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RefWorks Transition Guide

To Move out of Legacy RefWorks: Upgrade to Proquest RefWorks

Legacy RefWorks cannot export PDFs, tags, or notes. If you want to retain PDFs, tags, and notes, upgrade to Proquest RefWorks, then transition. If you do not need PDFs, tags, or notes, you may follow the instructions below to move your references out of Legacy RefWorks.

Export citations - Legacy RefWorks

  • Log into your RefWorks account.
  • Select the Organize & Share Folders tab at the top right:
    Clicking on Organize and Share Folders in your RefWorks screen to be able to export references by folder
  • Your folders are listed here. For each folder, select the folder icon to the right, then Export:
    Clicking on the left folder inside of Organize and Share Folders in RefWorks to be able to export references by folder
  • Select Bibliographic Software (EndNote, Reference Manager, ProCite).Selecting the export format from the Organize and Share Folder pane in RefWorks
  • Save the file. If a new window opens with all the references, right click and Save As... (or Ctrl + S); otherwise, select the "click here" link in the bottom right corner and right click and Save As... (or Ctrl + S) to save. Saving your exported citations from RefWorks to import into another reference manager
  • Rename the file and add .ris, for example, Biology Mauscript.ris. Then Save as type: All Files (*.*).


Changing File Name and Save as type.

  • Repeat steps 3-6 renaming and saving each file with the original folder name so you can keep it organized when you import it into your new citation manager. For example, save citations exported from a folder called Biology Manuscript as "Biology Manuscript.ris".​ 

Your references are now ready to import into a new citation manager! Continue to step 2 on this page.

Beginning to export RefWorks references by clicking on References in the menu and then Export

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Choose whether you want to export Selected, Page, or All in List citations.
  • Select Bibliographic Software (EndNote, Reference Manager, ProCite).​

export references format dropdown box

  • Save the file. If a new window opens with all the references, right click and Save As... (or Ctrl + S); otherwise, select the "click here" link in the bottom right corner and right click and Save As... (or Ctrl + S) to save.

​​​​​​​Saving your exported citations from RefWorks to import into another reference manager

 

 

 

 

  • Rename the file and add .ris, for example, Biology Mauscript.ris. Then Save as type: All Files (*.*)
    Changing File Name and Save as type.

Your references are now ready to import into a new citation manager! Continue to step 2 on this page.

 

Import citations to new citation manager

  1. Create an account, download Zotero 5.0, and open it.
    • Zotero login page:  To create an account, click "Register for a free account" above the username/password login on this site.
    • Zotero download page: Download Zotero 5.0 to your desktop and add the Zotero Connector to your browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Safari).Ctrl+Shift+I to import
  2. In the Zotero installed on your computer, select File from the top bar, then Import. When the Where do you want to import from? box appears, select a file type (BibTeX, RIS, Zotero RDF, etc.).
  3. Select the file that you exported from RefWorks and select Open. All done!

Note: When using Zotero Desktop on a public computer be sure to sign in and out of your account in Edit > Preferences > Sync.

  1. Create a Mendeley account then download and open Mendeley Desktop
  2. Select File, then Import, then the RIS - Research Information Systems (*.ris) option.Importing by selecting File, Import, and RIS

Import to EndNote Desktop

  • Open your EndNote library.​
  • Go to File and select Import, then File.

  • In File Import box:
    1. ​Under Import File, click on Choose, browse for and select the .ris file exported from RefWorks.
    2. Under Import Option, select Reference Manager (RIS).
    3. Click Import and the references will be added to your EndNote Library into the Imported References folder.

​Note: If you are, exporting each folder separately, don’t forget to move references from the Imported References section into a group in EndNote before exporting more references into your Endnote library.​​

  • Create a free EndNote Online account (select EndNote from the tools menu) and log in.
  • Select Collect and then Import References

  • Selecting Collect and Import References

  • Choose File to browse for the file you exported from RefWorks, select RefMan RIS as Import Option, select New group from To, and click on Import. All done!

    Importing references

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