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EndNote FAQs

This page aims to answer some of the more difficult questions asked by EndNote users, including those specific to Trinity College Dublin.

The vast majority of EndNote-related questions are answered by searching by keyword in EndNote's included help files and PDF manual (available from Start > All Programs > EndNote), or on the supplier's site.

My EndNote tab has gone from Word!

If EndNote was working fine before - but you have, say, recently upgraded Windows or Word - the EndNote tab might disappear. In this case, try a repair installation of EndNote.
If you are running Windows 10:

  • Open the Windows 10 Start menu. Start typing the word "program", "Add or remove programs" should appear – select it
  • Select EndNote X9, choose Modify
  • Then when EndNote opens a grey dialogue box, choose Repair

Note, this is different from if you have never been able to get the EndNote tab appearing, or if it appears but crashes Word, which may have different solutions. If the repair installation doesn't help, please contact us.

How can I add my own field (for all reference types) called "Location" -  so I know if the work is in my office or at home, or if I have a photocopy of an article in my files?

  1. From the toolbar select Edit > Preferences which will bring up the EndNote Preferences window.
  2. From the left column menu, select Reference Types > Modify Reference Types.
  3. The displayed reference type may be Journal Article or another type. Whatever the reference type, use the Generic list of fields in the left column as a guide and locate the Custom 1 field. In the adjacent blank cell (within the Journal Article reference type column), type "Location".
  4. Click the Apply to All Ref Types button - this will insert your new Location field throughout all the reference types.

What is the correct way to recover an Endnote Library when it is damaged?

  1. With the Library closed, in EndNote go to Tools > Recover Library. Click OK to the notice that comes up, then select the Library file you would like to recover (you may need to browse to the folder on your computer in which the Library is located).
  2. After selecting your Library, you will be prompted to save the new Library that will be created. By default, EndNote will add -Saved to the end of the original name. After this, the recovery process will begin.
  3. Once completed, EndNote will inform you of the number of references that were recovered into the -Saved Library.
  4. You can now use this -Saved version of the Library in place of the original, damaged Library.

EndNote puts the reference list automatically after the text. But for some journals, such as Optics Express, the reference list is before the main text...

Once it is created the first time, you can select the reference list and move it to wherever you want it to be. It will stay there.

Can I use EndNote with footnote styles?

EndNote deals more easily with inline, parenthetical styles, e.g., APA, but yes, you can use EndNote with footnote styles. Select an appropriate footnote style, e.g. Chicago 15th A. Insert your footnote using Word's Insert Reference menu/sub-menu (References > Insert Footnote in Word 2007). Then click inside the footnote, before inserting the reference. Chicago 15th A will create footnotes and a separate bibliography at the end of your document. Not all footnoting styles are as well supported as Chicago. Check your chosen style carefully - you may need to use the EndNote Manual to modify an existing style or customise your own.