Zotero integration with SharePoint

jgreyber

Hi all! I just started using SharePoint for document collaboration at work and discovered that I cannot use Zotero for reference management when I am editing a manuscript from my SharePoint library.

Does anyone know if this is an issue I need to problem solve through Zotero settings or SharePoint setting? Is there a solution to this? I love Zotero and really don't want to use different software, but our document collaboration at work needs to be done through SharePoint for security reasons.

Help!

Thanks,
Jennifer

adamsmith

what's not working and how exactly are you using sharepoint? The Office 365 online setup will obviously not work with Zotero since there's no add-on, but I don't see an a priori reason why collaboration over the SharePoint API of a local SharePoint server wouldn't work (though there could be reasons, not terribly familiar with the technology).

jgreyber

We are currently using SharePoint 2013 but are upgrading to Office 365 over the summer.

The first time I tried to edit a Zotero reference in a SharePoint document, I got an error message about Zotero integration. Now, when I click on Zotero in my menu bar in Word, all options to do anything are grayed out. I think I accidentally clicked on "Sample Automator Workflows" and now I can't do anything with Zotero at all.

BTW, I don't know if it matters, but I am using a Mac and Firefox.

Is there an extension or plug in that will allow me to use zotero with SharePoint documents?

And more importantly, why did all of my Zotero options get grayed out and how do I get them back?

Thanks,
Jennifer

jgreyber

Okay, I restarted word and got my zotero options back. Here is the error message I am getting when I try and do anything with a zotero citation in a sharepoint word document:

"Zotero could not load the component required to communicate with your word processor. Please ensure that the appropriate extension is installed and try again."

Help!

Thank you,
Jennifer

adamsmith

And just to confirm - this is working in a regular document?

jgreyber

No, now it is not working even with regular word documents, although I have never had any problems with zotero prior to trying to work with sharepoint documents.

Is there an extension or something else I need to reinstall?

Jennifer

adamsmith

The first thing I'd try is to reinstall word components from the cite tab of the Zotero preferences. See if that helps.
Next, I'd try restarting your computer. One of these should almost certainly work (this is for regular word docs--let's make sure those are working before doing anything with SharePoint).

jgreyber

Well, aside from the sharepoint/zotero issue, I think I am having problems with Word as well. I was actually at the Apple store recently to troubleshoot some separate issues, and we determined that the problem was lkely with my Office applications. I haven't had a chance to reinstall all of the office apps, and I don't think that's the source of the sharepoint issue, but it is compounded now by the fact that I can't get word to even start now.

Assuming I can get my Word working and everything else in order, should I be able to use Zotero with SharePoint-based Word documents?

Jennifer

adamsmith

I'm not aware of any tests on this, so I can't make promises. From my understanding of Share Point co-authoring with Desktop Office, I don't see why this shouldn't work, but impossible to say without trying.