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RefWorks Migration Guide: Migrating to Zotero

This guide is intended to help UM patrons learn about the Library's decision to no longer provide access to RefWorks, explore alternate programs, as well as instructions on how to migrate their RefWorks data into other citation management programs.

START HERE: Steps to Import RefWorks References into Zotero

If you have extensively used Personal Note or customizable fields in RefWorks or require any additional support to migrate your RefWorks database to Zotero, please contact:

Asako Yoshida, Liaison Librarian@ Elizabeth Dafoe Library

(204) 474-6591; Asako.Yoshida@Umanitoba.ca

Before You Import Check the following:

  1. Check if you have any references left in "Not in Folder" that you want to keep. Unless you assign them to a Folder, they won't be imported.
  2. Make sure that it's intentional if you have duplicate records across multiple folders.  If you are not preserving the folders structure, eliminate duplicate references.  
  3. Make a backup copy of your RefWorks references/folders.

OPTION #1: Wen You are Not Keeping Folders Structure

1. Open RefWorks and choose View ----> All References.

2. Hover over References ----> Export  (See Figure 1)

3. Choose the Bibliographic Software expert format and then click on Export References. Please note that if you have a lot of references, this may take some time. (See Figure 2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2

 

 

 

4. Depending on your browser, it may save the file that is created or it may display it as a tagged text file in your browser.  If it displays in your browser, use your browser to save the page  a .txt file. (See Figure 3).

An image of tagged format text you would see you the browser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3

 

 

 

5.  Now, open Zotero pane in Firefox or open Zotero Standalone. 

6.  Select Import from the Zotero "settings menu."  (See Figure 4).

Showing how to select Import option from the Zotero settings menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 4

 

 

7.  Select the text file you imported from RefWorks.

OPTION #2: When You are Keeping Folders Structure

1. If you want to keep the folders structure you established in RefWorks, you will need to export each folder at a time and recreate the same folders structure in your Zotero Library.

Here is how to create/rename/delete collections in Zotero:
Instruction on how to create a collection (folder) using Zotero. Please see the attached PDF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Instead of selecting All References as described in the Option #1, select each folder at a time and go through 2 to 7 steps described under Option #1.