The Copernicus Office

We are very glad to announce the start of our new online service Copernicus Office that will replace, step-by-step until the end of 2008, the applications used so far with regard to meetings and publications. We have undertaken many modifications of all forms and dialogues to increase the usability for the benefit of all users. The following tools will serve our customers:

A new Online System – Why?

We used the former online system since 2001. However, the last 7 years brought a lot of developments and new standards in web applications. The claims of the users to be served in a professional way are today different from the past, and the future comes up with totally new approaches like the web 2.0 applications.

It was time to revise all functions, improve the frontend for users but, especially, also to restructure the backend. Furthermore, it was our major goal to shift the development into an in-house service without any outsourcing. The advantage for the users and our customers is the close collaboration in our company. Those who are responsible for and work in the meeting and publication projects are directly linked to the software engineers of the development group. In future, improvements to fulfil the needs of our customers will be developed much faster and more efficient, and will be implemented under the supervision of the corresponding project managers!

With the Copernicus Office, we establish the basis to meet future needs, to improve our service for the benefit of all users and to achieve the flexibility which is important to serve tailored projects.

Improvements – Some Examples

General System

The Copernicus Office is explicitly project-oriented. That means the applications and their forms and dialogues are embedded in the project web sites. When an author, e.g., surfs on the web site of his favourite journal and then registers a manuscript, there will be no optical change. That gives a home and preserves the identity and branding.

Copernicus Office has a real administration of user groups, roles, and permissions. These entities control not only the actions of the user in the system but furthermore, control the user's appearance, e.g., on the webpage of a conference. The programme chair is implemented as a role not as a person. User changes or user data changes appear immediately.

Terms and expressions which are typically project-specific (Editor vs. Topical Editor vs. Associate Editor) are controlled via variables. All web sites, forms and dialogues will use these specifics.

All forms, dialogues and interfaces are rebuilt and improved in terms of usability, intuitive handling, and optical/visual clarity.

Review System – CO Editor

All involved groups of users have their personalized manuscript overview and their personal ToDos. Authors, Editors, Chief Editors, and Referees see their urgent tasks with direct linkage to the forms and the Manuscript Tracking keeps them informed about the whole review process including all data and files. All overviews offer search and sort functionalities to improve the visibility of manuscripts with specific interest.

Meeting System – CO Meeting Organizer

The Copernicus Office Meeting Organizer supports co-organized sessions. For statistics, they have a home base, but for all views, organizational actions and modifications, they are accessible for all involved parties. Furthermore, co-listings are only suggested and the organizers of the target programmes decide about the appearance (if and where).

Launch & Milestones

• CO Meeting Organizer runs all 2009 meetings;
• CO Editor starts with the first one-stage journals in November 2008;
• Step-by-step implementation of all further one-stage journals as well as the two-stage journals;
• CO Trader starts with the sale of registrations and subscriptions in November 2008;
• Launch completion of all applications by the end of 2008.

Our goal is a comfortable implementation of the new system

Hotline

Please call our Hotline for personal help & assistance.

Copernicus Office Support

Hotline: +49-5556-99555-66
Fax: +49-5556-99555-70

support@copernicus.org