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EndNote at Georgia Tech

Getting Started with EndNote at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech affiliates can download EndNote desktop software for free

  1. Go to OIT's software distribution site, OnTheHub
  2. Choose EndNote 21
  3. Click Add to Cart
  4. Click Check Out
  5. Confirm the order information, then click Continue
  6. On the order details screen, make a note of the product key - you will need this to install the software
  7. Click Download and choose EndNote for Windows or EndNote for Mac, as appropriate

The Georgia Tech Library offers EndNote training. Check the Library Classes listing on the website.

EndNote is also available through VLAB - check the Library's Computers & Printing page for more information on VLAB.

Find more EndNote details, online training and support at the EndNote website or via Clarivate's research guide for EndNote.

General Safety Notes

  • EndNote libraries are made up of two parts: the .enl file and the .Data folder. These two parts must be kept together; both are needed for the library to work correctly.

  • Keep EndNote libraries on your computer's local hard drive. Storing and editing libraries on a network drive can lead to corruption and performance issues.

  • EndNote libraries should never be stored in cloud-syncing folders such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, etc. Syncing folders corrupt EndNote libraries over time.

  • Do not store EndNote libraries in iCloud or any other cloud-syncing folder, and do not store EndNote libraries in the Documents folder if you have selected the option to synchronize documents in iCloud.

  • Mac users: see how to use Pro apps [and EndNote] with optimized storage

  • Uninstall your previous version of EndNote before installing a new version.

  • Synchronize your references between up to three personal computers, an EndNote Web library and your iPad or iPhone through the EndNote Sync command.

  • Share some or all of your EndNote library with other EndNote users through EndNote Sync and Library Sharing.

  • You can back up your library for sharing or moving to another computer using the File > Compressed Library command.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use one library file for all my references, or separate libraries for different projects?

It may be easiest to use one library for everything and set up a separate group of references for each project, but it's entirely up to you. EndNote works fine with multiple library files.

However, while you can create as many EndNote libraries as you want, you can only sync and share one of them.

I already have a long bibliography that I typed in Word. Can I convert it to an EndNote library?

Unfortunately there's no way to do this automatically. The best way is to search for your references online (if possible) and import them into EndNote.

How do I download search results from my favorite database into EndNote?

Every database works a little differently. In general, the procedure is:

  • Search the database as usual.
  • Choose the references you want to save.
  • Use the database's Export function (may also be called Download, Cite, etc.). 
    • There's often a choice to export to EndNote, or save references in a file format that EndNote can read or import, such as RIS.

I tried using EndNote's Online Search feature to search a database, but it asks for a password.

Online Search works best with free databases like PubMed, and you can search Web of Science on campus or with VPN. Most databases work best by exporting from your browser rather than using EndNote's Online Search function.

I tried using EndNote's Find Full Text feature, but it's not finding all of the PDFs expect.

Find Full Text is not compatible with the following providers: EBSCO, JSTOR, OpenAthens, Wiley, and ScienceDirect. Georgia Tech uses OpenAthens to manage authentication with most of our subscriptions.

Reference Management System for Engineering Students - GTERMS

The Georgia Tech Optics Laboratory has developed GTERMS – The Georgia Tech Engineering Reference Management System – to help engineering students and researchers simplify the process of referencing material in the IEEE style, which is widely used in engineering and technology. GTERMS expands the native EndNote installation by adding a range of engineering-specific reference types that broaden the compatibility of the software with engineering writing. GTERMS also ensures precise compliance with the IEEE style, for both LaTeX users (BibTex) and Word user (Cite-While-You-Write - CWYW). GTERMS eliminates time-consuming manual interventions associated with citation formatting, helping users streamline their referencing process. 

GTERMS is provided open-access and free-to-use through the Optics Laboratory site. To get started, you can download the complete ZIP package found at the GTERMS User Files page. This includes the customization files and PDF instructions for installing and using GTERMS.