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Available updates from online sourcesAvailable updates from online sources

This functionality can update existing Research output and Dataset records with new and potentially more complete metadata from available online sources. The feature searches online sources for updated information on existing Research Outputs and Datasets in Pure and presents users with the updated data for consideration.

By default, this feature is ENABLED and updates are by default only presented to Administrators - except for PRS customers using the QABO Scopus Publication Update Job, where the feature is by default DISABLED.

Further information for PRS customers is found in Available updates from online sources and PRS

Presentation of available updates from online sources

When updated metadata is found for existing Research Output records or Datasets in Pure (as per the configuration and matching details provided below), Administrators are presented with a list of content with available updates. For each the Administrator can then review these updates and decide the appropriate action (accept, ignore, merge). This is illustrated below, for Research outputs. It is the same options for Datasets.

Acting upon available updates

To enable authorized users to consider the available updates from online sources, a new 'Available updates from online sources' window of the Research output and Dataset editor has been introduced, within which the user can choose to accept, ignore, or merge each available update.

Editing records while updates and pending consideration

While updates from online sources are pending consideration, Research outputs and Datasets can still be edited and saved in the normal way, but with some restrictions:

For users not enabled to access the available updates from online sources (e.g. Personal users), all metadata fields in the Research output editor will continue to be editable while updates from online sources are pending consideration.
For users enabled to access available updates from online sources (e.g. Administrator), those metadata fields with updates pending consideration will not be editable in the editor. Should the user wish to modify fields with updates pending consideration, the user will first need to address all fields with available updates.

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Upon selecting an Output with available updates from online sources, the Research output editor opens to a new 'Available updates from online sources' window of the Research output editor.

Differences in metadata fields between the existing Pure Research output record and the import source(s) fields are highlighted in yellow.

For fields in which the Pure Research output record is null or blank, the value from the import source(s) is pre-selected.
Users can select from each of the options presented for each metadata field.
Once selected, the chosen value is highlighted and non-selected values are crossed-out.
For some metadata fields, the option to merge values is available.
Updates relating to the Journal field are not available for selection, even if there are differences between the Pure record and the import source(s). This is to ensure that such a fundamental change can only be implemented by directly editing the affiliated Journal in the Research output record itself, and to ensure that master Journal records are not unexpectedly altered.

Note: To edit metadata fields that do not have available updates, simply click the Metadata menu tab and all normal editing options are available.

Viewing current publisher or database version of record

If the user would like to view the most current version of the record, as presented by the publisher (via the DOI) or database, a link is provided at the top of the window.

Saving updated records

Once one metadata field has been updated, either by selecting of merging new data, the user must address all metadata fields presented in the Available updates from online sources window before being able to save the record. If the user does not address all fields, a message will prompt the user to address those fields where no choice was made.

Changes made to records that have been modified using this feature may be viewed in the History and comments window.

If the only updates available are for the Keywords and Other links fields, the updates will not be presented to the user for consideration and the fields will not be updated. If updates are found for any other fields, the available updates will be presented to the user for consideration.

Search, matching, and comparison processes

The search for available updates is based on unique identifiers in the Pure Research Output record. These are:

Scopus publication IDs
DOIs
ISBNs
ORCID ID*

* For those Research outputs with an ORCID ID this will be used to check ORCID for any updated data.

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Provided the Pure Research output is within the parameters determined in the configuration settings (see below), the job uses these IDs to check enabled import sources. Once the IDs have been matched to records in each import source, the metadata fields in the Pure Research output are compared against the available metadata fields in each import source.

For fields in the Pure Research output that are null or blank, all available non-null data for those fields are retrieved.
For fields in the Pure Research output record that have data, these fields are compared using a comprehensive string or number matching process. Wholly different values and minor differences in spelling or extra or missing characters trigger the fields to be presented to the user in the update candidates user interface.

Publication statuses and dates

For publication dates, care has been taken to only suggest updates that are more refined or wholly different. For example:

Current published date
2 June 2018
Source A	Source B	Source C	Source D
Data held by source	2018	2017	June 2018	July 2018
Outcome in Pure	Not suggested as an available update	Suggested as it is wholly different	Not suggested as it is less refined than the existing value	Suggested as it is wholly different

The publication status of records is also considered when checking for updates. For example, where a record has a current publication status of 'ePub ahead of print', any other statuses (and dates) found from online import sources will be presented to the user. If a user selects an additional status and date, this status and date will be added to the record, alongside the existing status(es) and date(s). Existing publication states will not be overwritten.

Electronic versions (files, DOIs, and links)

This feature will not modify or remove existing files or links held on the record. Existing DOIs will be checked against the available online sources and modifications will be suggested in the same way as other metadata updates are presented. Where a DOI update is selected, default values for related fields are as follows:

Document version = Final published version
Public access to file = Unknown
License to document = Not set

Only those sources that are enabled as import sources will be included in the update search.

Configuring the Available updates from online sources feature

For Research outputs:

Go to Administrator > Research outputs > Import and available candidates configuration

For Datasets:

Go to Administrator > Datasets > Available updates configuration

Access to results

This feature is, by default, only available to Administrators. But additional user roles (Editors and Validators) can be given access using the dropdown.

Supported sources

The feature supports the receipt of updates a.o from the following sources:

Scopus
Web of Science
Embase
Mendeley
PubMed
ORCID
dblp
Digital Commons
Unpaywall
medRxiv
JISC Publications router
…

For Datasets it is only DataCite.

The list of sources will increase over time and notifications of new additions will be included in the relevant release notes.

Note that the list of online sources available is limited to those enabled as import sources (as per Administrator > Research outputs > Import sources

Enabling / Disabling individual online sources

All online sources are enabled by default but Each individual source can be toggled on/off:

Property logic and behavior rules

You can define how updates from your selected online sources are handled using a set of rules:

For details about those rules, please consult Logical Rules for Available Updates

Available Updates From Online Sources Job

The 'Available updates from online sources' feature is delivered in Pure as a cron job, with configuration options such as:

scheduling
years to search

Learn more about this job at Available Updates From Online Sources Job

Published at September 08, 2025

The list of Research outputs with available updates from online sources is accessible through the menu under Research outputs.
Alternatively, records with available updates can be filtered using the filter options in the Research outputs window. Also available is the ability to filter available updates by import source.
You can also identify this by content listing where the label UPDATES is displayed.