Transitioning from PERRLA for Word (PC) to the new PERRLA Add-in

Since 1998, PERRLA has seen a number of updates and variations.  Well, the day has come for PERRLA to take another huge step forward with our latest PERRLA Add-in for Microsoft Word.

Let's look at the four major changes in this version of PERRLA.  

You’ll need Microsoft Word 2016 or newer to run the new Add-in.  If you’re using an older version of Word, you can either keep using PERRLA for Word or you can use PERRLA Online.

1. There isn't a startup application

PERRLA no longer has its own start-up application.  Instead, the new PERRLA is a Microsoft Word Add-in that you install directly inside of Microsoft Word’s Add-in store.

Here’s how you’ll do that. 

1. Open a Microsoft Word document
2. Go to the Insert tab. 
3. Click Get Add-ins. 
4. Search for PERRLA. 
5. Click Add beside the PERRLA Add-in. 

And that’s it!  PERRLA will be added to Microsoft Word with its very own ribbon tab.

In this version of PERRLA, if you want to start a new paper, instead of opening the PERRLA application, you’ll start new papers from the PERRLA ribbon tab inside a Word document.  You’ll just select the New Paper icon and then select the kind of paper you need.

2. PERRLA doesn't manage your paper files

In previous versions of PERRLA, it would save and manage your Word files inside the My PERRLA Papers folder.  That was great, but it also limited how you could organize your papers and class files.

Since the new PERRLA Add-in lives inside of Word (and doesn’t have a separate application), you can save and organize all of your papers wherever you want – just like you do with normal Word documents.

That means you can manage all of your papers however you'd like.  You don't have to worry about saving them in a particular folder, losing them, or having to use a PERRLA application to start working on them.  Just open them directly or with Word.

Side-note: if you move your paper to another computer, you can still use PERRLA with it.  You’ll just need to add the PERRLA Add-in to Word on that other computer.

3. Everything happens in the PERRLA ribbon tab or the PERRLA side panel

Unlike PERRLA for Word’s various pop-up windows, the new PERRLA Add-in uses a built-in side panel in Word to show your references, create citations, insert objects, and find Help.  The side panel can be expanded, shrunk, or even detached and put onto a secondary display.  

This lets you control how and where you interact with PERRLA - and it means you won’t have to squint to read some of the text!

4. Updated References & Citations

In this version of PERRLA, we’ve changed how you create and add References and Citations to your paper.  Instead of going through the Add Citation button and then a whole bunch of pop-ups, References and Citations have their own side panel where you can create new references, add existing references from your library, add citations for your references, or even edit the references that are already in your paper.

Now you can create references in three simple steps.  First, select the type of reference you need. Second, enter the information for the reference – all on a single screen.  And third, confirm the reference. Just like before, PERRLA will update and manage your paper’s Reference section for you.

When you need to add a citation, put your cursor where you want the citation, then click +Add Citation underneath its reference.  Enter in its information and click Add Citation. Just like before, PERRLA handles all the formatting for you - automatically.

With these four major changes, we think that the new PERRLA Add-in is the best version of PERRLA yet. 

You can find additional articles on how to use all PERRLA’s updated features in our Help Center or in the Help icon inside the PERRLA tab in Word.