Reference Hub

A generic quick-start guide is also available, but here’s what you need to know to get going:

How do I log in and get started?

1. Go to the University website and sign in with your usual username and password.

2. From My Services, choose myPublications.

3. Click University of Sheffield Login.

How do I configure my search settings?

Why this matters: myPublications searches scholarly databases for your work. Refining your settings drastically improves the accuracy of results and saves you time reviewing incorrect publications.

1. Go to Profile & work > Search settings.

2. Change the settings as necessary.

   • Add all name variants you publish under (e.g. with/without middle initials, maiden name). Be sure to use the format Lastname, Firstname/Initials.

   • Add address variants. Since searches are for exact matches, keep them short! (e.g. use 'Sheffield' rather than 'University of Sheffield' or 'Sheffield University').

   • Add a start date if useful—any publications earlier than this date will be ignored. 

   • Avoid keywords or journals; they often make your searches too restrictive.

3. Click Save.

How do I set up automatic claiming?

Why this matters: Save time by letting myPublications claim your validated publications automatically, reducing the number of items you need to review manually, while ensuring that your publications list is always up-to-date.

1. Go to Profile & work > My research identifiers.

2. Review the list of potential IDs (e.g. ORCID, Scopus Author ID, ResearcherID).

3. For each, choose one of the following:

   • Yes (claim automatically): all publications matching this ID will be added to your list automatically in the future.

   • No (reject): all publications associated with this ID will always be ignored.

   • Ignore (send to pending): publications associated with this ID will be sent to your pending list for manual review.

4. Add any missing IDs manually if you have them.

How do I add a preferred name?

Adding a preferred name is helpful if you publish under a different name or are known by something different to what is recorded in the HR system.

1. Go to Account > Set preferred name.

2. Enter a preferred name. You can change your first name, last name, or both.

3. Click Update preferred names.

Tip: this doesn’t affect how the system searches for your work—make sure you've added all name variants in your Search Settings (see above). 

How do I add my pronouns?

You can add pronouns to appear on your profile page beneath your name.

1. Go to Account > Account settings.

2. Enter your pronouns and click Update pronouns.

Can someone else manage my profile for me?

Yes. Delegates can manage your profile for you and will receive the same email alerts you do (e.g., notifications about new pending publications).

1. Go to Account > Manage delegates.

2. Search for the person and click Add.

Tip: Delegates log in using their own University account—you never need to share your password!

How do I configure my home page layout?

1. Go to Account > Configure homepage.

2. Drag and drop tiles to rearrange, hide, or show sections.

3. Click Save changes.

Can I change my University email or department details?

No. Core information is taken from the HR system. Update your HR records first; changes will appear in myPublications automatically.

My account looks empty or reset. What happened?

Your profile is linked to your HR number. If this changes (e.g., after a job move) your account may appear new. Email mypublications@sheffield.ac.uk and we can reconnect your old record.

How do I add my outputs?

You can add outputs to your list in three ways.

1. Fully automatic claiming (the easiest way): Once you've set up your research IDs (Profile & work > My research identifiers - see above), myPublications does all the work. It constantly monitors scholarly databases and automatically claims any matching outputs.

2. Reviewing pending outputs (semi-automatic): myPublications uses your search settings to find potential matches among millions of records and puts them in a Pending list for you to review and confirm.

   • Go to Profile & work > Research outputs.

   • Click the Pending tab.

   • Tick the outputs that are yours.

   • Click Claim or Reject at the top of the list.

   • Tip: If you see too many false matches or are missing expected outputs, revisit your search settings. Improving your name and address variants is the best way to clean up this list.

3. Manually adding an output: If myPublications can't find your work, you can always enter it yourself.

• In the Research outputs box on your home page click + Add New.

• Select an appropriate output type.

• Perform a quick system search to prevent creating a duplicate record (it may have already been created by a co-author).

• Enter all available details for the output and click Save.

• Tip: Be thorough! The details you enter here are what appear on your University profile page and in official reports.

I have lots of pending publications that aren’t mine

Refine your search settings or add unique IDs (Profile & work > My research identifiers) to reduce false matches.

A publication is missing. What should I do?

It may not yet have been harvested (this can take up to two weeks).

• Check your Rejected list in case it was declined accidentally.

• Ensure searching is enabled in Profile & work > Search settings and that your name variants are correct.

• You can always add the output manually.

• How do I record an output that is accepted but not yet published?

• Add it manually.

I have more than one identifier (e.g. multiple Scopus Author IDs). Can I enter them all?

Yes, add each one in Profile & work > My research identifiers.

How do I delete an output?

Move it to your Rejected list by clicking Reject from the menu within the record.

Once your outputs are claimed, use these steps to ensure they are accurate, well-formatted, and reflect your specific contributions. 

How do I edit the output details?

Why you'd do this: To correct minor errors or fill in missing information (like abstract, page numbers, or DOI) not provided by the original source.

1. Go to Profile & work > Research outputs. 

2. Click the title of the relevant output.

3. In the Data sources section, click the large + to add a new manual record, or the pencil icon to edit an existing one.

4. Make your changes and click Save.

Can I record my contribution using CRediT?

Why you'd do this: It's quick and easy to record your exact contribution to an output using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) system, which provides detailed, standardised credit for researchers.

1. Go to Profile & work > Research outputs. 

2. Click the title of the relevant output.

3. Scroll to the CRediT box. 

4. Click the large + button and select your contributor role(s), e.g. Conceptualization, Writing – Review & Editing, Data Curation.

What if an output is classified incorrectly (e.g., journal article vs. conference paper)?

In the output record, click on the pen icon next to the current classification (e.g., Journal article) and change as required.

How do I choose my preferred display format?

Why you'd do this: Publishers vary widely in their use of capitalisation, abbreviations, and citation styles. You can select a preferred source to control exactly how the output appears in the system, and on your University webpage and in ORCID.

1. Go to Profile & work > Research outputs. 

2. Click the title of the relevant output.

3. In the Data sources section, use the stars (⋆) next to the different source records (e.g., Scopus, Crossref) to select the version with your preferred formatting.

What if there are duplicates or two outputs have been merged incorrectly?

What you need to know: It's very common for an output to exist in multiple scholarly databases (e.g., Scopus and PubMed). myPublications usually merges these automatically. However, small differences can sometimes create duplicate records, or, more rarely, two different publications can be incorrectly merged (e.g. a conference paper and journal article with the same title and no DOI).

Action: If you spot an issue (duplicate outputs that should be one, or two different outputs that have been merged), please email myPublications@sheffield.ac.uk with details and we'll take care of it for you.

myPublications can save you significant time by automatically populating and updating your publications list on both your University staff page and your ORCID profile.

Automatically update your University webpage

Benefits:

• No Manual Updates: Keeps your profile accurate and up to date with minimal effort.

• Total Control: You choose exactly which outputs appear.

• Rich Data: Outputs include links to publisher pages and open-access copies.

• Featured Section: Option to highlight your favourite or most recent work.

How to enable this:

1. Contact your departmental web manager and ask them to configure your staff profile to use myPublications data.

2. In myPublications, mark any as "favourites" if you want a dedicated "Featured publications" section

Tip: Outputs are displayed in APA style. If an output has multiple data sources, remember you can set a preferred source to control the version and formatting shown on your web page (see above).

Automatically update your ORCID profile

An ORCID iD is a unique, career-long identifier. Connecting it to myPublications ensures your ORCID profile is always up to date.

How to connect and sync:

1. Go to Settings > ORCID Settings.

2. Click Register/Connect your ORCID ID.

3. Sign in to your ORCID account or create a new one.

4. Click Authorize to allow myPublications to interact with your profile.

5. Choose your integration level:

   • Read & Write (recommended): Sends outputs to ORCID and uses your ID to improve search results.

   • Read Only: Improves search results only (does not sync data).

   • Automatic claiming only: Uses the ID for matching outputs but does not sync any data.

6. Optional: click Send affiliation to add “University of Sheffield” to your ORCID record.

Why doesn’t ORCID import everything?

Only outputs with a unique identifier (DOI, PubMed ID, etc.) can be imported. Unfortunately, this limitation is beyond our control.

Why has my ORCID search failed?

You may need to Re-authenticate. Go to Settings > ORCID Settings and click Reconnect your ORCID ID if available. Also check that you verified your ORCID account using the email that they sent when you first registered.

Where can I see metrics for my outputs?

1. Go to Profile & work > Research outputs.

2. Click the title of the relevant output.

3. The available metrics are shown in the Metrics section.

Tip: Hover over the Altmetric and Dimensions badges to see more detail. Click on the bade to see the output in that service.

Why are citation counts missing or different from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed?

Counts come directly from source databases and update roughly every two weeks.

Can myPublications display Google Scholar citations?

No—Google does not provide this data to third-party systems.

Why is the journal impact factor not shown?

The University supports the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and does not use journal-level metrics such as the impact factor.

How should I use metrics responsibly?

Metrics can be a useful tool to help track the attention received by outputs, but on their own are never sufficient to assess research fairly. See the University’s Metrics Hub for guidance on responsible use.

myPublications is the only way to deposit your research outputs into our institutional Open Access repository (WRRO), ensuring compliance and discoverability

How do I deposit an output into the repository (WRRO)?

1. Go to Profile & work > Deposit research outputs.

2. Click the Deposit button in the output you want to submit.

3. Upload the correct file. This should normally be the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM)—the version after peer review but before the publisher's typesetting/formatting. Click on the SHERPA RoMEO advice tab to see exactly what you're permitted to upload for that journal.

4. Click Submit.

What Happens Next? The Library Open Access Team handles the rest! They check copyright permissions, set any required embargo periods, and will contact you directly if more information is needed.

How do I check the status of my deposits?

You can monitor the progress of your deposits at Profile & work > Deposited research outputs.

• Live: The record is fully processed, visible in WRRO, and publicly available (subject to any embargo).

• In review: Your deposit has been submitted and is currently being processed by the Library team.

• Deposit incomplete: The upload process was not finished, and the record has not been received by the Library. Click Deposit next to the output to complete the submission.

Are preprints available through myPublications?

Yes. Preprints can be claimed or added like any other output.

Need Help?

For any questions about Open Access policies or depositing your work, email oaenquiries@sheffield.ac.uk. 

Recording and linking grants is essential for demonstrating the impact of funded research, especially for reporting requirements like ResearchFish.

What grant data is included and where does it come from?

The Costing Tool is the definitive source for all internally administered projects. Three types of records are imported automatically:

• Awarded Grants: Imported when they have a status of Handover, Live, or Completed. These are the grants that are active or finalised. 

• Applications: Imported when they have a status of Application Authorised. This helps track your full application history.

• Consultancy: All University consultancy projects are automatically added. Private consultancy is not included. 

In addition, grants may also be populated from external sources or added by you.

• From the Dimensions database: Grants found in this online database are claimed using the same automatic/semi-automatic process as for research outputs. 

• Manual entry: You can manually add grants if they are not found by Dimensions. You can’t add applications or consultancy activity. Click the +add new button in the Awarded grants box on your home page to manually enter grants.

A grant is missing—why?

You may not be a named investigator, or the Costing Tool record may use a different HR number. Contact research.eds@sheffield.ac.uk if you are unsure.

How do I link grants to other items, such as outputs or impact case studies?

Why you'd do this: Funders increasingly require information about the outcomes of the research that they fund (e.g. ResearchFish). Linking them here helps you accurately report this information.

If both the output and the grant record are sourced from the Dimensions database, then the link will be created automatically. To create a link manually:

1. Go to Profile & work > Awarded grants. 

2. Click the title of the relevant grant.

3. Click Create new in the Relationships box and choose the relevant item type, e.g. Research output.

4. Select the item(s) from the list and then choose Link selected then click Done.

How do I link a grant to someone not listed as an investigator?

One of the named investigators can do this by following the steps above to link a grant to another item and choosing User.

Need help?

Contact mypublications@sheffield.ac.uk for general help. If you wish to query data provided by the Costing Tool, contact research.eds@sheffield.ac.uk.

Capturing evidence of impact early saves time later and is crucial for preparing for the next REF cycle, as well as other impact-related activities.

What is the impact module for?

It captures evidence of the reach and significance of your research beyond the University—essential for REF, and useful for funders, reporting, and promotions applications.

How do I create a new impact record?

When creating a record, aim for one record per specific impact claim (e.g., 'Change in housing policy informed by X', rather than ‘Impact arising from X project').

1. Click + add new in the Impact & engagement box on your home page.

2. In the first section (Tell us More), myPublications guides you through the initial narrative setup:

   • Select your relationship to the impact record.

   • Add a title: Describe the impact and date it (a working title is fine).

   • Record any engagement and KE activities (these can also be logged separately in the ‘Professional activities’ module and linked to the impact record later).

   • Describe the audience and beneficiaries.

   • Flag any related reports.

   • Highlight general categories of corroborating evidence.

   • Describe the underpinning research that led to the impact (specific outputs can be linked to later).

3. Click Save, then Done.

4. In the second section (Link to additional users), add any University colleagues who were involved in delivering the impact or who will collaborate on updating this record. If you don’t want to add collaborators, just click Done to skip this step.

   • Search for colleagues using Filters. 

   • Select their name(s) and click Link selected to choose their relationship to the impact.

   • Click Done. The record will then appear in their impact list too, and they’ll be able to update it. 

5. In the third section (Attach evidence), you can upload evidence. You can always add evidence later, but it's helpful to upload what you have now.

   • Documents (e.g. policy documents)

   • Links to relevant websites (e.g. online news stories or press releases from external partners)

   • Contact details of key external collaborators (e.g. who could be contacted for testimonials)

How do I update, link, and enhance an existing record?

Why you'd do this: Impact doesn’t happen overnight! Records are designed to be living documents that you update over time. You can add new activity or collaborators, attach evidence, create links to other records (e.g. outputs, grants, and professional activities), and add labels.

1. Go to Profile & work > Impact & engagement. 

2. Click the title of the record you want to update.

3. You can:

   • Update the narrative: click the pencil icon in the Data sources section. Drag entries to reorder.

   • Add new evidence: click the pencil icon in the Supporting evidence section.

   • Link related records (e.g. outputs, grants, professional activities, other users):

     • Click Create new in the Relationships box and choose a category.

     • Select the record(s) to link. You can use the filters to narrow down the choices.

     • Choose Link selected, then click Done.

   • Attach labels (to help organise your records): click Impact Types in the Labels section and add the most appropriate tags. 

How do I delete an impact record?

1. Go to Profile & work > Impact & engagement. 

2. Find the relevant record.

3. Hover over the three vertical dots and select Remove relationship.

Need help?

For dedicated help and support with maximising the impact from your research, visit the impact webpages. For help using the impact module, contact James Brown (james.brown@sheffield.ac.uk), University Impact Officer in Research, Partnerships and Innovation.

Why record professional activities?

Use myPublications to capture your research-related activities. Doing this consistently is helpful for REF preparations, but it's also a valuable record for your own CV, promotion applications, grant applications, and funder systems like Researchfish.

What kind of activities should I capture?

Record evidence of activities such as:

• Service & Leadership: Membership of editorial boards, funding panels, peer review colleges, academic/professional bodies, and honorary/visiting positions.

• Reviewing: Journal reviewing and refereeing.

• Events: Conference and event organisation, presentations, invited talks, keynotes, and plenaries.

• Recognition: Prizes and awards.

• Engagement: Media activity and other public engagement

How do I add a professional activity?

1. Click + add new in the Professional activities box on your home page.

2. Choose the activity type and enter the necessary details.

3. Click Save.

Can I create a copy of an existing entry to save time?

If you've performed a similar activity before (e.g., reviewed a different journal or presented at a similar conference), you can use an existing record as a template.

1. Go to Profile & work > Professional activities.

2. Find the relevant record.

3. Click Create copy to generate a new pre-populated record.

4. Edit details as needed and click Save.