You may wish to save / backup your references in RefWorks e.g. if you are leaving the university, moving to another organisation or changing referencing tools.
1. Click on the 'Share tab' along the top of the RefWorks page and see 'Export References'.
2. Click on 'Export References', ensure 'All References' is ticked and choose which format you are going to export your references. You have a choice of 4 formats : BibTex; RIS Format ; Tab Delimited (.tsv) and XML format. You may wish to export in all of these formats, one at a time, in case you need to use them with different tools e.g another referencing tool, a web page, an Excel file.
3. Depending on how many references are being exported, and the browser you are exporting them from, the 'processing' part, which you will see happening on your screen, may take a while.
4. The system will tell you, at the top of the screen just below the browser, when the references have been exported.
5. Depending on the browser, the system will show where the file is that has been exported e.g. in Chrome it shows this at the bottom left of the screen.
6. Make sure you know where the file has been saved - you may wish to rename it and / or save it somewhere else at this point. Using the RIS format as an example, remember to ensure the file has been saved in 'RIS' format. If renaming the file using any of the other export methods e.g. BibTex, Tab Delimited (.tsv) or XML Format remember to keep the file endings the same as the original.
If you are using RefWorks the way to save your references from another location, there is a 'restore / import' feature which allows you to do this:
1. Create a new folder in Refworks for these references to be imported into. This will assist you in identifying them e.g. 'Backup Reference file x date'
2. Click on the 'Add' button on the top left and choose 'Import References' . You are then given a choice of importing from another reference manager e.g. EndNote, or you can import a file. RefWorks supports hundreds of formats including RIS, BibTeX, and PubMed. Drag and drop the file into RefWorks or use the link, shown in the screen, to “select a file from your computer” and upload it.
3. If you are importing a file e.g. from a computer, the cloud, USB stick, go to where your file is stored and click on it, so that it appears in the 'File name' at the bottom of that box.
NOTE : This method only upgrades references (excluding references in Deleted References) and does not upgrade attachments, folders, or custom citation styles.
4. Click on 'Open' which will take you to a box showing the words 'We think this file is ... Format...' - then click on the 'Import' button.
This takes you to a screen headed 'Import Options' where you can choose which of your folders to import your references into.
5. Click on 'Import' - this will start to import your references. It may take a few minutes.
6. When the importing is finished it should show the words 'Import complete' and the number of 'documents' (in this case references) that have been imported into your library. Click on the 'OK' button.
7. It will show you 'Last imported', the references, and the folder they are located in.