Upgrade StorageHow to use Zotero in a collaborative document with multiple editors
I am working with a faculty member who has an existing document in MSWord (Desktop) with citations from his Zotero library. The document is written in AMA style so the Refresh feature is critical to keep correct in-text citation numbers linked to correct numbered citations in the bibliography.
My colleague now wants to work with two colleagues (one in the same institution and one from outside the institution) on collaboratively editing the document in preparation for publication. Of course, it is essential that edits that affect citations (such as removing a numbered citation in the text) can be correctly "refreshed" with Zotero library so that the in-text numbers and the bibliography in numerical order in AMA style doesn't become a jumbled mess.
I spent about an hour working with this individual on creating a Zotero Group library and testing out options with MSWord (desktop and on OneDrive) and GoogleDocs, but either the document doesn't refresh correctly with collaborative edits such as removing an in-text citation (but the "refresh" didn't remove the bibliographic entry and renumber the bibliography), or the document completely froze.
Does anyone know a software solution that would allow collaborative editing of a shared document written in AMA (numeric) style that also uses a group library in Zotero as the citation management tool? Given the large amount of collaborative projects in the medical sciences that would use AMA for publication, I'm sure there must be a feasible solution.
My colleague now wants to work with two colleagues (one in the same institution and one from outside the institution) on collaboratively editing the document in preparation for publication. Of course, it is essential that edits that affect citations (such as removing a numbered citation in the text) can be correctly "refreshed" with Zotero library so that the in-text numbers and the bibliography in numerical order in AMA style doesn't become a jumbled mess.
I spent about an hour working with this individual on creating a Zotero Group library and testing out options with MSWord (desktop and on OneDrive) and GoogleDocs, but either the document doesn't refresh correctly with collaborative edits such as removing an in-text citation (but the "refresh" didn't remove the bibliographic entry and renumber the bibliography), or the document completely froze.
Does anyone know a software solution that would allow collaborative editing of a shared document written in AMA (numeric) style that also uses a group library in Zotero as the citation management tool? Given the large amount of collaborative projects in the medical sciences that would use AMA for publication, I'm sure there must be a feasible solution.
I've been doing it that way for years. The only caveat is that if one of the editors inputs a citation from somewhere else in their library (i.e., not from the shared library), it won't show up properly.
https://www.zotero.org/support/groups
You might have to delete the bibliography and rebuild occasionally, but it generally has worked fine for me.
*Unless you're moving a document between Google Docs and Word, in which case there will be extra steps:
1. In the Google Doc, use File → Make a Copy… to create a copy of the document [just in case].
2. In the new document, select “Switch word processors…” from the Zotero menu.
3. Select File → Download as → Microsoft Word (.docx) and save the converted file.
4. Open the downloaded file in Word and click Refresh in the Zotero plugin to continue using the document.
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/moving_documents_between_word_processors
(Try moving it off OneDrive? I've read that can screw things up, as can track changes as noted by adamsmith ... Word Track Changes is awful and has been for decades)