Legacy System Information

Editorial Manager allows for a seamless transition for publications switching to EM from another online system. EM can import and store user and manuscript information from the publication's legacy submission-tracking system.

The publication must set configurations for mapping the data for people and submission records in order to bring them into the EM system (as explained below).

Three types of legacy manuscript information may be entered or imported into EM: in-process manuscripts out for revision (manually entered), in-process manuscripts (manually entered), and completed manuscript information (imported).

Permissions must also be granted to Editor and Publisher roles to allow these users to handle legacy information.

Enter in-process manuscript information

A publication may opt to use both EM and the legacy system in parallel for a time until there are no more manuscripts being processed in the legacy system. If the publication chooses to bring in-process manuscripts into the EM system, they must be entered manually (either by the Author or by the editorial office, depending on where the submission is in the editorial workflow).

In-process manuscripts out for revision include submissions for which the Author has been notified (via the legacy system) of a Revise decision and has not yet started submitting the revision. These manuscripts should be submitted directly into EM, rather than into the legacy system. Publications should inform these Authors with revisions in process of the system change and allow them to submit revisions to EM.

These revisions can be submitted using a special Article Type (e.g., Legacy Revision), indicating the submission is actually a revision of a submission initiated in the legacy system. Historical information, such as Editor and Reviewer names, performance information, and comments, can be entered into the EM system by creating user-defined fields.

Other in-process manuscripts in the legacy system that are at some point in the review cycle (e.g., with the Editorial Office, with a handling Editor, out with one or more Reviewers, or waiting for an Editor decision) must be submitted into EM manually. There is no automated method of loading these manuscripts into EM. The editorial office must manually submit the manuscripts to EM, re-assign Editors, re-invite Reviewers, etc.

Note: There are no Transmittal Form Options for converted legacy manuscripts. It is not possible to transmit legacy manuscripts to a production system automatically in EM.

Import completed manuscript information

Information related to completed manuscripts can be imported into a publication’s EM system. This legacy manuscript information is not connected to people records, nor can legacy manuscript records be linked to regular EM submission records. These manuscripts are not processed through an EM workflow.

The purpose of the legacy manuscript database is to preserve a record of those submissions processed using a different tracking system, and to make those records available to users (with appropriate permission) of the new system.

User-defined fields for submissions and people

Customized (user-defined) fields associated with submission records or with people records may be used for different types of Notes fields, or for any other purpose deemed appropriate by the publication. These custom fields allow the carryover of submission-related and people-related data from the legacy system (e.g., Legacy Reviewer Statistics, Legacy People Notes, List of Reviewers, etc.). Information can be populated manually in the EM system or loaded as part of the system conversion process.

Note: This must be arranged separately between the publication and Aries Systems. Contact your Aries Account Coordinator.

View all legacy manuscripts

The View All Legacy Manuscripts page is displayed when an Editor or Publisher (with the corresponding RoleManager permission) clicks the link, View All Legacy Manuscripts, on the Main Menu. This is similar to the Search Legacy Manuscripts – Results page, except that it includes all records in the Legacy Manuscript Table. (If a publication converts a large number of completed manuscripts, this page could be extremely large, and performance may be cumbersome.)

Search legacy manuscripts

The Search Legacy Manuscript page is displayed when an Editor or Publisher (with the corresponding RoleManager permission) clicks the link, Search Legacy Manuscripts, on the Main Menu.

Five sets of search criterion include all of the non-hidden legacy manuscript fields (created on the Add/Edit Legacy Manuscript Fields for Conversion page in PolicyManager). The publication may change the names of the minimum required fields (Legacy Manuscript Number, Legacy Article Title, Legacy Corresponding Author, Legacy Initial Date Submitted). If the Description field is changed, the publication's custom Description is displayed in the drop-down lists. For example, if the publication changes Legacy Manuscript Number to System Conversion ID, the drop-down lists will show System Conversion ID.

After a search is executed, the results page displays the criterion entered by the user at the top of the page. The Action column includes a link to Legacy Manuscript Details.

Legacy manuscript Details page

This pop-up window opens when a user clicks the Legacy Manuscript Details link for a manuscript on the Search Legacy Manuscripts Results page.

The fields displayed on the page are as configured on the Add/Edit Legacy Manuscript Details page (in PolicyManager):

All active (not hidden) fields
Field labels as customized (e.g., if the publication changes the field name for Legacy Manuscript Number to Conversion System ID, Conversion System ID is displayed on this page)
Editable (or not)

Fields on the page may be edited by users (with permission).

Note: The Legacy Manuscript Details are separate from the Additional Manuscript Details for manuscripts processed in EM. If a publication wants a particular field for both converted manuscripts and for new EM manuscripts (e.g., JO Notes), the field must be created on both the Add Additional Manuscript Detail Field page and the Add Legacy Manuscript Field page in PolicyManager.

to configure:

Contact your Aries Account Coordinator to enable this feature.

Once the feature is enabled, fields must be configured to serve as the map for the file of completed legacy manuscripts to be imported into EM.

Go to PolicyManager > Additional Data Policies > Add/Edit Legacy Manuscript Fields for Conversion. The page lists all configured Legacy Manuscript Fields added for the publication.

The minimum fields required for conversion of completed legacy manuscripts are: Legacy Manuscript Number, Legacy Article Title, Legacy Corresponding Author, and Legacy Initial Date Submitted. These fields cannot be removed, but they can be edited or re-named (e.g., Legacy Manuscript Number could be changed to System Conversion ID).

To edit or remove a field, click the appropriate link next to the field name.

To create a new field, click Add.

On the Add/Edit Legacy Manuscript Field page, complete the following:

Field Description: Enter a description (name) in the text box. (Note: You may create Legacy Manuscript Fields in PolicyManager that coincidentally have the same field name as an EM field (e.g., Final Decision Term). The Legacy Manuscript Fields are not the same fields as those in the regular EM database.)
Field Type: Select from the drop-down list. (Note: Field Type selected must match that of the field listed under the same description in the document containing the legacy data (e.g., if converting legacy manuscript field "Conversion Notes," the Field Type selected must be Notes to ensure proper data conversion).
- Text: Supports the bulk import or manual entry of shorter information, such as hobbies, or roles previously held in the legacy system.
- Notes: Supports the bulk import or manual entry of large amounts of information, such as past review performance statistics, past reviews, past Editor performance stats, etc.). A block of text from the legacy system could be pasted manually (on the Additional People Details, People Activity Details, or Transmittal Form), or bulk imported (by Aries staff) from a file.
- List: If this option is selected, a drop-down list appears on the Details page where the corresponding field is displayed. The field must also be configured as Editable in the Options Grid below. If selecting List as the type, click the link, View/Edit Values for Drop-down List, to open a pop-up window. In the pop-up:
  1. a. Enter the Value to appear in the drop-down list.
  2. b. Enter a Description to appear alongside the Value (this is optional).
  3. c. Click Add Value to enter another item for the list.
  4. d. When finished, click Save and Close.
- Decimal: Use for decimal fields. Only 5 digits are allowed following the decimal point.
- Integer: Use for whole number fields.
- Date: Use for date fields.
Maximum Field Length: Enter a maximum length (number of characters), if desired. This applies to Text and Notes types.
Options: Check the box next to the desired setting(s):
- Hide: If checked, the field will not appear on the page.
- Editable: If checked, the field will be editable (by users with permission) on the page.
Help Text: In the text box enter (optional) explanatory text related to the field. This text appears in a pop-up window accessed via a Help link next to the field on the Legacy Details page.
When finished, click Submit.

Note: Source files (PDF or individual source files) cannot be uploaded for completed legacy manuscripts. PDFs and source files can be uploaded manually (via the Submit Manuscript interface) by the Author or the editorial office for conversion of in-process manuscripts.

Permissions must also be granted to Editor and/or Publisher roles to allow access to legacy manuscripts. Go to RoleManager > Editor (or Publisher) Role. Grant permissions to the applicable Editor roles:

System Conversion Tasks section:
1. View Legacy Manuscripts
2. Edit Legacy Manuscript Fields
General Searching and Viewing section:
1. View Legacy Manuscripts