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Journal Email NotificationsJournal Email Notifications

Overview

Digital Commons journals include a robust email notification system that delivers submission updates and requests to the right parties at the right time. With little to no intervention required, email notifications are sent to authors, reviewers, and editors to keep them informed as works move from submission to publication.

Emails are configured to communicate key updates automatically, featuring standard text to facilitate the management and review of submissions. However, if customization is desired to better align with specific content or workflow requirements, Consulting Services can tailor most notifications upon request.

Please contact Consulting Services as described on our Contact Us page if you have any questions.

Getting Started with Default Emails

Most email notifications are automatically enabled with boilerplate text for common workflows, including support for double-blind peer review. Typical journal notifications include:

Submission and revision confirmations
Review requests and report upload confirmations
Decisions (acceptance, major revisions required, etc.)
Publication notices

These notifications allow editors, authors, and reviewers to receive prompt messaging for important actions on a submission.

Several workflow-critical notifications allow editors to add comments before sending the email to authors or reviewers. One example is the email to request major revisions from authors. This email has a dedicated section for the editor to include details about the specific revisions requested, as pictured below.

This email and many more can be customized further, if needed, to include specific information each time. Consulting Services can provide a full mail compendium to assist with your request. See the table below and the “Customizing Email Notifications” section for more details.

List of Journal Email Notifications

Email notifications are listed in the expandable sections below along with each email's recipients and customization options.

Key considerations:

For works uploaded by editors: The default is to not send most emails related to the submission/publication process to authors. This can be changed by request so authors receive more updates.
Author email addresses: These need to be included with a submission in order for authors to receive notifications. The email address from an author’s account is automatically included when they submit their own work. See Author or Editor Submission Steps in a Journal for more information.
Editor mail permission: The “Receive email notifications” permission needs to be in place for editors to receive most notifications. This is typically assigned to editors in the setup process. See Managing Administrator Permissions or contact Consulting Services if you need to double-check or adjust permissions.

For a copy of email notification text, please request a full mail compendium from Consulting Services.

Submission Notifications

Email	Recipients	Customization options
New submission uploaded	When author uploads: Authors; Editors with full permissions. When editor uploads: None (not sent by default). Not sent for batch upload.	✅Customizable by request
Word or RTF file converted to PDF	When author uploaded the submission: Authors; Editors with full permissions. When editor uploaded: Submitting editor; Editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Submission assigned to specific editor	Assigning editor; Assigned editor.	💻Can enter comment when sending ❌Standard boilerplate text not customizable
Revision submitted	When author revises: Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission. When editor revises: Editor revising the submission; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission. Not sent for batch revise.	✅Customizable by request
Unpublished submission withdrawn by author	When author uploaded the submission: Authors; Editors with mail permission; Assigned editor (if any); Reviewers with status of "committed" or “reviewed”. When editor uploaded the submission: Withdrawing author; Editors with mail permission; Assigned editor (if any).	✅Customizable by request
Unpublished submission withdrawn by editor	When author uploaded the submission: Authors (if "Notify authors" option is selected); Withdrawing editor; Editors with mail permission; Assigned editor (if any). When editor uploaded the submission: Withdrawing editor; Editors with mail permission; Assigned editor (if any).	✅Customizable by request

Peer Review Notifications

Email	Recipients	Customization options
Initial request to review	Reviewer; Editor sending the request; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request
Auto-reminder to respond to review request Default settings: Email sends every 3 days; max number of times is 1 by default.	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Auto-notification that more reviewers are needed Default setting: Email sends after 5 days if maximum number of reviewers (as indicated on journal setup form) has not committed.	Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Review request withdrawn by editor	Reviewer; Editor withdrawing the request; assigned editor (if any).	✅Customizable by request
Review request withdrawn automatically when enough reviewers commit Uses number of reviewers indicated on journal setup form.	Reviewers with a “requested” status when the maximum number of reviewers per article have committed.	✅Customizable by request
Re-request review after request has been withdrawn	Reviewer; Editor sending the request; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request
Reviewer commits to review	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Reviewer guidelines (sent when reviewer commits to review)	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any).	✅Customizable by request
Reviewer declines to review	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission. (When an editor clicks the “decline for reviewer” option, no email is sent.)	✅Customizable by request
Suggestions for alternate reviewers	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	💻Can edit when sending ❌Standard boilerplate text not customizable
Manual reminder to submit review (when review is not overdue)	Reviewer; Editor sending the request; Assigned editor (if any).	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request
Auto-reminder to submit review (when review is not overdue) Default settings: Three reminders total at 7 days, 3 days, and 1 day before the review due date.	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Manual reminder to submit review (when review is overdue)	Reviewer; Editor sending the request; Assigned editor (if any).	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request
Auto-reminder to submit review (when review is overdue) Default settings: Sent every 5 days; a maximum number of times can be set by request.	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Auto-reminder to editor that a review is late Default settings: First email sent one day after due date; then default is to send every 7 days.	Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Committed reviewer withdraws commitment to review	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	❌Not customizable
Editor gives up on committed reviewer	Reviewer; Editor performing action; Assigned editor (if any).	✅Customizable by request
Review uploaded	Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	✅Customizable by request
Review received	Reviewer; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission; Editor who submits on behalf of reviewer, if applicable.	✅Customizable by request
Request additional review from reviewer who already reviewed	Reviewer; Editor sending the request; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request

Decision Notifications

Email	Recipients	Customization options
Accept submission	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: All editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request
Accept submission with minor revisions	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: All editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request
Author guidelines (sent with “Accept” and “Accept with minor revisions” decisions)	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: All editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”. Not sent if editor suppresses email by checking the "Do not email the decision letter" box.	✅Customizable by request
Request minor revisions after acceptance	Authors; Editor requesting revisions.	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request
Major revisions required for acceptance	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: All editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request
Reject submission	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: All editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request

Publication Notifications

Email

Recipients

Customization options

Submission published/posted

Authors; Editors with mail permission; Assigned editor (if any); Reviewers.

✅Customizable by request

Published submission removed by editor

Authors; Editor removing submission; Assigned editor (if any).

💻Can edit when sending

✅Customizable by request

Additional Workflow Emails Available by Request

Email	Recipients	Additional setting required for email to send	Customization options
Minor revisions required for acceptance	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: Editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	Consulting Services (CS) can enable the "minor revisions for acceptance" setting, which adds another decision option and accompanying email.	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request
Desk reject submission	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: Editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	CS can enable the "desk reject" setting, which adds another decision option for rejecting unfit submissions immediately without any peer review steps (the letter omits reference to review reports).	💻Can edit or suppress email when registering a decision ✅Customizable by request
Bulk reject submissions	Authors; Editor who registers decision; Assigned editor (if any). Optional at time of sending: Editors with mail permission; Submitter; Reviewers with a status of “committed” or “reviewed”.	CS can enable the "mass reject" setting, which allows editors to select multiple submissions to reject at once (uses the desk reject email above).	✅Customizable by request
Request for author approval	Authors; Editor requesting approval; Assigned editor (if any).	Author approval setting: This can be enabled on the journal configuration page or by CS (it may be enabled already if it was selected on the journal setup form). This setting requires author approval before editors can publish a submission.	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request
Author gives approval	Authors; Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	Author approval setting (see above).	✅Customizable by request
Editor approves for author	Authors (optional); Assigned editor (if any); if no assigned editor, all editors with mail permission.	Author approval setting (see above).	✅Customizable by request
Manual request for author re-approval	Authors; Editor requesting approval; Assigned editor (if any).	Author approval setting (see above).	💻Can edit when sending ✅Customizable by request
Automatic request for author re-approval (if new file is uploaded after author approves)	Authors.	Author approval setting (see above).	✅Customizable by request
Miscellaneous editor-author correspondence	Manual emails sent between editors and authors.	CS can enable editor-author correspondence.	💻Can edit when sending (blank text area by default) ✅Customizable by request
Miscellaneous editor-reviewer correspondence	Manual emails sent between editors and reviewers.	CS can enable editor-reviewer correspondence.	💻Can edit when sending (blank text area by default) ✅Customizable by request
Miscellaneous author-reviewer correspondence	Manual, anonymous emails sent between authors and reviewers.	CS can enable author-reviewer correspondence.	💻Can edit when sending (blank text area by default) ✅Customizable by request

Customizing Email Notifications

While Digital Commons notifications do not require customization, your journal may have specific needs for tailoring emails to your content or workflow. For most emails described above, you can:

Request changes to the boilerplate text to include specific language or instructions
Specify whether certain notifications should be enabled or disabled
Adjust who receives certain emails

To request customization, follow the steps below. In the first step, you will contact Consulting Services for a full compendium of all email text. They can help you to adjust emails and related settings according to your preferences.

How to Submit a Request to Consulting Services

Steps for requesting changes:

Request a mail compendium from Consulting Services.
The compendium is a Word document, so you may use the track changes feature in Word to record the specific changes you want to request. This will help to clarify your edits to Consulting Services.
Be sure to keep variables in place. Digital Commons emails use variables for elements like author names, manuscript numbers, and anonymized email addresses. These appear in brackets in the compendium. Leaving them in place ensures all mail components are preserved.
If your site has more than one journal, please indicate the specific journal(s) where you’d like the requested changes applied.
Reply to Consulting Services and attach the modified Word document. It’s helpful to include a list of which emails you have modified in the document as well as any emails that you would like to enable or disable that aren’t set that way by default.

For more information about notifications, or for any questions, please contact Consulting Services through the methods listed on our Contact Us page.