Importing Text Files

EndNote can import structured text files to create new references in your library. This method of importing is extremely flexible. You can create your own structured files for importing, and your own import filters, as well as importing data from hundreds of online databases. This method also has the advantage of letting you remove duplicates of references already in your library during the import process.

Note: See Importing EndNote Libraries for specific instructions about merging two EndNote libraries by importing one library into another. For another method of merging EndNote libraries, see Merging Libraries through Sync.

To import a text file into an EndNote library:

  1. Open the library into which you want to import the references.
  2. From the File menu, select Import > File.
  3. Click the Choose button.
  4. Locate the file you want to import. All files, except for EndNote libraries and PDFs, must be plain text files. (The exception to this "plain text" rule is EndNote-generated XML files. See Exporting to EndNote XML for information an creating EndNote XML files.) Select the file and click Open.
  5. Select the appropriate filter from the Import Option list. Filters are the customizable files EndNote uses to import text files. See Import Options for more information on available filters. See Creating a New Filter for information on creating your own custom filters.
  6. Select an option from the Duplicates list:
  • Import All: Imports all references, including duplicates.
  • Discard Duplicates: Imports all references except duplicates.
  • Import into Duplicates Library: Duplicate references are imported into a library called File-Dupl.enl, where ”File" is the name of the library into which you are importing.

By default, a reference is considered a duplicate when the Author, Year, Title, and Reference Type match a reference already in the library. See Duplicates Preferences if you would like to change the duplicates criteria.

  1. Select a Text Translation option.

    This option allows you to specify the text character encoding of the file you import, so that extended characters transfer correctly. You should verify the setting with your database provider. Some U.S. databases that contain extended characters require ANSI-Latin1 or UTF8. MARC format files may require ANSEL translation. You might be able to use No Translation for text files that do not contain any extended characters.
  2. Click Import to import the file.

Note: The time required to import a file is proportionate to the size of the library and the number of references being imported. Refer to the progress indicator to determine when EndNote has completed the task.

When the import is complete, the newly imported references are displayed in a temporary Imported References group. This is a perfect time to add a keyword to each imported reference with the Change/Move/Copy Fields (see Change Fields) command or to peruse the imported data to make sure it imported as expected. Make sure to check references that contain extended characters.

The Imported References group is a temporary group that is replaced each time you import another set of references. It is removed when you exit EndNote (although the references remain in the library).

To return all of your references to the library display (including the newly imported ones), click on the All References group.