Skip to main content
OJS for Everyone Logo
OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Enabling Subscriptions

Before any subscription management can take place, the subscription module must be switched on in the journal's Distribution settings. Only a Journal Manager or Site Administrator can do this.

  1. Log in as Journal Manager or Site Administrator
  2. Go to Settings → Distribution
  3. Click the Access tab

The Access section controls how readers interact with your content and whether the subscription module is active.

Access Models​

OJS supports four access models. Select the one that matches your journal's policy:

ModelDescriptionSubscriptions Required?
Open AccessAll published content is freely available to anyoneNo
SubscriptionAll content requires a valid active subscriptionYes
Delayed Open AccessNew issues are subscription-only; content becomes open after a configurable embargo periodYes
HybridMost content requires a subscription; individual articles can be made open access (typically via APC)Yes
When does the Subscription menu appear?

The Subscriptions item appears in the left-hand navigation only after you select Subscription, Delayed Open Access, or Hybrid and save your settings. If you choose Open Access, the subscriptions menu is hidden.

Enabling the Subscription Module​

  1. Under Access, select The journal will require subscriptions to access some or all of its contents
  2. For Delayed Open Access, an additional field appears — enter the embargo period in months (e.g. 12)
  3. Click Save

The Subscription module is now active. The Subscriptions menu item appears in the left navigation.

Delayed Open Access Embargo Period​

SettingEffect
Embargo period (months)Articles published more than this many months ago become freely accessible
12Content older than one year is open; everything newer requires a subscription
0All content is immediately open (equivalent to Open Access mode)
Choosing an embargo period

A 12-month embargo is common for society journals. Shorter periods (6 months) are used when the journal wants broader discoverability while still monetising recent content.

Granting the Subscription Manager Role​

The Journal Manager can assign any registered user the Subscription Manager role so they can administer subscriptions without having full Journal Manager permissions.

  1. Go to Users & Roles → Users
  2. Search for the user you want to assign
  3. Click the Edit arrow next to their name
  4. Under Roles, check Subscription Manager
  5. Click Save
User must be registered

The user must already have an account in OJS before you can assign them the Subscription Manager role. If the user does not yet have an account, use Users & Roles → Users → Add User to create one first.

Subscription Manager Permissions​

PermissionSubscription ManagerJournal Manager
Create/edit subscription types✓✓
Manage individual subscriptions✓✓
Manage institutional subscriptions✓✓
Record payments✓✓
Change access model (Open/Subscription)✗✓
Configure payment plugins✗✓

Verifying the Configuration​

After saving, confirm the setup is correct:

  1. Open a private/incognito browser window
  2. Navigate to your journal's Table of Contents for a recent issue
  3. If subscription-gated, article full-text links should prompt login or show a subscription required message
  4. If Delayed Open Access, older articles should be freely downloadable
Testing as a reader

Create a test reader account without any subscription to verify that the paywall is working correctly before announcing subscriptions to users.

Further Reading​