- Authors and Reviewers can be directed to login from a separate URL than editorial users.
- Upon authentication, manuscript information, file links and appropriate response forms are presented to the user for manuscripts for which
they serve as corresponding author or reviewer.
- An author can submit original manuscripts and revisions. Authors can now upload files for manuscripts currently under review.
The appropriate contact in the editorial office is notified by email when this occurs. New authors will proceed directly to the contact
form to begin their submission.
- The submission interface no longer requires the use of cookies on the client’s browser.
- Author Concatenated PDF.
Previously created by the editorial office, authors are now permitted to control the sequence of files in the concatenated PDF and to review the final PDF before
completing their submission. Author now have the opportunity to review individual PDF file conversions, delete files uploaded and add additional
files to their submission.
- Saved Submissions
Authors can now save a submission in progress and complete it at a later date. Authors can update contact information, manuscript details, uploaded files,
submission checklist items completed and permissions and copyright where applicable.
- Author Assistance
Editorial Assistants can now review a submission in progress and help authors with questions about the submission process.
- Special Character Handling
Improved special character handling allows individual journal control over special characters and formatting for titles and abstracts.
- Literal Text Translation Option
The submissions system now has the ability to present instructions to authors in multiple languages.
- Editorial Assistance for Submitting Authors
Expanded functionality in Pending Submissions Maintenance includes the facility to finish or assist author submissions.
Editorial staff has access to the Author’s submission interface at any point during the submission process.
Expanded Potential Reviewer Functionality
- Each time a potential reviewer is assigned to a manuscript the contact database is checked for duplicates.
The user can select a match from the database or create a new contact. Costly and time consuming duplicates are avoided.
Decision Forms
- Manuscript information is available in a format suitable for printing from the decision forms.
- Editor and Associate Editor response form decision select boxes have been replaced with radio buttons.
- Editor in Chief and Associate Editor decision forms may be set up for the publisher with custom components and workflow advancement triggers
for individual journals. Instruction and help text is included by journal based on the current status of the manuscript.
Received to Under Review Decision Advancement by Journal
- Journals can now specify the action that causes a manuscript to advance from Received to Under Review.
Journal and Logo Images
- Restrictions on pixel height and width of Journal name graphics are expanded.
- Previous versions of XpressTrack required the inclusion of a complete graphics directory for each installed journal.
A single images directory now serves all journals.
Expanded Automatic Correspondence Maintenance
- Authorized users manage scheduled correspondence (reviewer reminder letters) through a new function: Scheduled Letter Maintenance.
Letters are created in the existing Letter Maintenance function. A letter is then assigned a review status to use for determining the expect date.
Several options control when the letter is sent.
Schedules calculate the days before or after the expect date compared to the current date. The letters may also go out on the date the response is expected.
Sending date calculations can be based on 5-day or 7-day weeks.
Each scheduled letter may include an optional return email address. If none is included the editorial office contact for that manuscript is used.
A preview option function permits the user to see letters that are scheduled to go out based on the current or next-day.
New Indication of Reviewer Assignment Letter Sent
- Editorial users can now view on a single screen the number of reviewer assignment letters sent. When the review status for a manuscript
is Send Reviewer Assignment Letter, the envelop icon will change to an envelop with a checkmark for all reviewers to whom the letter has already been sent.
Previously additional clicks were required to determine reviewer correspondence.
File and Database Synchronization
- XpressTrack Version 4.0 supports SQL Server replication and submitted file synchronization to preserve data integrity.
The application can run in a distributed environment supporting multiple levels of redundancy to ensure 24/7 availability
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