Organizing submissions is hard to do. It is an ongoing, potentially never-ending, process that requires a lot of attention to detail. When you are putting your journal together, the idea of getting dozens (if not hundreds) of submissions is a goal, not a hurdle. The truth is, though, that it is as much an aim as it is an obstacle.
Manuscript submissions might be one of your biggest sources of income, and the more submissions that you have the more income there will be. It is straightforward math, right? Of course it is. But there is a critical consideration that sometimes isn’t thought about until it is too late: How does one keep track of submissions and manage the necessary communication and processes associated with the submission process? Here, we’ll be going over why it is important to ensure you have a solid system. We’ll also be covering three great tips to get (and stay) organized. Finally, we’ll cover how modern tools (like effective and scalable journal management systems) are able to support journals at any stage of growth. Of course, it is important to remember that simplicity is key here. Processes that are too complicated will just increase stress and problems.
Why submissions are crucial to your journal
It is obvious that journals need funding to operate, and that money has to come from somewhere. Many open access journals charge article processing charges (often called APCs). While not every type of open access publication will have the exact same set up, most of them do some form of charge that is paid by authors (or the institutions that they work for). This funding allows the journal to operate while providing free access to the journal articles being published.
Before your journal makes final decisions, it’s important to take a bit of time to do research on what your options are. While open access isn’t necessarily the format that every journal will use, there are a great many journals that do use it. It is crucial to understand how it works and what its benefits can be.
Because these submissions are so important to your journal, and they have so much influence on decisions that you will make—everything from staffing to web-based services, you need to keep them organized.
How to organize submissions
Organization is not something that comes easily to everyone. In fact, for some people, getting (and staying) organized is very challenging. People have different degrees of focus and organization, but businesses cannot afford to rely on people using whatever the method they feel is best. As such, many companies will establish baselines or methods and then give employees freedom within the context of those methods. For example, a company might use Excel spreadsheets to keep track of submissions. Spreadsheets can be simple or highly customizable, depending on the user, and then this particular tool is updated as information is made available. How a spreadsheet is used is not often as important as it being used.
Excel spreadsheets for tracking submissions
Even a basic spreadsheet can be used for tracking submissions. You just need to make sure that you columns clearly identify specific datapoints. For example, when submissions, you need to break down the process and create columns for each of them. A column for the authors name, the submission date, manuscript title, and for attempts at communication might be some examples of things to track.
However, spreadsheets are remarkably flexible and can be customized to a truly impressive degree. You can set up drop down menus and more. Taking a bit of time to learn to use the program can yield a significant amount of time saved down the line.
How organization helps
While there are a number of ways in which a good organizational method helps, there are two major reasons you want to stay organized: time savings and standardization.
Saving time might seem evident, but when you standardize something like a spreadsheet, you can standardize training and everyone will know how to use it properly. When you standardize these sorts of tools, anyone can use them. In the event of illnesses or transfers, you can easily hand someone a spreadsheet and they’ll know how to use it.
Other tools for organizing submissions
While spreadsheets, notebooks and emails might be valid ways of tracking submissions, often, journal management systems are used for tracking. These systems often have automated flows that can help your team members to keep track of (and respond to) changes in submission statuses. These tools often cost money. But there are many which have free services that you can tap into to support your journal from an early point in its development.
Whichever tool you wind up choosing, ensuring that your team has the most effective tools at its disposal is paramount.
Training and upgrading
Having tools that you can use to organize and keep track of submissions are crucial, but so is making sure that your team knows how to use them. Make sure that you are devoting the necessary resources (time, money, effort) to allow your team to effectively use the tools provided. Not only that, but making sure that your tools are upgraded as necessary makes a lot of sense. You don’t want to be using an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions.