File Format & Compatibility

How to Convert an EndNote XML Export for Excel and JBI SUMARI

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to correctly convert and format an EndNote XML export to ensure it imports smoothly into Excel and JBI SUMARI without data structure errors.

Product: EndNote, Microsoft Excel, JBI SUMARI
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting academic reference data from EndNote into Excel or JBI SUMARI for systematic review management.
Observed behavior: The exported EndNote XML file lacks the proper schema required by JBI SUMARI, and relying on Excel's automatically inferred schema fails to guarantee cross-application compatibility.

Before you start

Before attempting the conversion, verify the specific data import format required by your current JBI SUMARI project. Ensure you have the 'Developer' tab enabled in your spreadsheet software to manually manage XML map schemas.

Solution 1Recommended

Obtain and Apply the Required XML Schema for Export

Manually acquire the correct XML schema from JBI SUMARI or EndNote to ensure the exported file is perfectly formatted for your spreadsheet and review software.

Spreadsheet tools like Excel can attempt to automatically infer a schema when opening an XML file. However, an inferred schema is often flat and lacks the specific hierarchical structure required by specialized academic software like JBI SUMARI. To resolve this, you must apply the exact official schema during import.

Contact Support for the Official Schema

Reach out to JBI SUMARI or EndNote support (or check their official documentation) to download the required XML schema (.xsd file) and recommended import formats.

Export References from EndNote

Open your EndNote library, highlight the references you need, go to File > Export, and choose 'XML' as your output file type.

Validate the Exported XML

Use a dedicated XML validation tool or online validator to check your newly exported EndNote XML file against the schema provided by JBI SUMARI, ensuring there are no structural errors.

Import Using Manual Schema Mapping

Open your spreadsheet software, navigate to the Developer tab, and click 'Source' to open the XML Maps pane. Add the official schema you obtained, then map the XML elements manually instead of allowing the software to automatically infer the structure.

Avoid Auto-Generated Schemas: Relying on auto-generated schemas might display the data correctly in the spreadsheet initially, but it is highly likely to cause failures when subsequently importing that data into JBI SUMARI.

Seamless Data Management

Import and Manage XML Reference Data with WPS Spreadsheet

WPS Spreadsheet offers excellent support for complex data formats like XML. By using WPS Office, you can easily map your EndNote data schemas, organize academic references, and export highly structured tables for JBI SUMARI.

1. Launch WPS Spreadsheet: Open WPS Office and create a new blank spreadsheet document.
2. Import Your XML File: Navigate to the Data tab, select 'Import Data', and browse your computer for the exported EndNote XML file.
3. Configure the Data Mappings: If prompted with an XML import dialog, apply the appropriate mappings to ensure your columns align with JBI SUMARI's required layout.
4. Export for JBI SUMARI: Once your data is cleanly formatted, save the dataset as a standard CSV or .xlsx file, which maintains high structural compatibility with review tools.

Native support for importing, editing, and mapping structured XML data filesFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .csv) formatsLightweight application that handles large reference datasets without freezingFree and intuitive interface for cleaning systematic review data

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the automatically inferred spreadsheet schema fail for JBI SUMARI?

Spreadsheet software infers a basic, flat structure based solely on the tags present in the XML. This often strips out or misaligns the complex hierarchical metadata and nested tags required by specialized academic software like JBI SUMARI.

Can I export from EndNote directly to CSV instead of XML?

Yes. If XML schema conflicts are preventing a successful import, you can often bypass the issue by changing your EndNote output style to 'Tab-Delimited'. You can then save this as a .txt or .csv file, which imports natively into most spreadsheets without schema mapping.

Where can I find the official JBI SUMARI import schema?

The official XML schemas and required formatting templates are usually provided in the JBI SUMARI Help Center, within their user manuals, or by directly contacting their technical support team.

Document & File Issues