A Quick Look at Open Journal Systems (OJS)
Open Journal Systems (OJS) is a widely used open-source software that helps manage and publish scholarly journals online. Developed by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP), OJS facilitates every stage of the publishing workflow, from submission and peer review to editorial management and online publication. It plays a vital role in promoting open access to research and supporting global scholarly communication.
Introducing OJS 3.5: A Leap Forward in User Experience and Efficiency
PKP has released OJS 3.5, a major update that improves user experience, streamlines workflows, and addresses key requirements such as GDPR compliance. The update is the result of collaborative efforts from PKP’s team and development partners. A recent webinar by PKP UX/UI designer DEA GO highlighted the focus on design, user research, accessibility, and usability.
1. Revamped Submission Dashboard and Workflow
OJS 3.5 addresses usability issues from earlier versions by simplifying navigation and minimizing cognitive load.
Key improvements:
- In-context actions are now visible where needed, reducing time spent searching menus.
- Submission status is clearly displayed in the main dashboard area.
- New “views” let users filter submissions by categories such as “active” or “in peer review.”
- A new “Editorial Activity” section highlights pending tasks and reviewer statuses.
- Navigation has shifted to a fully vertical system, improving accessibility.
- Incomplete submissions can be deleted via a new overflow menu.
- Authors and reviewers benefit from improved visibility into submissions and assigned tasks.
- A side panel allows viewing submission details without leaving the dashboard.
- Applied filters remain active when navigating back from a submission.
- A warning appears when navigating away from unsaved forms.
- Published submissions open directly to the publication tab.
2. Enhanced GDPR Compliance and Masthead Management
User and role management has been restructured for better privacy and efficiency.
Key changes:
- Editors now invite users by email or username, who then confirm roles through a secure process.
- Users manage their own personal information and account details.
- Editors no longer have direct access to edit user data.
- A new “Editorial Masthead” page lists past and current editorial team members, including their roles, affiliations, and ORCID IDs. Reviewers are not included.
3. Streamlined Author Affiliations and ROR Integration
OJS 3.5 introduces support for multiple institutional affiliations per user, with built-in ROR integration.
Highlights:
- Authors can add multiple affiliations, whether registered with ROR or not.
- The feature is available for contributors during new or existing submissions.
- ROR-based institution suggestions appear as users type, with clickable links to institution profiles.
- Multilingual institution names are supported.
- ROR is now built into the core of OJS, and existing data will be migrated during upgrade.
4. Enhancements in Peer Review Process
OJS 3.5 refines the peer review system with more automation and flexibility.
Key updates:
- Automatic email reminders to reviewers can be sent before due dates.
- Reviewer recommendation options can now be customized.
- Authors may suggest reviewers during submission, including names, emails, and justification.
- Editors can download submitted reviews in PDF or XML format, with versions tailored for authors or editors.
- Reviewers can access their own reports from previous rounds.
- Editors can manually log reviewer responses received via email.
5. Other Notable Changes
- Role-based access control allows limiting who can modify journal settings.
- A dedicated JATS tab in the workflow simplifies XML file management.
- Website interface languages are now separate from submission languages, which can be modified even after submission.
- A prototype enables display of multilingual metadata simultaneously.
- A new feature helps journal managers see editor workloads during task assignment.
Notes on OJS 3.5 Release and Upgrade
- OJS 3.5 RC1 has been released for internal testing; RC2 will open to the public soon, followed by the final version.
- The initial release will not be designated as long-term support (LTS); LTS will be assigned after further stability checks.
- OJS 3.5 supports PHP 8.2 and above.
- Usernames cannot be edited from the interface, but email-based login and the new invitation system reduce the need.
- Built-in support for ORCID and ROR is included, while other features like plagiarism detection and CRediT support will remain as plugins.
Conclusion
OJS 3.5 is a major step forward, offering a more intuitive and efficient experience for all users. With improved dashboards, enhanced user management, streamlined workflows, and better language handling, this update reinforces PKP’s commitment to supporting open access publishing. Users are encouraged to participate in the final testing phase to help ensure a smooth and stable release.