Linked Submissions

The linking feature enables users (with an Editor or Publisher role and appropriate RoleManager permission) to link two or more submissions together. Linking functionality may be used for two different purposes:

• General reference: The Linked With connection enables Editors to identify submissions that are related (e.g., by Author or topic). A submission may belong to more than one Linked With group.
• Managing letters to the Editor: The Letters to the Editor connection enables Editors to link unsolicited submissions (letters to the Editor) that are received in response to an already published paper to that paper or to other letters on the same topic. A submission may belong to only one Letters to the Editor group.

Submissions in a group that should be published together may be assigned a Publish With ID for efficient tracking.

Both Editor roles and Publisher roles may be granted permissions to view and create Linked Submission Groups. A Linked Submissions link appears in the Action column in Editor folders and the Accepted Submissions folder (Publisher Main Menu). For submissions that have been linked, an icon appears next to the action link, providing visibility to both Editor and Publisher roles to the fact that the submission is in a Linked Submission Group.

Create group and add submissions

Users with appropriate permission see a Linked Submissions link in the Action column. At any point in the editorial process, a user may identify submissions that are related to each other (by topic, Author, or some other criteria) and choose to link them together as part of a Linked Submission Group.

To create new group:

1. Click the Linked Submissions link for one of the submissions. This opens the Add to/Create Linked Submission Group page.
2. Click Create a New Group. This opens a pop-up window.
3. Enter a name for the group in the text box.
4. Use the radio button to select the type of group: Linked With OR Letter to the Editor.
5. Check the box if sharing reviews of submissions within the group should be enabled. (See information on this setting below.)
6. Click Submit (to close the pop-up window and return to the Add to/Create Linked Submission Group page).
7. Verify that the new group name appears as selected in the drop-down list.
8. Click Add to Group.
9. Click OK in the confirmation pop-up window. (Or click Cancel to go back.)

Submissions may be added to a group at any time. A Publish With ID may also be assigned at any time. (See information on Publish With ID below.)

To add a submission to an existing group:

1. Click the Linked Submissions link for the submission. This opens the Add to/Create Linked Submission Group page.
2. Use the drop-down list to choose an existing Linked Submission Group.
3. Click Add to Group.
4. Click OK in the confirmation pop-up window. (Or click Cancel to go back.)

Access and edit existing group

A Linked Submission Groups section appears on the Editor Main Menu. The section contains two folders:

Active Linked Submission Groups contains a list of all active Linked Submission Groups defined by the publication. Action links available for each group:

• Edit and View Linked Group: Opens the Edit Linked Submission Group page. Page displays group settings and lists all submissions in the group.
• Set Inactive Status: Allows the Editor to make the group inactive. Editor must confirm the action by clicking OK in a pop-up window.

Inactive Linked Submission Groups contains a list of all inactive Linked Submission Groups defined by the publication. Action links available for each group:

• View Linked Group: Opens the View Linked Submission Group page. Page lists all submissions in the group.
• Set Active Status: Allows the Editor to reactivate a group. Editor must confirm the action by clicking OK in a pop-up window.

The Edit Linked Submission Group page enables users to view and change group settings. Displayed on the page:

1. Add Submissions button: Opens the Search Submissions tool.
2. Linked Submissions Group Name: Name of group displays in an editable text box.
3. Linked Submissions Group Type: Selected radio button indicates group as Linked With OR Letter to the Editor.
4. Linked Submission Group Options: Displays checkbox setting to share reviews.
5. List of all submissions in the group. Action links for each may include:
   1. View Submission
   2. Details/Production Details: Depends on Editor/Publisher role permission.
   3. Go to Submission: Depends on Editor role permission.
   4. Remove from Group: Allows the Editor to remove the submission from the Linked Submission Group.

Submissions that are part of a Linked Submissions Group display an icon in the Action column next to the Linked Submissions link.

When a submission is part of a group, clicking the Linked Submissions link displays information about the group(s) associated with the submission. Action links are displayed for each Linked Submission Group:

• Add Submission: Opens the Search Submissions tool.
• Edit Linked Group: Opens the Edit Linked Submissions Group page.
• Set Inactive Status: Allows the Editor to make the group inactive.
• Clear Group: Allows the Editor to remove all submissions from the group. Editor must confirm the action by clicking OK in a pop-up window.

Functionality to add the submission to another group and to create a new group is also displayed on this page.

Publish submissions together

Linked submissions to be published together may be assigned a Publish With ID (PWID). Linked submissions with the same PWID can be displayed on the transmittal form and can be included as part of the metadata released to production. Submissions assigned a PWID display an icon in the Action column next to the Linked Submissions link (and icon) in Editor folders.

PWID may be assigned to submissions one at a time or as a group.

To assign PWID to a Linked Submissions Group:

1. Go to the Edit Linked Submissions Group page (via the Active Linked Submissions Group folder or via a submission's Linked Submissions link).
2. Check the box in the Publish With ID column for each submission to be assigned the PWID.
3. Click Assign Publish With ID button. (This opens a new page.)
4. If PWID is configured for manual entry, enter a PWID in the text box. (If configured for automatic ID assignment, the pre-populated ID appears.)
5. Enter a Publish With ID Description in the text box. Descriptions may be used as linked submission
6. Click Submit (to return to the previous page).

An assigned PWID appears in the Publish With ID column. A Remove ID link appears below the PWID. A submission in a Linked Submission Group that has not been assigned the PWID displays an Assign ID link in the Publish With ID column.

A submission may belong to multiple Linked Submission Groups, but can only be assigned one PWID. Once a PWID has been assigned to a submission that is part of multiple groups, the PWID associated with the submission is displayed in the submission's Publish With ID column for all the groups the submission is a part of (and the Publish With checkbox is not displayed).

Review sharing for linked submissions

Linked Submission Groups may be set for review sharing. This setting enables an Editor (with permission) to share comments from previously submitted reviews for any submission in the group with a Reviewer invited (or assigned) to review another submission belonging to the group.

Use case example: The publication rejects a submission but informs the Author that the work may be reconsidered if the Author resubmits the material as a new manuscript. The first submission and the new one can be linked (Linked With option), and the review sharing setting enabled. This will allow the Editor to share reviews of the first submission with Reviewers invited to review the new submission.

The Reviewer invitation/assignment letter must be configured to include the merge fields that provide access to the earlier review content:

• %LINKED_REVIEWER_COMMENTS_TO_AUTHOR%
• %LINKED_REVIEWER_COMMENTS_TO_EDITOR%
• %LINKED_REVIEWER_RESPONSES_AND_INDIVIDUAL_COMMENTS_TO_AUTHOR%

To share reviews:

1. When the new submission is received (i.e., assigned to you), add it to the Linked Submissions Group (follow instructions above). Confirm that the Review Sharing box is checked.
2. Identify Reviewer(s) to invite (or assign) by your usual process.
3. On the Select Reviewers – Confirm Selection and Customize Letters page, select the appropriate invitation/assignment letter from the drop-down list.
4. In the Previously Submitted Reviews section, check the box next to any Reviewer whose comments you want to share.
5. Click the Customize link to view the letter. Verify that the letter body contains the linked submission merge fields. (Click Preview Letter to see the information pulled in by the merge fields.)
6. Click Confirm Selections and Proceed.

Note: Previously submitted reviews for the current submission (i.e., not reviews from a linked submission) may also be merged into the Reviewer Invitation/Assignment Letter by using the merge fields: %COMMENTS_TO_AUTHOR%, %COMMENTS_TO_EDITOR%, and %INDIVIDUAL_REVIEWER_RESPONSES_AND_COMMENTS_TO_AUTHOR%.

Additional Letter to the Editor group functionality

When a commentary is solicited for a submission that is part of a Letter to the Editor Linked Submission Group, the submitted commentary is automatically added to the group.

Use case example: Several letters are submitted in response to a previously published article. The letters are linked together in a Letter to the Editor group. The Editor clicks Solicit Commentary on one of the letters to invite the Author of the previously published article to comment on points made in the letter. When the Author submits the commentary, the system automatically adds it to the list of submissions that make up the Letter to the Editor group.

 

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