How are manuscripts from authors not willing or able to submit online handled?
Editorial staff members have the ability to submit manuscripts on behalf of authors. They can upload the files from an author's disk or may scan the paper if no electronic versions are available.
What formats are accepted for submission?
The system handles most common word processing formats; however, Word and PDF are preferred. For images, the formats accepted are GIF, TIFF, EPS, and JPEG.
How do the topic categories work? Do authors supply key words or do you provide defined fields for them to select from?
This is based on your editorial requirements. We can provide a select-list of category choices and/or article type choices - whatever you require. You can allow authors to choose these categories when they submit their manuscript or have a staff member, associate editor or editor assign them.We also can provide functionality for free-form keywords to be entered by the author, request that they choose from a fixed-list of keywords, or some combination of the two.
Can authors proof and correct the PDF versions of their submissions?
In the approval stage of submission authors must review the PDF; if they want to make changes they will need to correct the original files and then reupload them from the approval page. Once the author approves the PDF and all other manuscript information, the manuscript is then considered officially submitted.
How are repeated cycles of review and revision handled?
For decisions where a revision is permissable the author can initiate a revision from the "Submit a Revision" queue in the author area (the criteria for this is determined by your workflow). If the author submits a revision within the allowable time frame for doing so, a new version of the manuscript will be created. Each version of a manuscript is linked to the original manuscript record; this allows you to track and manage multiple rounds of review on a single manuscript. It also allows the system to prepopulate appropriate submission fields for the author thus saving some time during the revision submission process. Revisions that are submitted after the allowable timeframe can be linked to the original manuscript record via a Previous Manuscript ID field. Once revisions are submitted they can be routed to the original Associate Editor for handling. The Associate Editor is provided with the previous reviewer records in case of re-review, but the editor can also recruit new reviewers or render a decision. Access to previous versions is available. The path a manuscript travels through the revision process, however, is determined by the workflow that you specify.
Does the system provide for the labeling of figures uploaded?
Yes, there will be a box next to each file upload area where authors can enter the figure label.
Is there a limit on manuscript or image size?
Bench>Press doesn't place any limits on manuscript or image size. We can implement various restrictions for you, however, if you would like to set limits.
How are reviews from reviewers not willing or able to review online handled?
Editorial staff members have the ability to submit a review on behalf of a reviewer should the review arrive via e-mail, fax, or regular mail. The system will also allow staff to accept or decline a review on behalf of a reviewer, should the reviewer respond outside the system. We have included the ability for staff to perform all actions in the system to help make the transition from paper to online easier and smoother. Some journals may not require online use of the system right away, and editors and others may encounter situations where they just can't get to their internet connections, so the staff's ability to perform all actions and keep papers moving is absolutely vital.
How and when do new reviewers register?
Reviewers who have not registered with Bench>Press will have to do so before accessing the system the first time. The registration process is straightforward, and asks for email address, password, and contact information.
Can multiple email addresses be associated with an account?
Yes. You may set up multiple permanent and temporary email addresses, any one of which you can use to access the system; however, you can have
only one primary email address at a time, and all correspondence will be sent to that address.
Is double-blind review possible?
Yes. If your journal uses a double-blind review process, the system can be configured accordingly.
Can editors pull up a reviewer's record?
When you search for a reviewer you will find statistics related to that reviewer's active reviews, reviews handled this year, and average turnaround time. A link to "View Details" allows you to view any notes about the reviewer your journal keeps, as well as a history of previous manuscripts reviewed.
Can staff contact authors if a correction needs to be made to the submission, without the author needing to start the submission all over?
Staff can review new submissions and send them back to authors for any reason. Authors can make requested changes, complete required information and/or reupload the paper without starting a new submission.
Can reviewers or editors mark up a manuscript in PDF?
Not at this time, although we are monitoring new advances in PDF technology.
Can I as an EIC or AE put myself out of commission for a period of time? Can reviewers do the same?
Yes, people can manage their availability dates or have staff do so for them.
How does the system work with documents that need hard copies, such as copyright forms and glossy photos?
Management tools are provided at various points in the review process for staff to keep track of the receipt of hard copies of required forms, original source files, etc.
Can the office use the system to track where the paper is in the print production process?
Bench>Press will provide a seamless, automatic way for printers and typesetters to send information to the site about milestones of print production or issue production. This will be handled through the delivery of XML messages that will need to conform to our DTD of production information transfer. The periodicity of these transactions would be decided upon by the publisher and the printer and you can receive as much or as little information as required.The system will map your post-acceptance needs. It can pass files to your printer/typesetter and receive updates on production status, as well as pass appropriate files into the Publish Ahead of Print flow at the appropriate time (a time determined by you). For publishers where copy editing and typesetting is handled or managed in-house, extra management tools can be implemented to manage and track data about the paper and its location as it travels through production. The system does not provide functionality for online copy editing of source files.
How does the system integrate with existing systems? Can we import data from our current system?
It is possible to convert people records (contact data) and existing manuscripts to the Bench>Press system. Two alternatives exist for these files: you can enter them by hand into the new system in the same fashion as you will maintain them once the system is functional; or, HighWire can extract the information from your current system and load them into Bench>Press before the system becomes active.
Is Publish Ahead of Print anticipated?
Yes, Publish Ahead of Print capabilities can be integrated into the Bench>Press system.
What hardware or software will users need?
Bench>Press is an Internet application and operates with standard browsers, although a JavaScript-enabled browser is recommended (required for editorial staff and board members). Adobe Acrobat version 4.0, available free on the Internet, is required.
Where will the data reside? How is it stored and backed up?
All manuscript data is stored at Stanford University on high-performance servers in secure databases, which are backed up on a daily basis.
What is the estimated time for implementation of Bench>Press?
In general we expect the project to take between 4 and 6 months from the time of agreement. The majority of this elapsed time is due to the need to change office procedures and bring all of the participants in the system -- editors, associate editors, reviewers, and office staff -- into a common operating environment.
Where can I get pricing information?
For information on pricing and project scheduling, please send email to benchpress{at}highwire.stanford.edu
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