Editor Decision-making
Editors (depending on permissions) can make decisions on submissions, draft Decision letters, and send the letters to Authors. The usual workflow of an Editor chain involves the assigning of lower-level Editors as the submission moves down the chain and making decisions as the submission moves back up.
Example of a basic Editor chain:
- Managing Editor goes to the New Submissions Requiring Assignment folder and assigns a submission to the Editor-in-Chief.
- Editor-in-Chief goes to the New Assignments folder and assigns/invites the Associate Editor.
- Associate Editor goes to the New Assignments folder and invites Reviewers.
- After reviews are submitted, Associate Editor goes to the Submissions with Required Reviews Complete folder, looks at and edits reviews as needed, and makes a decision on the submission.
- Editor-in-Chief goes to the Submissions with Required Reviews Complete folder, looks at reviews and Associate Editor's comments, and makes a decision on the submission.
- Managing Editor goes to the All Submissions with Editor's Decision folder and sends the Decision letter to the Author. (In some workflows, editorial office staff is responsible for notifying the Author.)
Note: To streamline workflows, Editor roles can be configured so that they are skipped over in an Editor chain when particular decisions are made by the previous Editor in the chain. The decision is recorded as [Skipped] in the Editor Assignments table. This decision is displayed on the Views Reviews and Comments pop-up window and in the Editors section on the submission's Details page.
Access information from Author, Reviewers, and other Editors
Editor's Decision and Comments page provides access to information contributed by others in the editorial review process.
- Author response: (Available for Article Types configured to allow the Author to respond to Reviewer comments when submitting revision.) Author Response link opens a pop-up window.
- Review questions and responses: Questions and responses may be displayed on Editor's Decision and Comments page (depending on configuration).
- Reviewer recommendation: Recommendation term appears as a hyperlink next to Reviewer name (for each revision). Link opens a pop-up window.
- Lower-level Editor decision: Decision term appears as a hyperlink next to Editor name (for each revision). Link opens a pop-up window.
Submit decision
An Editor can submit a decision at any time. However, if any Reviewers have not submitted reviews, they must be unassigned before a decision can be submitted.
- Click the submission's Submit Editor's Decision and Comments link to open the Decision and Comments page.
- Use the drop-down list to select a decision term.
- Enter other information as required on form. (Fields displayed depend on publication configuration.)
- Click Proceed OR Terminate Outstanding Assignments and Proceed.
- If terminating Reviewers, click Yes on the confirmation page.
- View the Draft Decision page:
- Click Edit Decision to go back and make changes OR
- Click Proceed.
- Editors with permission to draft decision letter proceed to Notify Author page. Customize the letter as needed. Depending on permissions, buttons may enable you to:
- Preview Letter
- Save
- Save and Close
- Submit Decision with Draft Letter
- Send Now
- Submit Decision without Notifying Author
For additional information, see Notify Author of Editor Decision
Modify lower-level Editor ratings
Editors with permission can modify answers to ratings questions and change the overall manuscript rating submitted by a lower-level Editor (i.e., one lower on the Editor chain). This may be done on the Submit Decisions and Comments page.
Terminate Editor and Reviewer assignments
An Editor may need to submit a decision on a manuscript before a lower-level Editor has made a decision and before Reviewers have completed reviews.
To terminate outstanding Editor or Reviewer assignments:
- On the Submit Editor's Decision and Comments page, click the Terminate Outstanding Assignments and Proceed button.
- The Terminate Outstanding Assignments page shows the status of all subordinate Editors and Reviewers associated with the submission. Three buttons allow the user to respond to the question, Do you want to terminate the Editor and Reviewer assignment(s) above so you can submit a decision for this manuscript?
- Yes: Moves the user forward to the next step.
- Send letters to notify the Editor or Reviewer of the assignment termination. Letters may be customized.
- If the publication has not configured notification letters, the system proceeds directly to the Submit Decision page.
- No: Cancels the action and returns the user to the Submit Editor's Decision and Comments page.
- No, go to Reviewer Selection Summary Page. This option enables the user to uninvite or unassign Reviewers instead of terminating their assignments.
In general, it is recommended that if a Reviewer still has an open outstanding invitation or assignment, the Editor should uninvite or unassign the Reviewer before submitting a decision. This closes the open review assignment.
To open and complete a terminated review assignment:
For terminated review assignments, an Editor may later opt to reopen and complete the terminated review on behalf of a Reviewer.
- Click the submission's View Reviews and Comments link.
- On the View Reviews and Comments page, click the Terminated by [Editor role] link nex to the Reviewer's name to open the review form.
- Complete the form as appropriate.
- Click Save and Close.
Note: The system maintains separate statistics for the three actions: uninvite, unassign, and terminate. These statistics are captured for every assignment for which a Reviewer is invited and are visible on the Reviewer's people record and in reports permanently.