EndNote is a tool that creates, stores and manages references and bibliographies. Depending on your needs, you can either use EndNote Desktop or sign up online for EndNote Online.

EndNote Desktop is the comprehensive, full version software that is installed on a computer (Windows or Mac).

EndNote Online is the simplified, condensed online version of the EndNote Desktop program. EndNote Online is not installed on a computer; you log into it from anywhere with your EndNote Online account.

EndNote Desktop and EndNote Online:

• Create, store and group your references.
• Import your selected references from online search tools (e.g. LibrarySearch, library databases and Google Scholar) into your EndNote library.
• Insert references from your EndNote library into your Microsoft Word document, and automatically create a reference list or bibliography within the document in your chosen referencing style so you do not have to manually create it yourself.

This guide includes usage instructions for EndNote Desktop.

The Library also has a guide for EndNote Online. There is a link to this on the left navigational menu within this guide.

Video: What's New in EndNote Desktop 21? [3:00]

Downloading and installing EndNote Desktop

• EndNote Desktop is already installed on all RMIT student computers (Windows and Mac), and is available for staff optional self-installation via the Company Portal on all RMIT staff Windows computers. EndNote Desktop is also available on myDesktop.
• If staff or students are using their own personal device, or staff are using an RMIT staff Mac computer, please download and install EndNote Desktop from the Library's EndNote Desktop page.
• If you are a Masters by Research or PhD student, you can install EndNote Desktop yourself on your RMIT-loaned laptop if you have admin rights. If you do not have these admin rights, please contact RMIT's IT Service Connect and ask them to install for you.
• Help with downloading or installing EndNote Desktop is available from RMIT's IT Service Connect.

Downloading and installing RMIT Harvard referencing style

• If you use RMIT Harvard, download the 'RMIT Harvard' reference style from the Library's EndNote Desktop page (scroll down to Reference Styles sub-heading). Please note that you must download and install BOTH the output style file (ENS file) and the XML file for the RMIT Harvard EndNote style to work properly. Clear step-by-step instructions on how to do so are provided on that page.
• You will need to download and install the RMIT Harvard reference style on both your own personal computer and on the RMIT computer you are using.

Downloading and installing RMIT Connection File

• The RMIT Connection File is used if you want to search in LibrarySearch directly from EndNote. This method is limited as it does not allow you to further narrow your search results using filters/limiters, nor can you access the abstract of each search result to assess their relevancy. It is therefore recommended you search directly from LibrarySearch instead, then import the references you want into your EndNote library.
• For how to add references from LibrarySearch to your EndNote library, please see: Adding references.

For RMIT computers

The RMIT Connection File is already available within the EndNote Desktop software installed on all RMIT student computers on campus (Windows and Macs), within myDesktop, and within Company Portal on RMIT staff Windows computers. You do not need to separately download and install it.

For personal computers

If you have installed EndNote Desktop on your own personal computer or an RMIT staff Mac computer, you will need to download the RMIT Connection File from the Library's EndNote Desktop page. You only need to do this if you need to use the RMIT Connection File. 

To install your downloaded connection file, save it to its corresponding sub-folder:

• On Windows, save the file to C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote 21\Connections
• On Mac, save the file to Applications > EndNote 21 > Connections

Check for EndNote Desktop updates on your personal device

• On Windows: go to EndNote Desktop, then Help > Check for Updates within the top toolbar
• On Mac: go to EndNote Desktop, then EndNote 21 > Check for Updates within the top toolbar
• Check a list of available updates.

1. Open the EndNote Desktop program. EndNote is already installed on all RMIT Library computers.

• On Windows: go to Start > All apps > EndNote.
• On Mac: go to Open Finder > Applications > EndNote 21 > EndNote 21.

2. Create a new EndNote Desktop library (File > New) and save it to your preferred location:

• on the local hard drive (C:) of your own personal computer or laptop
• on the desktop or within your H: drive of an RMIT computer
• on a USB (be careful of this option - if you lose your USB, you will lose your EndNote library, too)

It is best to save your EndNote Desktop library in the same location as your assignment, thesis or dissertation documents.

3. This will create an .enl file and a .data folder -- both MUST be KEPT TOGETHER in the SAME location for your EndNote Library to work properly. If you move the .enl file to a different location, you MUST move the .data folder with it.

Image: Copyright © Clarivate. Used under licence.

Mac users will also see an option to Save as Package. This creates a single document that contains both the .enl file and the .data folder. It is best practice to know the exact location of your EndNote library and where backups are stored.

4. To open your EndNote Desktop library, click on the .enl file only -- this is your actual EndNote library. The .data folder is used only by the EndNote Desktop program.

Tips:

• It is recommended that you create only ONE EndNote Desktop library throughout your studies or for your research.
• Creating multiple EndNote Desktop libraries can cause problems with duplication of records and PDFs between documents, and can be difficult to search. It is confusing and complicates things.
• By using groups, you can still use the one EndNote Desktop library for different courses/subjects, different chapters in a thesis/dissertation, or different sub-topics for an assignment or literature review topic. Please see: Groups, tags, sorting and locating your references.

You can select the referencing style you want to use in EndNote (e.g. APA 7th ed., RMIT Harvard, IEEE, Vancouver, AGLC4, Chicago, etc.).

Before you use EndNote:

You need to know which referencing style your School, supervisor or lecturer wants you to use, and then become familiar with that style by consulting the resources below.

How to reference in your style:

• Easy Cite referencing tool
• Learning Lab: Referencing

EndNote is not a substitute for knowing how to reference in your style. It is just a tool to manage your references more efficiently.

To ensure your references in EndNote conform to the referencing rules of your style, you will still need to check your references against the rules in Easy Cite.

In order for EndNote to correctly display your references in both your EndNote Desktop library and your Microsoft Word document, you will need to choose the referencing style you would like to use within your EndNote library and Word document. The style selected should be the same in both.

You can select your style at any time, but it is suggested that you do so after you have created your EndNote library.

To select your referencing style in EndNote Desktop:

1. Go to Tools > Output Styles and click on your style from the list. If your style is not within the list (e.g. RMIT_Harvard_EndNote), proceed to step 2 and 3.
2. Go to Tools > Output Styles > Open Style Manager. Tick the style you want from the EndNote Styles pop-up window, e.g. RMIT_Harvard_EndNote. Close the pop-up window.

Image: Copyright © Clarivate. Used under licence.

Image: Copyright © Clarivate. Used under licence.

3. Go back to Tools > Output Styles and click on the style you ticked in step 2, e.g. RMIT_Harvard_EndNote.

Image: Copyright © Clarivate. Used under licence.