For authors

Manuscript status, LoA and certificate

What each status of your manuscript means, what happens next, and when the Letter of Acceptance and the certificate become available.

  • Follows the journal's current settings
  • 2 min read
On this page

At a glance

  • Every status is shown on the manuscript tracking page and in your author profile.
  • An unpaid invoice holds the manuscript; it is never a reason to decline it.
  • The Letter of Acceptance follows the editorial acceptance.
  • The publication certificate is issued when the article is published.

Follow your manuscript on the manuscript tracking page (the link is in your confirmation e-mail) or in "My manuscripts" on your author profile. Each step below is also announced by e-mail.

Track a manuscript Author profile

Statuses

  • Submitted: the manuscript has arrived and waits for the initial check.
  • Initial check: the editorial team checks scope, template, completeness and originality. A manuscript that does not fit is returned quickly so you can send it elsewhere.
  • In review: independent reviewers are assessing the manuscript.
  • Revision required: the editor asks for changes. Upload the revision within 14 days.
  • Accepted: the editor has accepted the manuscript; it moves to copyediting, layout and proofs.
  • In production: copyediting, layout and proofs. You may be asked to check the copyedited text or the proof.
  • Published: the article is online with its DOI.
  • Declined: the manuscript is not suitable for the journal; the decision letter explains why. See complaints and appeals if you think the decision is wrong.
  • Held awaiting payment: the publication fee invoice was not paid by its due date. This is not an editorial decision: the manuscript keeps its place and the process continues once the payment arrives or a waiver is granted. The notice on the tracking page explains how to pay.

Timeline

  1. Step 1

    Submit

    Upload the manuscript in the journal template.

  2. Step 2

    Initial check

    Scope, format and similarity are checked by the editors.

  3. Step 3

    Invoice

    Configure and pay the invoice within 15 days.

  4. Step 4

    Peer review

    Independent experts assess the manuscript, each within 60 days.

  5. Step 5

    Revision

    You have 14 days per revision, at most 2 rounds.

  6. Step 6

    Decision

    The editors accept or decline, based on the reviews.

  7. Step 7

    Production

    Copyediting, layout and proofs you check.

  8. Step 8

    Published

    Online in an issue with a DOI and a certificate.

Letter of Acceptance (LoA)

  • The LoA is issued after the editor accepts the manuscript.
  • Once the invoice is paid, the LoA can also be downloaded from the payment page.
  • The same holds for Fasttrack: the LoA follows the editorial acceptance, not the Fast Track payment.

Certificate and documents

  • The publication certificate for every author is issued when the article is published.
  • Invoices and receipts are on your author profile and are sent by e-mail.
  • Journal documents (invoice, LoA, letters, certificates) are kept apart from your manuscript files, so a revision never replaces them.

Questions

Use the chat with the editors on the manuscript tracking page or write to [email protected].

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