Authoring Space

 

To support authors in the writing process, we’ve integrated an academic writing tool that streamlines collaboration, reference management, and document structuring.


FidusWriter is an open-source, web-based editor tailored for academic writing. It offers a familiar word processor interface along with features such as citation management and real-time co-authoring. This helps researchers stay focused on content and research, while the tool takes care of formatting and consistency.

 

 

Real-time Collaboration

 

Multiple authors can edit the same document simultaneously, making teamwork smooth and efficient.

 
Academic Writing Tools

 

Add equations, footnotes, comments, and annotations to support structured and detailed scholarly writing.

 
Smart Reference Management

 

Search academic databases, manage citations, and connect with tools like Zotero or Mendeley.

 
Automatic Formatting

 

Ensure your document meets academic standards with consistent formatting throughout.

 
Version Control

 

Track changes, view revision history, and restore previous versions as needed.

 
Flexible Export Options

 

Export your work to PDF, DOCX, EPUB, or HTML for easy sharing and publishing.

 

 

 

To help you get started and make the most of these features, we’ve prepared a How to guide. It provides step-by-step instructions for using FidusWriter effectively throughout your writing process. For further guidance, see the detailed documentation or consult the FidusWriter FAQ for quick answers to common questions.

 

 

 

 

How to ...

 

 

Get Started with FidusWriter

 

 

Step 1

Log in or Register

 

 

  • Go to the SOCIOS FidusWriter by clicking the button on the right of the page.
  • If you don’t have an account yet, register using your ORCID iD. This links your scholarly identity to your account.
  • When logging in for the first time, ORCID will ask you to authorize access. Click “Authorize” to grant access and continue.
  • If you already have an account, just log in with your credentials.

 

 

 

Step 2

Create, Upload, and Organize Documents

 

 

Once you're logged in, the overview page is your starting point. Here you can create new content, upload existing work, or organize your files.


You have the following options:

  • New Document – Click “New Document” to begin writing a manuscript.
  • New Folder – Keep your documents organized by creating folders. You can move documents into folders at any time.
  • Upload FIDUS file – If you’ve previously exported a FidusWriter file (with the .fidus extension), you can restore it here.
  • Import Document – Bring in documents from other formats like Word (.docx), OpenDocument (.odt), or Pandoc JSON.

 

 

Step 3

Explore the Interface

 

 

After opening a document, you’ll see the main editor interface. It’s designed for clean academic writing, with tools arranged for easy access:

  • Main Text Area – This is where you write and format your content. 
  • Left Sidebar – Use the sidebar to navigate between sections, see document structure, or switch to bibliography and metadata.
  • Top Toolbar – This includes formatting tools, citation insertion, and access to export and revision features.
  • File Menu – Save, print/export, share the document, or view document settings.
  • Comments – Depending on permissions, you can add comments, view others’ feedback, and work with tracked changes.

 

 

Step 4

Manage Document Sections

 

 

FidusWriter structures documents using sections, which help organize content and control formatting.

  • Go to File → Settings.
  • Under Sections, enable or disable optional parts like subtitle, abstract, or keywords.
  • Each section shows placeholder text in gray until you add content.

 

 

Step 5

Add Document Metadata

 

 

Document metadata helps identify authorship and provides important information for publication. 

  • Open the Metadata tab on the left sidebar.
  • Fill in author details such as name, affiliation, and ORCID iD.
  • Specify contributor roles (author, editor, etc.).

This information will be included in exported documents.

 

 

 

 

 

Use the Reference Manager 

 

 

Step 1

Access the Bibliography Page

 

 

Open your document in FidusWriter and navigate to the “Bibliography” tab. Here you’ll find a list of all your references. You can:

  • View and edit reference details
  • Organize references into categories
  • Export your bibliography as a BibTeX ZIP file 

 

 

Step 2

Add References (4 Methods)

 

 

FidusWriter supports four different ways to add references:

 

Import a BibTeX File

  • Export references from your reference manager (e.g. Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote) in BibTeX format.
  • In FidusWriter:
    • Go to the Bibliography tab.
    • Click “Upload BibTeX file”.
    • Select your .bib file.

Your references will be imported and shown in the list.

 

Import from a Literature Database

If you don’t use a reference manager, you can search for references directly in FidusWriter:

  • Click “Import from database”.
  • Enter search terms (title, author, keywords).
  • Choose the correct entry from the results.

FidusWriter will fetch metadata automatically. Some databases (like DataCite) allow DOI search. 

 

Manually Add a Reference

  • Click “Register new source”.
  • Choose a source type: e.g. journal article, book, web page.
  • Fill in required and optional fields.  

 

Drag-and-Drop from Zotero

In Zotero:

  • Set the default export format to BibLaTeX.
  • Select your reference.
  • Drag it into the desired location in your Fidus document.  

FidusWriter will automatically insert the reference and update the bibliography.

 

 

Step 3

Choose Citation Style

 

 

Each manuscript in FidusWriter can have its own citation style. You can choose styles like APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. The bibliography is updated automatically every time you add or remove a reference.

 

 

Step 4

Export Your Bibliography

 

 

On the Bibliography page, you can export your reference list as a zipped BibTeX file.

 

 

 

 

 

Export Your FidusWriter Document as PDF

 

FidusWriter does not offer a direct “Export as PDF” option – but you can still create a PDF using the Print/PDF feature.

 

Step 1

Open the "Print/PDF" Menu

 
  • Go to the “File” menu in the top navigation.
  • Click on “Print/PDF”.

This will open a print-friendly preview of your document.

 

Step 2

Save as PDF

 

In the Print dialog that appears:

  • Choose “Save as PDF” as the printer.
  • The button labeled “Print” will now change to “Save”.
  • Click Save.
  • Select a name and destination for your PDF file.

 

 

 

 

 

Import Documents 

 

 

Step 1

Go to the Overview Page
 
  • When you log in to FidusWriter, you'll land on the Overview page.
  • Click the button labeled “Import Document”.

 

 

Step 2

Choose the File Type
 

FidusWriter currently supports three import formats:

 

Pandoc JSON

  • Best suited for advanced users.
  • Requires familiarity with the Pandoc document conversion toolchain.

 

OpenDocument Text (.odt)

  • Exported from LibreOffice or OpenOffice.
  • Preserves basic formatting well.

 

Microsoft Word (.docx)

  • Widely used and easily exported from Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

 

Note: When importing documents all references are converted to plain text. This means, you can see the citations, but you can no longer manage them through FidusWriter’s reference manager. So you cannot easily update, delete, or format them automatically.

 

Tip: For reference-heavy documents, consider re-adding citations using FidusWriter’s built-in reference tools after import.

 

 

 

 

Work with Revisions 

 

FidusWriter includes a straightforward revision system. It lets you save snapshots of your manuscript along with short notes, so you can always go back to earlier stages of your work.

 

Save a Revision

 

When you reach an important milestone or make major changes:

  • Open the File menu.
  • Select “Save Revision”.
  • Add a short note describing what you changed (e.g. "Added results section" or "Corrected citations").

FidusWriter will now save a snapshot of your document along with your note and the date and time of the revision (see fig. 2 in the original documentation).

 

 

Restore an Earlier Revision

 

If you want to go back to a previous version:

  • Open the Revisions view.
  • Select the revision you want to restore.
  • Click “Recreate”.

The revision is not overwritten — instead, a new document is created. The new title will include the word "Revision". This lets you compare both versions safely.

 

Note: The recreated document does not include earlier revision history. Revisions are not carried over into the new file.

 

 

 

 

Invite Collaborators 

 

 

Step 1

Share Your Document
 

You can share a document in two ways:

 

From the Overview Page

  • Go to your document list.
  • Click the “Rights” icon next to the document you want to share.

 

From Inside the Document

  • Open the document.
  • Go to File → Share.

 

 

Step 2

Invite New Collaborators
 

If the person is not yet in your contacts:

  • Open your account pop-up menu (top-right corner).
  • Select “Contacts”.
  • Enter their email address to send an invitation.

The invitee will receive an invitation email. They can log in and accept/reject the invitation (if already registered), or register via ORCID, then respond. You will be notified via email once they respond.

 

 

Step 3

Set the Right Permissions
 

FidusWriter offers role-based permissions (see next section) — so you can define exactly what each collaborator is allowed to do.

 

 

 

 

 

Set Permissions for Collaborators

 

FidusWriter supports different permission levels depending on the collaborator’s role. These are divided into Co-author and Reviewer types:

 

Co-author Permissions     

 

Read

Can view the document only. Can export, print, or make a private copy.

Comment

Can view and add comments.

Write tracked            

Can edit the document with changes tracked. Owner can accept/reject.

Write

Can edit freely without tracking. Cannot invite others.

 

Reviewer Permissions     

 

No comments

Equivalent to “Read” — no ability to comment.

Review

Can comment, but cannot see comments from others.

Review tracked          

Can comment and propose tracked changes. Owner must approve/reject.

 

Note: Reviewers cannot see other users’ comments, preserving blind review if needed.

 

When to Use What?

  • Use Write for close collaborators or co-authors.
  • Use Write tracked when you want editorial oversight.
  • Use Comment or Review when you just need feedback.
  • Use Review tracked for external reviewers who should suggest changes but not alter the document directly.

 

Tip: Write tracked is ideal for controlled collaboration — like submitting edits for approval.

 

 

 

 

Work with Comments and Anchors

 

Using Comments

 

Users with the appropriate write or comment rights can add comments anywhere in the document. Each comment records the author and the date and time it was written. Comments can be:

  • Assigned to other collaborators, co-authors, or reviewers
  • Filtered by author or assignee in the comments menu
  • Hidden completely via the comments menu (see fig. 5)

 

 

Managing Comments 

 

Comments can be resolved or deleted.

 

Resolved comments:

  • Shown in muted colors with an "RC" icon.
  • Are hidden by default but can be shown if desired.
  • Cannot be interacted with, but can be recreated if needed.

 

Deleted comments are permanently removed from the document and cannot be restored. Both the comment’s author and the document owner can resolve or delete comments.

 

 

Setting Anchors

 

Users with write permission can create anchors in the document. Anchors are special markers that allow you to:

  • Create internal links to specific words or sections
  • Share direct links to precise points in the document with co-authors


Note: Anchors are not preserved in printed/PDF versions of your document. They are purely for digital navigation and communication.

 

 

 

 

Work with Templates

 

FidusWriter uses two types of templates to structure and export your documents:

 

Document Templates define the sections of your manuscript, such as:

  • Title
  • Subtitle
  • Authors
  • Abstract
  • Body

In the editor, sections appear as gray placeholder text. Most sections except Title and Body are optional. By default, Authors and Abstract are enabled. You can toggle optional sections on or off in the document’s Settings menu. 

 

Export Templates are DOCX or ODT files that control how your document is exported. They include placeholders for document sections, indicated by curly brackets, for example:

  • {title} for single-line sections
  • {@abstract} for multi-line sections (the @ marks multi-line content)

When exporting, FidusWriter replaces these placeholders with your actual document content.

 

Note: Currently, the SOCIOS instance of FidusWriter provides only one document template and one export template for each format (DOCX and ODT). Custom templates are not yet supported, but feedback is welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you encounter any issues, please contact our support team at socios-support@uni-koeln.de.