SmartReferences

SmartReferences is an integrated bibliographic tool powered by Edifix, consolidating parsing, styling, and multi-database validation into a single automated workflow—removing the need for separate PubMed® or Crossref™ tools. You can choose which databases SmartReferences checks using the SmartRefs workflow action.

SmartReferences performs the following actions:

  • Detects the reference type (for example, journal, book) and applies your organisation's house style
  • Scans the bibliography for duplicate entries and flags them for editorial review
  • Validates metadata entries against PubMed® and Crossref™ to correct typos and insert missing DOIs or PMIDs
  • Flags citations appearing in the Cabells Predatory Reports or Retraction Watch database with a warning comment

Character styles

SmartReferences applies the full set of character styles below to journal, book, book chapter, and standard references. Other reference types receive these styles as a minimum:

  • Author names
  • Publication year
  • Reference number
  • URLs

The following table lists the character styles applied. Each character style is coloured based on your organisation's configuration, so you can verify that SmartReferences parsed the metadata correctly.

Reference elementCharacter style
Reference numberbib_number
Organisation or collaboration namebib_organization
Author last name (surname)bib_surname
Author first name (spelled out or initials)bib_fname
Article titlebib_article
Journal namebib_journal
Book titlebib_book
Conference proceedings sourcebib_conference
Journal or publication volumebib_volume
Journal issue numberbib_issue
Publication yearbib_year
Publication monthbib_month
Article or chapter first pagebib_fpage
Article or chapter last pagebib_lpage
The publication's DOI (in any form; URL, etc.)bib_doi
External link (for example, arXiv)bib_extlink
Any URL (excluding DOI) included in the referencebib_url
Edition numberbib_editionno
Publisher locationbib_location
Publisher namebib_publisher

Reference types

SmartReferences wraps each reference with a tag that indicates the reference type at the start of each paragraph. These tags determine how SmartReferences styles and restructures the entry. To correct or manually apply a reference type, see Reference tags in the Insert Tags article.

A reference entry wrapped in a Journal Reference tag, showing the content control border around the tagged text

Note

Only journal references are automatically restructured (re-punctuated). Other types receive character styling, but maintain their original formatting.

TagReference type
jrnJournal article
bok, edbBook or edited book or chapter
stdStandard
confConference proceeding
prptPreprint
dataData citation
erefWebsite or online article
lglLegal case or statute
thsThesis or dissertation
otherWorking paper, patent, map, or other document
unknownUnsupported or unidentified type

Before you run SmartReferences

Before using SmartReferences:

  1. Verify you've added a SmartReferences workflow in Orion Compass.
  2. Run all preceding Orion processes, including SmartReplace.

Run SmartReferences

SmartReferences tool in the Edit group of the Orion ribbon in Microsoft Word
  1. In the Orion ribbon, navigate to the Edit group.
  2. Select the SmartReferences
    SmartReferences tool
    tool to open the SmartReferences task pane.
    SmartReferences task pane showing citation style, reference count, and Edifix My References button
  3. In the task pane, review the citation style and the number of references found.

INFO

If the number of references found is higher than expected, check whether non-reference paragraphs are using a reference paragraph style.

  1. Click Edifix My References. SmartReferences processes your references on Typefi Server. You can continue editing your document while the job runs. If you close the document, the task pane resumes tracking automatically when you reopen it. To stop the job, click Cancel.
  2. When the task pane shows Ready to Apply, click Apply.
  3. Click Dismiss and review the changes in your document.

Reviewing results

SmartReferences automatically repairs citations when it finds a high-confidence match in an external database. When there is conflicting information or a citation cannot be verified, SmartReferences flags the reference with a comment for manual review. Each comment describes what SmartReferences checked and what it corrected or flagged for your review.

Automated repairs include:

  • Standardising journal abbreviations
  • Filling in missing volume and issue numbers
  • Repairing incomplete page ranges

TIP

To review comments, switch to Print Layout view or open the Reviewing Pane (Review tab). Comments are not visible in Draft view.

Reprocessing a reference

References with an existing reference type tag are not sent for processing. To reprocess a reference, remove its tag first, then run SmartReferences again.

Last updated: 5 Jun 2026, 22:41:35
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