





































118    AMWA Journal / V36 N3 / 2021 / amwa.org        

Q
What are the pros and cons of using 
reference management software programs 
to manage references? What are your 

preferences in terms of software?

A
If you don’t relish manually typing references and 

renumbering citations during manuscript editing, 

the pros of using reference management software 

far outweigh the cons. I started using citation management 

software very early in my medical writing career and I have 

never looked back. I was a longtime user of the defunct 

Reference Manager and then switched to EndNote, which is 

made by the same company. I also learned to use the open-

source Zotero for one client who eventually switched to 

EndNote. I currently use EndNote X8, and I am considering 

upgrading to the latest version. The few times that I needed 

tech support, they responded quickly with information to 

help me resolve the issue. Another strong incentive for me to 

use EndNote is that it is the software used by all of my clients 

who use citation management software.

 Here are some of the pros and cons of using reference 

management software:

Pros:

• Saves times by automating renumbering and reformatting 

of citations and reference lists

• Makes it easy to capture citations from major databases, 

standardize formatting of reference lists, and reformat a 

manuscript for submission to a different journal

• Facilitates the management and sharing of citation data-

bases and associated PDFs

Cons:

• Cost (except for some free programs like Zotero)

• Learning curve to become proficient with the software

• Need to sometimes edit literature database entries and 

journal styles (to resolve issues like capitalization format, 

number of authors listed)

• Need to remember to remove codes before to submission 

to certain journals (an easy automated step)

  

 I think that reference management software is an essen-

tial, time- and headache-saving tool for medical writers who 

write scientific articles and other types of manuscripts and 

reports containing multiple citations.

— Monica Nicosia

Reference management software platforms include 

EndNote, Zotero, Reference Manager, Mendeley,  

EasyBib.com, Cite This for Me, Sciwheel, Refworks, and 

cite4me.org. My preference is EndNote because I have used 

it for decades. I update whenever I purchase a new com-

puter (50% discount from company). EndNote also has a very 

knowledgeable tech team to help resolve any issues. Because 

I have multiple clients, I do not use EndNote online because 

it may merge the EndNote files from multiple clients. 

However, if you are at a university, it may not be an issue.

 I experience the following main advantages to using 

EndNote during the literature search, the main writing pro-

cess, formatting, and providing deliverables:

1. Harvesting potentially relevant references during the  

supplemental literature search

2. Single-click retrieval of most open-access journal articles

3. Downloadable citations from PubMed and other databases

4. Searchable database with relevant references while writing

5. Time saver for formatting in-text citations and an accurate 

reference list during writing and subsequently after client-

requested revisions

6. Relatively rapid conversion to other formats for citations 

in the text and reference list

7. Editable format styles so I can make client-specific styles

8. Easily transferable file (eg, EndNote) to clients in case 

client may have further rounds of reviews (eg, guidelines 

for professional societies)

 The advantages of reference management software 

increase with the length of the document and the number of 

citations. Many clients prefer the use of reference manage-

ment software and also prefer further details on the location 

of the specific information cited in the reference. Depending 

FREELANCE FOCUS

Brian Bass Allie Boman Katherine 
Molnar-Kimber

Monica Nicosia



      AMWA Journal / V36 N3 / 2021 / amwa.org    119

FREELANCE FOCUS

on the client’s preferred style, I often provide the added informa-

tion (eg, page, paragraph, table, figure) in a comment bubble.

 As for contraindications, when a client prefers that the 

in-text citation uses their in-house specific format style that 

contains the page and paragraph, the reference management 

software may consider each entry as a new reference.

 In summary, I routinely use reference management soft-

ware while writing documents. If needed, the EndNote metatag 

can be removed before sending deliverable.

— Katherine Molnar-Kimber

Q
Is there a particular software that you would 
recommend to keep track of business 
expenses for tax purposes?

A
I am quite happy with FreshBooks, which I started 

using 5 years ago when I relaunched my freelance 

business. FreshBooks is easy to use, and the tech sup-

port is good. I access my secure, cloud-based FreshBooks 

account from a Web browser and from an app on my phone. A 

user-friendly interface allows me to easily enter my expenses 

(manually or by importing credit card or bank charges), add 

pictures of receipts to expenses, and generate income/expense 

reports for preparing taxes. Like other similar programs, 

FreshBooks provides the option of sharing data and reports 

with an accountant.

 There are many types of accounting/bookkeeping software 

platforms and apps that can be used to keep track of busi-

ness expenses. Some are available for free, usually with lim-

ited functionality. Other examples of accounting/bookkeeping 

software and apps include AccountEdge, Expensify, FreeAgent, 

Paydirt, QuickBooks, Quicken, Wave, Xero, and Zoho. I have 

not used them or read recent reviews about them so I can’t 

recommend any particular one. In my unpublished 2018 

Freelance Medical Communicator Tools of the Trade Survey, 

the top 4 accounting/bookkeeping software/apps used by par-

ticipants were QuickBooks Online (11%), QuickBooks Desktop 

(8%), Quicken Home & Business (5%), and FreshBooks (2%).

 I chose FreshBooks because I wanted an affordable app 

that integrates functions that I consider essential for my 

business: accounting/bookkeeping (to track payments and 

expenses for invoicing and tax purposes), time tracking (to 

easily record the time spent on various projects/tasks), and 

invoicing. I now also use it to generate project estimates. These 

integrated functions save me time and thus money. 

— Monica Nicosia

Business software may be the most hotly contested tool in the 

freelancer’s toolbox. Perhaps that’s because it’s one of the few 

pieces of software we get to choose for ourselves. Some free-

lancers, including myself, love the business software they use 

and would never switch. Some dislike the business software 

they use but continue using it anyway. Perhaps due to fear of 

the unknown? In my opinion, there are only 2 mistakes a  

freelancer can make when it comes to business software:

1. Using a software program not designed specifically for  

small businesses

2. Not using all the features of your business software

 I started using software for bookkeeping very early on, 

when there weren’t any programs designed specifically for 

small businesses. I used Quicken, which at the time I was  

using for my personal finances. When QuickBooks was intro-

duced, my freelance business switched over to it and I never 

looked back.

 QuickBooks is great for tracking and reporting business 

expenses. It remembers vendors and how I’ve categorized 

them for tax reporting purposes. That makes my accountant’s 

job easier, which saves me money. QuickBooks tracks invoices 

to make sure I pay them on time, which I do simply by click-

ing “pay” and then “print” to print a record. I pay as many bills 

as possible electronically, which is easier and faster for me and 

better for everyone I pay. QuickBooks tracks the payments I 

make to freelancers on my team so I can generate a 1099 report 

with a single click at the end of the year.

 QuickBooks also tracks my payroll-related 941 tax pay-

ments to the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System. With a 

click I generate a subreport of those payments itemized for 

Medicare, Social Security, and Tax Withholding. That also 

makes my accountant’s job easier.

 It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare the quarterly 

tax report for my accountant, which I email to him directly 

through QuickBooks. At the end of the year, it takes about 10 

minutes to prepare the complete year-end report for my com-

pany’s final tax filing.

— Brian Bass

My simple answer is that I’ve found Quicken to be easy to 

use, reliable, and relatively affordable. Before I elaborate 

on Quicken, I’ll give a brief overview of situations in which 

QuickBooks would be my recommendation. I used QuickBooks 

Nonprofit for 15 years as a bookkeeper. We needed this more 

robust software for sending tax receipts to our donors and for 

tracking multiple users’ activities. Consider QuickBooks (rather 

than a personal finance software like Quicken) if you:

https://www.nicosiamedicalwriter.com/portfolio


120    AMWA Journal / V36 N3 / 2021 / amwa.org        

• Need to write invoices and receipts (I use the time tracker 

Harvest for this)

• Have multiple people using the same business bank 

account

• Have regular employees or subcontractors

 When I transitioned from nonprofit work to freelancing, 

the minimum payment of $25/month seemed exorbitant. 

Quicken (I pay $3/month) does the following for me:

• Automatically enters transactions from my bank accounts

• Categorizes my income and expenses

• Handles my business and personal accounts side-by-side

• Streamlines reporting for taxes

• Makes it easy to observe trends in my business and ana-

lyze development efforts (reports are very user friendly)

 I started with my tax lady’s worksheet when setting up 

my categories; each line item she requests becomes a cat-

egory. This ensures that I can write off as many business 

expenses as possible. I also track some categories for my 

family, such as eating out (way down this fiscal year!).

A few more things to consider:

• Make sure the software will sync with your specific bank.

• I have not found the budgeting features very intuitive in 

either Quicken or QuickBooks.

• It takes me about 15 minutes per month to review the 

transactions uploaded in Quicken and make sure every-

thing has been categorized properly.

• At tax time, it takes no more than 45 minutes to report 

everything accurately. My tax lady gives me a discount for 

turning in my information early. This discount more than 

pays for the annual price of Quicken!

— Allie Boman

FREELANCE FOCUS

International Society of Managing and  
Technical Editors
October 11-14, 2021
Virtual
https://www.ismte.org/page/Conferences

Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society
September 12-15, 2021
Virtual
https://www.raps.org/regulatory-convergence

National Association of Science Writers
October 8-11, 2021
Boulder, Colorado, and Virtual
https://www.nasw.org/events

International Conference on Communication  
in Healthcare
October 17-20, 2021
Virtual
https://achonline.org/ICCH2021

American Public Health Association
October 24-27, 2021
Denver, Colorado, and Virtual
https://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual

AMWA Medical Writing & Communication Conference
October 27-29, 2021
Virtual
www.amwa.org/conference

European Medical Writers Association
November 4-6, 2021
London, England, and Virtual
https://www.emwa.org/conferences/future-conferences/

Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health 
Professions
January 12-15, 2022
Aurora, Colorado
http://www.acehp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=570

American Association for the Advancement of Science
February 17-20, 2022
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Virtual
https://meetings.aaas.org/

DIA Europe 2022  
March 29-31, 2022
Brussels, Belgium, and Virtual
https://www.diaglobal.org/en/flagship/dia-europe-2022

CALENDAR OF MEETINGS
Please confirm with individual meeting hosts

www.amwa.org/conference

2021
AMWA

Medical Writing &
Communication
Conference
OCTOBER 27-29, 2021
Coming to a device near you

Trends and Opportunities for Medical Communicators

http://www.amwa.org/conference
https://www.ismte.org/page/Conferences
https://www.raps.org/regulatory-convergence
https://www.nasw.org/events
https://achonline.org/ICCH2021
https://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
http://www.amwa.org/conference
https://www.emwa.org/conferences/future-conferences/
http://www.acehp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=570
https://meetings.aaas.org/
https://www.diaglobal.org/en/flagship/dia-europe-2022



