If your research lives in Zotero, JabRef, Mendeley, or another reference manager, you shouldn’t have to retype everything to bring it into PERRLA. The .bib import has always handled the references, and now it handles PDFs, too.

What’s better about .bib import

The .bib import has been part of PERRLA for a while. Recent updates have made it considerably more useful. Here’s how:

• PDFs come with it. Export your research library from another reference management tool as a .zip file, and each reference arrives with its PDF attached. A “Ready to import” screen shows how many references and files were found before anything is created in PERRLA.
• Interrupted uploads pick back up. If an upload doesn’t finish, re-select the same .zip file within 24 hours. Files that were already uploaded aren’t duplicated.
• More comes across. Keywords become Tags, notes become a Research Note, and the abstract becomes the Description on the reference in PERRLA.
• Blank imports are fixed. Some reference managers write field names in capital letters, which used to open an empty form. That’s been corrected.

How to import a .bib file into PERRLA

The import works in PERRLA Online and the PERRLA Add-In for Microsoft Word. Here’s the basic flow:

1. Export from your reference manager as BibTeX. To bring PDFs from Zotero, check “Export Files” in the export options, then zip the folder it creates.
2. In PERRLA, open Create reference and click Create from file. Drag the file in or click Select a file. One file at a time.
3. A single reference opens filled in and ready to review. A file with many references drops them all into your library in one pass. A .zip file shows the “Ready to import” screen first so you can see what’s coming.

A note on platforms: drag-and-drop works in PERRLA Online. In the PERRLA Add-In for Microsoft Word, use Select a file instead – drag-and-drop isn’t supported there. PERRLA’s Chrome Extension supports .bib files but not .zip files. The Google Docs integration doesn’t support .bib import yet.

When PERRLA can’t identify the source type

If PERRLA can’t determine what kind of source a reference is – which can happen with catch-all entry types in some reference managers – it will ask you to pick the type the first time you open it. Nothing is lost; it just needs one more look before it’s ready to cite.

Tips before you import

• Using Zotero? Try the Zotero connection first. Settings → Integrations brings over references, files, notes, PDF highlights, tags, and collections. A .bib file can’t carry highlights or annotations, so the Zotero integration is the better option if you’re on Zotero.
• Import once. Importing the same file twice creates duplicates. If you need to re-import, use the same .zip file within 24 hours, and PERRLA will pick up where it left off without duplicating what’s already there.
• Mendeley brings references, not PDFs. Mendeley’s export points to files on your own computer rather than storing them in the export. Attach PDFs to those references by hand after importing into PERRLA. You can attach a PDF to a reference at any time by uploading it to a reference in PERRLA.
• GIve author names a quick look. Names with particles like “van” or “de,” suffixes like “jr.,” or accents written as codes can occasionally come in incorrectly based on how the other application formatted them. A quick review catches these before they end up in a citation.
• Large files are skipped, not lost. If a PDF exceeds your plan’s file size limit, it’s listed at the end of the import rather than attached automatically. Attach it manually from the reference.

Ready to bring your library over?

Export your library as a BibTex (.bib) or .zip file, open PERRLA, and click Create from file. Everything follows from there. Every PERRLA subscription includes access to .bib import in PERRLA Online. 

Try PERRLA free for 7 days – no credit card required.

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