Adding reference in Endnote Online to a group duplicates the reference

EndNote EndNote General
1

I’m a long time Endnote Desktop user.

Lately, I’ve started to use Endnote Online with my students and I’m running into so many problems…

Here’s one:

A. When adding a reference to a group in Endnote Desktop, the reference isn’t duplicated. You can add it to as many groups you like, but the reference is the same one. (So if you open it through one group, you’ll be able the see the changes you’ve made even if you open the reference through another group). 

B. However, if you add an existing reference to a group through Endnote Online, the reference is duplicated. So if the same reference is in two groups, these are two separate references. When you change one of them, its “twin” doesn’t change, (thereby becoming un-identical twins).

C. Now hear this: If you put the reference in two different groups using Endnote Desktop, this is one reference, and not two (see A above). So even if you open the reference in Endnote Online, it is still regarded as a single reference and changes would appear when opening the reference in the other group.

So actually, it doesn’t matter if you open the references in Desktop or Online. What matters is if you put them in the group through Desktop or with Online. If you’ve done it with the former, they are one reference. If you’ve done it with the latter, they are two separate references.

Beyond the fact that this is crazy, I’d appreciate suggestions of how to allow my students to add existing references to groups, using Endnote Online, without causing the duplication.

2

I do not see this duplication in the online endnote library.  How are they moving the record to the second group? This PDF, page 5, illustrates the way to move an existing record to a group (although it details how to create a group, it also notes you can add a record to multiple groups and how to view what groups a reference is a member of).  

3

Hi Leanne,

We tried it., thanks. It helped us focus the problem.

I shared with my students 3 groups (groups A, B, C). 

The duplication arises when they add a reference to a group.

So if they add a single reference to two groups (A + B), the reference is duplicated.

4

I would detail your workflow to the tech support people.  I guess I can’t test it easily as I don’t share groups with anyone routinely, to see if they add it to two groups… Obviously it works properly for the owner/sharer, but sounds like it doesn’t work as one would expect, for the sharee?   

5

Yes. That’s the problem.