Officially, PKP has announced the release of OJS, OMP, and OPS with version 3.5, and the good news is that this version is also planned to be made the same as the previous version 3.3 which will get the LTS (Long-Term Support) label, meaning the version will get longer support and updates.
Judging from the features and appearance of this version, it provides significant changes where in this version there are major changes, especially from the menu on the editorial page and also changes to the workflow process. The results of PKP’s claim that the editorial page is made efficient with more complete information.
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New features in version 3.5
Currently in OJS 3.5 there are various new features that are quite powerful. We have analyzed in depth related to these various features. We can say that these existing features are features that did not exist at all in the previous version. Regardless, with the addition of these new features we are sure that this will make it easier for the editorial team or users to carry out various editorial activities within the OJS platform.
Here are some of the features available in OJS 3.5:
1. Manage Submissions in the Redesigned Editorial Dashboard
Unlike the display in the previous OJS version, in OJS 3.5 now all statuses in the editorial workflow process can be accessed more quickly and practically through the sidebar menu on the left side of the dashboard page. This feature provides more complete information about the status of each submitted article, from those that have just been submitted, are waiting for the editor’s decision, are in the review process, to those that have been completed.
With this display, editors can easily see the number of manuscripts in the queue at each stage of the process. This is very helpful in setting work priorities and speeding up the editorial process. Editors no longer need to open one section at a time or search for manuscripts that are being handled, because all statuses have been clearly grouped
2. Manage and Track Editorial Board History
The Editorial Masthead feature allows us to display some specific user roles information from within our OJS automatically. Currently, the data that can be displayed is Journal Editor, Section Editor, and Editorial Board Member (this option will display more complete details than the previous editorial team page data).
Here is a preview of the Editorial Masthead:
3. Invite Users
One of the most significant changes is in the User & Roles menu, if in the previous OJS version we could add users manually, well then in the current version this action can no longer be done, in the OJS 3.5 system in order to add certain users such as Journal Manager, Editor, etc. the user is required to register first and then invite the specific desired user.
4. ORCID Integration Feature
One of the important updates present in OJS 3.5 is the integration of the ORCID feature by default in the system. Unlike previous versions where administrators had to download and install the ORCID plugin manually, now this feature is immediately available once OJS 3.5 is installed.
This integration allows journal managers to immediately activate and use the ORCID feature without having to go through an additional installation process. This is certainly very easy, especially for journals that want to encourage the use of ORCID in the publication process, such as to connect authors and reviewers with their ORCID profiles.
5. Allow Authors to Suggest Reviewers
Another new feature that is now directly integrated into OJS 3.5 is Reviewer Suggestion. Although for some journal managers this feature may not be entirely new because it could previously be added via a third-party plugin, its presence as a built-in part of the OJS core system provides its own added value, especially in terms of ease of use and efficiency of manuscript management.
The Reviewer Suggestion feature allows authors to suggest reviewers when submitting manuscripts. In the submission form, there is a special column that authors can use to include the name, affiliation, or email of the reviewer they recommend. This information will then be forwarded to the editor to be considered in the reviewer selection process.
With this feature, the reviewer selection process becomes more open and focused, especially in very specific scientific fields where authors know more about who is relevant to review their work. In addition, editors can also consider input from authors as additional references without having to search for it from the beginning manually.
For many journal managers, this feature is very much needed to speed up the editorial process and increase accuracy in selecting appropriate reviewers. With OJS 3.5, this feature is available by default, eliminating the need for additional plugin installations or complex manual configuration.
If you are still using an older version of OJS and are interested in trying this feature, you can visit the third-party developer of this plugin
Here’s a preview of this feature:
6. Use Highlights to Draw Attention to Big News
Not stopping there, PKP has also presented a new innovative feature that has never been found in previous plugins or OJS versions. This feature is called Highlight, which allows journal managers to display important information attractively on the OJS homepage. With the Highlight feature, editors can highlight things like call for papers or interesting visual images.
Here’s a preview of this feature:
7. ROR (Research Organization Registry)
Specifically in version 3.5, the ROR (Research Organization Registry) feature has been integrated into OJS by default, so you no longer need to install it manually via a separate plugin. This feature functions to identify the author’s affiliated institution or organization uniquely, standardized, and globally connected.
ROR is an open database that provides a unique identity (ROR ID) for research institutions around the world, such as universities, research institutions, academic hospitals, and other scientific organizations. With the integration of ROR, the process of filling in affiliations when submitting manuscripts becomes more accurate, traceable, and supports data interoperability between academic platforms.
8. Cancel a review round option
The Cancel Review Round feature in OJS allows editors or section editors to cancel the entire review process for a particular round. This feature is useful when a review round is considered invalid, for example due to an error or accident.
9. JATS XML integration inside the workflow
In OJS 3.5, JATS XML integration has been embedded directly into the publication workflow. This integration allows journal managers to upload, view, and present article files in JATS XML format more simply. This JATS XML file can be generated automatically from article metadata that has been inputted into the system.
JATS XML (Journal Article Tag Suite) is an XML-based metadata standard that is widely used in scientific publishing to systematically structure articles—including titles, author names, affiliations, abstracts, references, and other important elements. In general, XML files are usually used as one of the requirements to be indexed in various high reputable indexing such as EBSCO, PubMed, and others. However, for XML files generated from OJS 3.5, we cannot yet confirm whether this is compliant or not with the various reputable indexing. Regardless, the presence of the XML feature in OJS 3.5 is very useful for users.
Technically, editors or production editors can upload JATS XML files at the Production stage, along with other galleys such as PDF or HTML. OJS can then display JATS XML content directly in a reader-friendly display through an integrated viewer, such as Lens Viewer or JATS Parser, depending on the configuration of each journal.
Note:
If you require complete and detailed metadata when generating JATS XML files, you might consider using external tools such as jatseditor.com, which provides a user-friendly interface for creating and editing JATS-compliant XML documents. And most importantly, the XML files generated from this tool have been recognized and verified by EBSCO and PubMed. In addition, it is also compliant with JATS4R, DTD, and other standards.
What you need to prepare before upgrading your OJS:
1. Full Site and Database Backup
Always perform a full backup of your OJS files and MySQL/MariaDB database before starting the upgrade process. This is important to avoid data loss if the upgrade fails.
2. Review Server Requirements
PHP 8.2 or higher (for OJS 3.5), Latest version of MySQL/MariaDB, PHP extensions such as intl, mbstring, xml, zip, etc.
3. Test on a Staging Environment
Test the upgrade on a staging environment first. This helps detect potential errors without disrupting your production site.
4. Download Latest OJS Package from PKP
Make sure you are using the latest official package from the PKP website, not from unofficial sources.
5. Ensure Email Configuration Works
Some processes in the latest version of OJS (such as assigning users or notifying editors) rely heavily on email functionality. Make sure your email server configuration is working properly.
In conclusion:
OJS 3.5 offers a variety of exciting updates with the addition of many new features designed to improve user convenience and experience. This version not only brings improvements in terms of functionality, but has also closed various security holes found in previous versions. In addition, OJS 3.5 now requires the use of PHP 8.2, which indicates that this system has implemented higher and more modern security standards.
The good news is, OJS 3.5 will also get the LTS (Long-Term Support) label, meaning that this version will receive long-term support and updates, making it more stable and ideal for use in the long term.
However, despite the many advantages offered, there are several things to consider before switching to this version. One of them is the change in the user management process. In this version, the option to create a user account directly by the editor or administrator is no longer available. Instead, the user registration process must be carried out by the user themselves through the registration system, and every role assignment or editing of user information must go through email confirmation. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the email system is running well so that the editorial process is not disrupted.
Additionally, since OJS 3.5 is a relatively new version, some third-party plugins may not be fully compatible or may still be in the process of being adjusted. This can be a challenge for journals that rely heavily on additional plugins in their management and operations.
If you prefer a hassle-free process or require professional assistance in upgrading your OJS, please click here for more details.
