The scholarly publishing community is constantly evolving, and Open Journal Systems (OJS) keeps pace with this movement. The Public Knowledge Project (PKP) has officially released OJS 3.5, one of the most significant updates in recent times, focused on modernizing the user experience, enhancing data security, and optimizing the work of editors and reviewers.
We at OJSBR have thoroughly analyzed every detail of this new version to explain what it means for your journal and how these changes can positively impact your daily operations.
This update goes far beyond minor fixes. It reimagines core parts of the system to make it more efficient and intuitive. Check out the highlights:
Completely Redesigned Editorial Dashboard: The most impactful change is the new submissions dashboard interface. The workflow is now unified on a single screen, with clear visual statuses and a side menu that reduces the number of clicks needed to manage an article, from submission to publication.
New Invitation System (Focus on GDPR/LGPD): Goodbye to manual user registration. To increase privacy and data control, OJS 3.5 introduces an invitation system. Editors now invite reviewers and authors, who then fill in their own data and provide consent, aligning the system with best data protection practices.
Native ORCID Integration: ORCID is no longer just a plugin; it is now part of the OJS core. New users can create their accounts using ORCID, automatically importing data such as name and affiliation, which ensures greater accuracy and speed.
Improvements in the Peer Review Process: The new version brings highly requested features, such as allowing authors to suggest reviewers and configuring automatic reminders that are sent to reviewers before the deadline expires.
"Highlights" Feature and Editorial Team History: Create a banner carousel on the homepage to promote calls for papers or important articles. Additionally, the system now automatically compiles and displays the history of editorial team members based on their term start and end dates.
An update of this magnitude requires planning and technical care to ensure a smooth transition without data loss. This is where OJSBR's expertise makes all the difference.
Compatibility Analysis: We check the compatibility of your current system, including third-party themes and plugins. Our exclusive plugins, such as the article acceptance and reviewer declaration plugins, are already being prepared for the new version.
Backup and Testing Environment: Security is our priority. We perform a full backup of your installation and implement the update first in a staging environment, allowing your team to test everything before the final migration.
Expert-Led Migration: Our technical team handles the entire system update process, ensuring that the database and files are migrated correctly.
Support and Training: After the update, we offer all the necessary support for your team to become familiar with the new features and make the most of OJS 3.5's potential.
OJS 3.5 is not just an update; it's a step towards more modern, secure, and efficient journal management. Adopting this new version positions your journal at the forefront of academic publishing.
OJSBR, as your strategic partner in scholarly publishing, is ready to guide you through this process. Talk to our team to plan your update and ensure your journal continues to operate with maximum performance and security.
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Don't let your journal fall behind. With the innovations of OJS 3.5 and the expert support of OJSBR, the migration process becomes simple and secure, opening the door to a much more productive editorial workflow. Plan your upgrade today!