MetaDesign Solutions
MetaDesign SolutionsDeveloping a versatile citation management add-in for Microsoft Word to streamline academic writing and enhance research collaboration for a global leader in educational and research solutions
Overview
MetaDesign Solutions collaborated with a global leader in academic research to develop a powerful RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) Add-in for Microsoft Word. This add-in, available via the Microsoft Office Store, provides users with seamless access to their reference collection within Word, enabling them to manage citations, footnotes, and bibliographies. With two versions developed using the Office Web Add-in SDK and Office VSTO Add-in SDK, MetaDesign Solutions enhanced both the desktop and web-based Word experiences, delivering a flexible solution that facilitates academic research and collaboration.
about the client
The client is a global leader in providing research and educational tools to academic institutions, researchers, and students worldwide. Their flagship product, a cloud-based reference management platform, is designed to simplify research workflows, manage citations, and create bibliographies efficiently. By offering features like citation style support, full-text management, and academic database integrations, the platform serves as a vital tool for academic institutions, libraries, and researchers.
One of the platform’s key strengths is its ability to streamline the research process, offering functionalities such as drag-and-drop citation management, full-text organization, and collaborative research workflows. With the client’s focus on enhancing research productivity, they required an advanced tool integrated directly into Microsoft Word to ensure that users could access their references easily while working on academic writing tasks.
Industry Domain
Professional Services and Education
Service Category (Service-line)
Word Plug-in Development / Office Plug-in Development / Digital Product Development
Technologies Used
Angular
HTML5
CSS3
Office Add-in SDK
Challenges
Seamless Integration: Integrating the add-in with both web and desktop versions of Microsoft Word using two different SDKs (Office Web and VSTO).
Real-Time Sync: Ensuring that the add-in synchronizes reference data in real-time with the user’s RefWorks account.
Collaboration Support: Enabling users to collaborate on shared documents in Word Online with synchronized references.
Citation Management Complexity: Supporting multiple citation formats, footnotes, and automatic bibliography updates in a user-friendly manner.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensuring the add-in operates smoothly across different platforms (Word Online, desktop, mobile).
Solution Scope and Services
MetaDesign Solutions took on the challenge of developing the RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) add-in, which was designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft Word. The solution offered users read-only access to their RefWorks account, allowing them to add in-text citations and footnotes directly into Word documents and automatically update bibliographies. The RCM add-in syncs with the user’s RefWorks database in real-time, providing quick and reliable access to reference collections while writing documents.
Two versions of the RCM were developed to cater to different user needs: one using the Office Web Add-in SDK for web-based Word access, and the other using the Office VSTO Add-in SDK for the desktop version. Both versions allowed users to work collaboratively on shared projects, ensuring that the add-in functions efficiently in Word Online when multiple contributors are involved. The add-in’s intuitive interface ensures that academic writers can manage citations and bibliographies effortlessly, thus improving productivity.
Cross-Platform Compatibility with Microsoft Word
The add-in was developed to ensure a smooth user experience across both desktop and web versions of Microsoft Word. Using both the Office Web Add-in SDK and Office VSTO Add-in SDK, we were able to deliver a seamless solution that caters to the different needs of users on various platforms. This flexibility has enabled broader adoption among academic users, improving accessibility.
Real-Time Synchronization with RefWorks
The integration of real-time synchronization with the client’s cloud-based RefWorks platform ensures that users always have access to the most up-to-date reference collections. This feature not only enhances productivity but also reduces the possibility of citation errors, as users can rely on accurate reference data across multiple writing sessions.
Collaboration in Word Online
To facilitate group projects, the add-in enables full collaboration within Word Online. By ensuring that all contributors have synchronized access to shared RefWorks Projects, the add-in supports simultaneous editing and citation management, allowing research teams to work together efficiently without missing any critical references.
Results
MetaDesign Solutions’ development of the RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) add-in significantly enhanced the client’s reference management platform by providing a robust, integrated solution for Microsoft Word users. The add-in streamlined the citation process for researchers and students, offering a user-friendly interface that supports a variety of citation styles, inline and footnote citations, and automatic bibliography updates. Additionally, the collaborative features enabled users to work on shared documents in Word Online, increasing productivity and efficiency in academic writing. This solution has empowered the client to extend the functionality of their platform, reinforcing their position as a leader in academic research tools.