Best Practices for Managing Submissions in Open Conference Systems

Open Conference Systems: A Complete Guide for OrganizersOpen Conference Systems (OCS) is an open-source platform designed to help organizations manage academic and professional conferences online. It provides tools for site and schedule management, submission handling, peer review, registration, and publishing proceedings. This guide walks organizers through why to choose OCS, how to plan and set it up, essential configuration and workflows, customization and moderation, tips for smooth operations, and final publication and archiving.

Why choose Open Conference Systems?

• Free and open-source: No licensing fees; source code available for customization.
• Purpose-built: Designed specifically for conferences — submissions, reviews, schedules, and proceedings are core features.
• Proven in academia: Used by academic societies, universities, and professional groups for years.
• Integrations: Works with common authentication systems, indexing, and can export proceedings formats.
• Control and ownership: You host and manage content, giving full control over data and presentation.

Before you begin: planning and requirements

1. Define scope and scale

   • Number of tracks, expected submissions, reviewers, parallel sessions, and attendees.
   • Decide whether you’ll run single-blind, double-blind, or open review.

2. Technical requirements

   • Hosting: a Linux server (Ubuntu/Debian recommended) with Apache or Nginx.
   • PHP version (check OCS version requirements), MySQL/MariaDB database.
   • Disk space and backups: allow for submission files, uploaded presentations, and backups.
   • SSL certificate for secure access (Let’s Encrypt is a free option).

3. Team and roles

   • Conference manager (admin), track chairs, reviewers, session chairs, technical support.
   • Prepare documentation and role-based checklists.

4. Timeline and milestones

   • CFP (call for papers) launch and close, review window, notifications, camera-ready deadline, registration open/close, and conference dates.

Installing OCS

1. Obtain OCS

   • Download the latest compatible OCS release (from PKP — Public Knowledge Project — repositories or the OCS project page).

2. Server setup (high level)

   • Install Apache/Nginx, PHP and required PHP extensions, MySQL/MariaDB.
   • Create a database and a database user with appropriate privileges.
   • Configure filesystem permissions for the OCS directory and the files directory.

3. Web installation

   • Place OCS files in your webroot.
   • Point your browser to the installation URL and follow the web-based installer, entering DB credentials and site info.
   • Create the first administrative account.

4. Post-install checks

   • Verify cron jobs (if required) for scheduled tasks such as reminder emails and automatic processes.
   • Test email sending (SMTP) to ensure notifications function.
   • Secure the installation: remove installer files and restrict writable permissions where appropriate.

Core configuration and workflows

1. Site and conference setup

   • Create a conference site: title, description, homepage settings, and primary contact information.
   • Configure conference timeline: set submission, review, and registration dates.
   • Localization: enable languages if you expect multilingual contributors.

2. Calls for papers (CFP)

   • Define submission types (full paper, abstract, poster), word/page limits, and required metadata fields (authors, affiliations, keywords).
   • Configure file upload limits and allowed file types (PDF preferred for review stability).
   • Provide clear author guidelines and templates.

3. Submission management

   • Submission form: customize required fields and supplementary materials (slides, datasets).
   • Blindness settings: enable single/double-blind as needed.
   • Track and categorize submissions by topic/stream.

4. Review process

   • Configure review forms and scoring rubrics (numeric scores, qualitative comments, recommendation).
   • Assign reviewers manually or use automated matching (if available via plugins or custom code).
   • Set deadlines, allow reviewer discussions (meta-reviews), and configure conflict-of-interest procedures.

5. Notifications and communications

   • Customize email templates for submission confirmations, review invitations, decision letters, and reminders.
   • Schedule automated notifications for deadlines and status updates.

6. Scheduling and program

   • Build sessions: link accepted papers to sessions and time slots.
   • Assign session chairs and presenters; create parallel tracks and room assignments.
   • Publish a public program with filters (by track, keyword, presenter).

7. Registration and payments

   • If using integrated registration, configure registration types (student, regular, presenter), fees, and payment gateways.
   • Or manage registration externally and keep attendee lists synchronized.

8. Proceedings and publication

   • Prepare camera-ready submission workflows.
   • Create proceedings volumes or individual paper pages.
   • Export metadata in common formats (BibTeX, RIS) and provide DOIs if you have a DOI provider agreement.

Customization and theming

• Themes and templates: adapt site appearance using OCS themes or custom CSS/templates. Keep branding consistent with your organization.
• Plugins and extensions: explore PKP plugins or third-party modules for added functionality (e.g., advanced search, analytics, altmetrics).
• Integrations: connect with ORCID for author IDs, Crossref for DOIs, LOCKSS/Clockss for preservation, and indexing services.

Moderation, policies, and ethics

• Reviewer guidelines: provide written expectations for thorough, timely, and professional reviews.
• Code of conduct: publish a conference code of conduct and a process for reporting violations.
• Data privacy: define retention policies for submissions and reviews; ensure compliance with applicable data protection laws.
• Accessibility: ensure public pages and materials follow accessibility best practices (WCAG).

Operational tips for smooth running

• Early dry run: run a test conference (small dataset) to exercise submission, review, scheduling, and notification flows.
• Clear documentation: provide contributor-facing guides (authors, reviewers, session chairs) and internal SOPs for admins.
• Backup frequently: automated daily database and files backup, with offsite copies.
• Monitor load: track server performance during peak times (submission deadlines) and scale resources temporarily if needed.
• Communication cadence: keep authors and reviewers informed with a predictable schedule of reminders and updates.
• Delegation: decentralize review and scheduling tasks to track chairs to reduce bottlenecks.

Troubleshooting common issues

• Email not sending: check SMTP settings, server firewalls, and logs; use an external SMTP service if needed.
• File upload errors: verify PHP upload_max_filesize and post_max_size; check filesystem permissions.
• Permission errors: ensure correct ownership and writable permissions for the files directory and cache folders.
• Performance slowdowns: enable caching, optimize database, or upgrade server CPU/RAM.
• Broken themes or missing assets: check file paths, base URL configuration, and rebuild caches.

Publishing and archiving

• Finalize proceedings: gather camera-ready PDFs, finalize metadata, and set publication dates.
• DOI assignment and metadata deposit: if issuing DOIs, prepare Crossref deposits with accurate metadata.
• Long-term preservation: use LOCKSS/Clockss or institutional repositories to preserve proceedings.
• Metrics and reporting: collect download stats, citation tracking, and post-conference surveys to evaluate impact.

Example timeline (concise)

• T -12 months: Define scope, secure venue/virtual platform, and technical resources.
• T -9 months: Install OCS, design CFP, and open submissions.
• T -6 months: Close submissions, begin reviews.
• T -3 months: Notify authors, request camera-ready versions, open registration.
• T -1 month: Finalize program and logistics.
• Conference week: operate platform for live sessions, recordings, and attendee support.
• Post-conference: publish proceedings and archive materials.

Final notes

Open Conference Systems is a robust, proven option for managing conference workflows end-to-end with full control over content and presentation. With careful planning, adequate technical resources, and clear policies, OCS can streamline submission handling, peer review, scheduling, and publication for both small and large conferences.