The Editorial Workflow: From Submission to Publication

Behind every published article is a sequence of editorial decisions and handoffs. This article maps the full Open Journal Systems workflow—submission, review, copyediting, and production—and explains how editors assign participants, manage discussions, request revisions, schedule issues, and publish galleys. We highlight the small process choices that reduce time-to-decision and improve the experience for authors and reviewers: clear communication, realistic deadlines, and good use of editorial templates. We also discuss managing an editorial team, recording decisions for accountability, and preparing a clean issue for publication. Understanding the workflow end to end helps editors run a journal that is efficient, fair, and transparent.