Zotero

It's easy to use EndNote and Zotero together and take advantage of the best features of each, or to share Zotero libraries with colleagues using EndNote or vice versa. Both programs can read and write a standard citation file format called RIS, which means references can be converted back and forth with a few clicks.

PDFs and other attachments do not export between programs, however; only citation information.

Zotero to EndNote

To save your Zotero library for importing into EndNote, click the Zotero button that looks like a gear and choose "Export Library." Choose RIS as the file type and pick a filename.

In the desktop version of EndNote, click "File" and then "Import." Click the "Choose File" button and select the file you just exported from Zotero. Set Import Option to "Reference Manager (RIS)" and click Import.

In the web version of EndNote, click the "Collect" tab and then click "Import References." Browse for and select your export file from Zotero and select the "RefMan RIS" option in the "Import Option" dropdown menu. Finally, select the location for your import.

EndNote to Zotero

To export your EndNote library for use in Zotero, click "File" and then "Export." Set the output style to "RefMan (RIS) Export" and save it as a text file.

In the web version of EndNote, click the "Format" tab and then select "Export References." Select the groups, lists, or references you want to export and select "RefMan (RIS) Export" in the "Export Style" dropdown menu.

In Zotero, click the button that looks like a gear and choose "Import." Just double-click the file you exported from EndNote. The new references will be added to a collection named "Imported" followed by the date and time.

If the RIS option is not available for export, simply select your entire library or whatever items you would like to export, copy them, and "Import from Clipboard" in Zotero in the same Import menu above.

It's easy to use Mendeley and Zotero together and take advantage of the best features of each, or to share Zotero libraries with colleagues using Mendeley or vice versa. Both programs can read and write a standard citation file format called RIS, which means references can be converted back and forth with a few clicks.

PDFs and other attachments do not export between programs, however; only citation information.

Zotero to Mendeley

To save your Zotero library for importing into Mendeley, click the Zotero button that looks like a gear and choose "Export Library." Choose RIS as the file type and pick a filename.

In Mendeley, click "File" and then "Import." Click the "Research Information Systems - RIS (*.ris)" option and select the file you exported from Zotero.

If you are using the web version of Mendeley, you can either import through the "+ Add" button in your library or by simply dragging and dropping your RIS file into the webpage.

Mendeley to Zotero

To export your Mendeley library for use in Zotero, select your sources, click "File" and then "Export." Set the output style to "Research Information Systems - RIS (*.ris)."

In Zotero, click the button that looks like a gear and choose "Import." Just double-click the file you exported from Mendeley. The new references will be added to a collection named "Imported" followed by the date and time.

Note that you cannot export from the web version of Mendeley.

Synchronize Libraries

If you use the desktop version of Mendeley, you can keep automatically sync your Zotero library to your Mendeley library. Simply go into the "Options" within Mendeley in the "Tools" menu and click the Zotero tab. Check the Zotero Integration box and it will find your Zotero sqlite file.