Choosing the Correct Import Filter

Once you have captured and saved your data file in the appropriate format, you should identify the proper EndNote filter to import the data. There are hundreds of filters included with EndNote, each designed to read a specific tagged format from a specific information provider.

To see a complete list of filters installed for your copy of EndNote, select Import Filters from the Tools menu, and select Open Filter Manager. You may see many filters with the same name, but from different data providers. Be sure to select the filter that matches both the database and the data provider you are working with or your data will not import correctly.

Use the Find by Category list in the Filter Manager to find all filters for a particular information provider. To search by name, use the Quick Search on the Filter Manager toolbar. You can click the More Info button to display additional information about a selected filter. The Comments section may provide information about how to appropriately download information from the source database.

When you have located the filters you want to use, mark them as your favorites by clicking the checkbox in the Favorites column to the left of the filter name. You can also mark all of the filters currently showing after using the Find option by clicking Mark All. Once a filter is marked as a favorite, it will appear in the Import Options list in the import dialog.

Note: There are many more databases and services that provide data than there are filters included with EndNote, so in some cases you may need to write your own filter or modify one of ours. See Introduction to Filters for information about creating and modifying filters. You can also check our Web site periodically for new and updated filters (Download EndNote Import Filters).

Comparing a Filter to a Data File

If you are uncertain whether a filter matches a data file that you have downloaded, you can compare the format from your downloaded data file to the filter. To do so, select a filter in the Filter Manager, and click the Edit button. When the Filter window opens, select the Templates option in the list at the left of the window to display the tags recognized by that filter.

The tags and templates in the filter should match the data in the file you want to import. See The Basic Components of a Filter for information about editing filters.

Changing the Filter Folder

By default, all filters provided with EndNote are stored in the Filters folder found in the EndNote program folder. These are the filters displayed when you open the Filter Manager. EndNote also displays filters found in your personal Filters folder.

When you create a new filter, it is saved to your personal Filters folder. When you attempt to save changes to an existing filter, you must use Save As to save a copy to your personal Filters folder. For more information about your personal folders, and information about how to change the location of your personal folders, see Folder Locations Preferences.