The Import command on File menu provides a way to import text files of reference data into EndNote libraries. EndNote has a number of built-in import options as well as a large collection of configurable import filters. Filters are designed to import references downloaded from specific online or CD-ROM bibliographic databases.
You can edit and create import filters. The process of importing references using the Import command is described in General Importing Instructions.
EndNote provides hundreds of import filters for a variety of sources. By default, only the most popular filters are stored as individual files in the Filters folder in your EndNote program folder. To install additional filters, see Installing Additional Filters.
Import filters provide a wide range of import options. A filter is selected during the import process to show EndNote exactly how to interpret the information in your data file (the records downloaded or saved from an online or CD-ROM database). A filter does this by mapping the information in each downloaded reference to the corresponding fields in EndNote.
Because each database offered by the various information providers has its own way to organize reference data, there needs to be a different filter for each database. Each filter provided with EndNote has been configured to import data files from a specific database offered by a single information provider. You can easily modify any of the supplied filters or create a new filter to import from other databases.
Although EndNote’s filters are very powerful and flexible import tools, there are still some data files that cannot be conquered. Whereas some databases provide very clean tagged data, others are almost impossible to discern. Lack of consistency in the source data and the omission of reference type tags often make it difficult for a person to understand the information: the task of creating a perfect filter to handle these files is futile. When fine tuning our filters, we have done our best to capture the necessary data—even if that means dropping it all into the Notes field. If you find filters that can be further improved, please let us know. It may also help to contact your information provider to let them know that the inconsistencies in the data entry for the database are keeping you from most efficiently making use of it.