When entering references into your library, use the Generic type only for references that do not fit any of the other reference types. The more important function of the Generic reference type is to set up a guide for the other reference types to follow.
The Generic field names are used throughout the EndNote program (for example, in the Sort References dialog and the Search panel) to refer to a similar category of fields that can be found in the different reference types. When you choose a Generic field name in any of these dialogs, it refers to all field names assigned to that Generic row of the Reference Types preference. For example, if you use the Search command to search the Author field, EndNote searches all fields that appear in the Generic "Author" row of the Reference Types preference, including fields such as "Artist," "Reporter," and "Cartographer."
Note: When editing the Reference Types preference it is important that you keep similar fields in the same row, as defined by the Generic field names at the start of the row. Each reference type can call these fields by a different name; however, the content of the fields should be similar.
Although the Generic reference type is rarely used for data entry, it plays an important role in formatting bibliographies. In addition to formatting Generic references, the Generic template in a style is used to format any reference types that are not specifically defined in the style. Consequently, every bibliographic style should contain a Generic template so that all references get formatted when EndNote creates a bibliography.