Manuscript Common Approach Initiative (MECA)

The submission and review processes for manuscripts are time intensive. Authors must submit and resubmit to publications when attempting to get work published. Reviewers at each publication spend time considering the work. The Manuscript Exchange Common Approach (MECA) project is working to develop a way to transfer manuscripts seamlessly between publications, even when those publications use different submission and peer review tracking systems.

For more information, see this article on the Manuscript Exchange Common Approach (MECA) project..

Editorial Manager and ProduXion Manager incorporate three methods for information exchange in support of the MECA initiative: MECA Manuscript Import, MECA Manuscript Transfer, and MECA Manuscript Export. All three methods write submission metadata to a JATS-compliant XML, which is included as part of the .zip package that is transferred to the receiving publication.

MECA Manuscript Import

The MECA Manuscript Import method can be used for exchanges between related/sister publications.

MECA Manuscript Transfer

The MECA Manuscript Transfer method can be used for EM-to-non-EM transfers. This method writes submission metadata to a JATS-compliant XML, which is included as part of the .zip package that is transferred to the receiving publication.

MECA Manuscript Export

MECA Manuscript Export is an available option for task transmittal method (submission production task or editorial task) for publications using ProduXion Manager or Task Manager. Submission metadata XML files and source files are packaged in a standard zip file and sent using secure FTP (FTP over SSH). A system-generated universally unique identifier (UUID) is applied, and the zip file is named "{UUID}-MECA.zip".

To configure:

MECA Manuscript Import

To enable MECA Manuscript Import, contact your Aries Account Coordinator.

MECA Manuscript Transfer

Go to AdminManager > Configure Cross-Publication Submission Transfer. In the Configure Transfer Target Publications section:

Check the box for the setting, Enable cross-publication submission transfers to non-Editorial Manager publications.
Click the Add button to add a Non-Editorial Manager publication. This opens the pop-up window, Add Publication for FTP Transfer.
Complete the fields with target publication information.
For Transfer Method, use the drop-down menu to select "MECA Manuscript Transfer" or "NISO MECA v2.0 Transfer."
Optional: Use Mixed Content Article Title and Abstract: Check this box to populate Article Title and Abstract fields in the transferred XML with mixed-content values when values exist in EM.
When finished, click Submit.

MECA Manuscript Export

Go to PolicyManager > ProduXion Manager > Configure Submissions Workflows and Production Tasks.

Click the Edit link next to the standard workflow, All Submission Production Tasks.
Select the appropriate task and click Edit (or create a new task).
On the Add/Edit Submission Production Task page, to the FTP Options section. Use the drop-down list to select "MECA Manuscript Export" or "NISO MECA v2.0 Export" as the submission production task transmittal method.
Optional: Use Mixed Content Article Title and Abstract: Check this box to populate Article Title and Abstract fields in the exported XML with mixed-content values when values exist in EM.
When finished, click Submit.