Proposed Reviewer Import from External Database

This feature enables a publication site to interact with a third-party service provider or a publisher's own reviewer recommendation database.

This feature is different from the Reviewer Finder Service API feature, which provides real-time search results to Editors. For details, see Configure Reviewer Finder Service.

When this feature is enabled, an API sends a request from EM to the provider, and the provider returns an asynchronous response. Reviewer candidates identified by the provider are automatically imported into EM and presented as Proposed Reviewers on the Reviewer Selection Summary page, making these external candidates available to the Editor for selection.

Candidates from the provider who are unambiguously identified with an existing EM record (e.g., authenticated ORCID identifier, exact email match) are included on the Proposed Reviewer list. Candidates who cannot be unambiguously identified are not included. EM also automatically proxy registers any external candidate who does not have an existing EM record; those candidates are then added to the Proposed Reviewer list.

Note: This automatic proxy registration will not trigger a system notification. The publication will be expected to send the registered candidate a "New Assignment/Invitation" and/or "Welcome" letter after registration, i.e., when the Proposed Reviewer is selected.

Editors with corresponding RoleManager permission, see a Request External Reviewers button on the Reviewer Selection Summary page. Clicking the button opens an External Reviewer Request Form, where Editors may select Reviewer types and indicate the number requested for each. A notes field allows the Editor to provide additional information to help the provider identify appropriate candidates.

Request parameters along with pertinent submission information are sent via API to the provider target. Once the provider has identified potential Reviewers, a list of candidates is returned via API to EM. The list includes names and key information of potential Reviewers whose prior publications, expertise areas, etc. appear to relate to the subject matter of the submitted manuscript.

The EM system sends an email notification, if configured, to the appropriate Editor(s) when Reviewer candidate information has been received from the provider.

Key Editor folders display an External Reviewers Requested column. This column indicates the status of the request and the number and type of Reviewers requested. The External Reviewer Request Form also includes information on requests.

Once candidates have been identified and imported from the provider, the Proposed Reviewers flag automatically displays for the submission next to the Invite Reviewers link.

To request Reviewers:

If your publication has a relationship with an external Reviewer Finder service, you may have the option to make a request for Proposed Reviewers from the external provider.

Click the Invite Reviewers link to go to the Reviewer Selection Summary page.
Click the Request External Reviewers button (in the Proposed Reviewers section of the page) to open the External Reviewer Request Form.
On the External Reviewer Request form:
1. Use the drop-down menu to select the number of each Reviewer type requested.
2. Enter additional information in the notes field (this may be optional or required, depending on publication configuration).
3. When finished, click Submit.

A request confirmation appears. The confirmation page includes a link to return to the Reviewer Selection Summary page.

To view external Reviewer request status:

After your request is sent to the Reviewer Finder, you can view the status of the external search in the submission's External Reviewers Requested column.

More detailed information is available on the External Reviewer Request Form. The External Reviewer Request History includes a line for each request made: Date Sent (when form was submitted), Status, Details (number of each Reviewer type requested and any notes entered), and Operator (Editor who submitted the request).

Possible status terms:

Pending Not Sent: Request has been submitted but not yet sent to provider.
Pending Sent: Request sent to provider.
Pending File Downloaded: Provider has downloaded file and is processing request.
Complete: Response received and successfully processed by EM.
Submit Error: Attempt to submit request to provider has failed.
Response Error: Response received by EM but processing of response data has failed.
Canceled: Request canceled before any response received from provider.

To view external Reviewer request results:

When Reviewer candidates have been returned, the Proposed Reviewers flag automatically appears next to the Invite Reviewers link for the submission.

In addition, a system email may notify you when Reviewer candidate information is available. Return to the Reviewer Selection Summary page to view results. The notification email may contain a clickable deep link to take you directly to the Reviewer Selection Summary page.

Candidates identified by the Reviewer Finder appear listed in the Proposed Reviewers section. You may proceed to make selections as usual.

For details on managing Proposed Reviewers, see Propose Reviewers.

TO CONFIGURE:

A publication must establish a relationship directly with the external service provider. Aries and the provider must exchange API endpoints to enable communication between the two systems. The EM feature must be enabled by your Aries Account Coordinator.

Go to RoleManager > Editor Role. Grant permission to the applicable roles:

Request External Reviewers, and click Submit.

To configure the External Reviewer Request Form, go to PolicyManager > General Policies > Set Reviewer Preferences. Complete the Externally Proposed Reviewers section:

Configure Reviewer roles that may be included in requests:
1. Check the Select box next to the Reviewer role(s) that may be requested.
2. Enter the maximum number of potential Reviewers to be returned for each selected role.
3. Check the Notes Required box if requesting Editors should be required to enter text in the Notes field on the External Reviewer Request Form.
Enter email address(es) to receive success/failure notifications related to transfer of information to/from the provider. (Notifications may be sent to registered EM users and to recipients at the provider, who may not necessarily be EM users.)
When finished, click Submit.

Create a letter to notify the submission's Special Relationship Editor and Handling Editor when a response comes from the provider. Go to PolicyManager > Email and Letter Policies > Edit Letters.

%REVIEWER_SELECTION_SUMMARY_DEEP_LINK% is available for use in this letter. This merge field inserts a hyperlink that takes the Editor recipient directly to the Reviewer Selection Summary page for the related submission.

Associate the letter with the ActionManager event, Proposed Reviewers Received from External Database.

For details on letter configuration, see Create Letters.