to or create an account with EndNote Online to accept their invitation to the shared library. Once they have accepted, group members can access the shared library through EndNote desktop by clicking on File > Open Shared Library... and selecting the email address of the library owner.

The first time group members open the shared library, the entire library will download onto their computer. This might take a while, especially if the shared library is large.

Depending on access levels, some group members can make changes. All group members will be able to monitor recent changes made to the shared library through the activity feed. To see the feed, go to Sync Status in the left-hand panel of the shared library, and then click on the bell icon. This will either be at the edge of the Sync Status left-hand menu item, or at the right of the screen within Sync Status.

Sharing a single group of references

You can also share just part of your library with others.

Click on one of your reference groups to highlight it, and then choose the Share this group button. This looks like a stylised person with a plus sign next to it:

Follow the same steps above to share this group. EndNote 21 users will be able to see these shared groups in their desktop library, labelled with the sharer's email address. If you have EndNote 20 or earlier, shared groups must be viewed in EndNote Online Classic.

The EndNote iPad app can sync with EndNote Online to enable researchers to access their research materials from any location.

You can view, edit, organise, and share your library (including PDF documents) on your iPad - but please note that the referencing features are not available in the iPad app. For applying referencing output styles or inserting citations into your documents, you will need to use the desktop or online versions of EndNote.

EndNote for iPad features:

• Organise and search within your library
• Copy citations to email or to use in other apps
• Import references downloaded from databases
• Annotate PDFs, and edit annotations created within EndNote or in other applications
• PDF annotations sync with your other accounts
• Add files from Dropbox or other iPad applications