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OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Assigning Submissions

Every submission that enters OJS needs an editor assigned before editorial work can begin. As an Editor, you can assign a submission to a Section Editor for handling, assign it to yourself, or use a combination of both.

Viewing Unassigned Submissions​

New submissions waiting for assignment appear in:

Dashboard → Unassigned

Each card shows the title, submitting author, date submitted, and the journal section. Submissions stay in Unassigned until at least one editor is linked to them.

tip

Check the Unassigned queue regularly — submissions that sit without an editor assignment delay the workflow and frustrate authors.

Assigning to a Section Editor​

  1. Click on the unassigned submission to open it.
  2. In the right-hand Participants panel, click Assign.
  3. The "Assign Participant" dialog opens. From the Role dropdown, choose Section Editor (or Editor to assign yourself or a colleague at your level).
  4. Search by name in the user search box.
  5. Select the user from the results.
  6. Optionally check "Send notification email" to alert the assignee immediately.
  7. Click OK to confirm.

The submission moves from Unassigned to All Active and appears in the Section Editor's My Queue.

Assigning to Yourself​

If you will handle the submission directly:

  1. Open the submission from Unassigned.
  2. In the Participants panel, click Assign.
  3. Choose the Editor role.
  4. Search for and select your own name.
  5. Click OK.

Alternatively, on the submission list, use the Assign to Me link if your theme displays it.

Recommend Only vs. Full Decision Rights​

When assigning any editor, you can limit their authority with the "This participant can only recommend a decision" checkbox:

Checkbox stateWhat the editor can do
Unchecked (default)Record binding editorial decisions
CheckedSubmit recommendations only — a senior editor must make the final decision

Use the Recommend Only setting when you want Section Editors to propose decisions (e.g., Accept or Revisions Required) that you then confirm as the Journal Editor.

Re-assigning a Submission​

If a Section Editor leaves or becomes unavailable:

  1. Open the submission.
  2. In Participants, click the action arrow (▶) next to the departing editor's name.
  3. Select Edit Assignment to change their role, or Remove to unlink them entirely.
  4. Assign a replacement editor following the steps above.
warning

Removing an editor does not delete any correspondence or review history — it only removes their access to the submission going forward.

Assigning Multiple Editors​

A submission can have more than one editor assigned simultaneously. This is useful when:

  • A Section Editor handles the review stage while you oversee production.
  • Multiple language editors or thematic experts are needed.

Add each participant separately through the Participants panel. Each will see the submission in their queue.

Bulk Assignment​

OJS does not have a bulk-assignment tool in the standard UI. For journals with high submission volume, consider:

  • Setting up Section Editors with automatic assignment rules per journal section (if using a plugin that supports auto-assignment).
  • Using the OJS REST API to script assignments for migrations or high-volume intake periods.

Further Reading​