Edit submissions

If significant changes are needed to a submitted review, you should send the review back to authors.

You can make adjustments to the submitted content in EM if needed.

Edit Title or Author details

  • On the Action menu, select Edit Submission

  • Select Edit the Submission Data Only

  • To change the title, with Enter Metadata selected on the left-hand menu, amend the title in the text box.
  • You can also edit the Section/Category on this screen, if you have received a transferred submission.
  • You will also need to amend the title in Archie for the change to show in RevMan. 
  • Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Submit. 

  • To add or amend author details, with Add/Edit/Remove Authors selected on the left-hand menu, select and author to edit details.
  • Select Add Another Author to add additional authors.


NOTE: The author information listed in Archie and RevMan (named authors, author order) does not need to match information in Editorial Manager. If changes are made in Archie, this will update automatically at the next submission. See Update author information for review bylines.

  • Add author details and save.

  • Submit and Submit on the final screen to update the submission information.

Make changes to the text of the review 

When an author uploads the package of RevMan files to EM, and approves the submission, this automatically changes the writing phase from Authoring to Editorial in RevMan.

If you need to make changes or corrections to a submitted protocol, review or update:

  • Open the review in RevMan and edit as needed
  • Tag (RevMan Web) or check in (RevMan 5) interim drafts, without submitting for editorial approval 

When your edits are complete:

  • Submit an editorial decision of Minor Revision and send the review back to the authors to review and approve your changes - you may also ask the authors to make additional revisions at the same time
  • Sending the review back to authors, returns the review to Authoring phase in RevMan  
  • If you need a copy of the corrected version in Editorial Manager - e.g. for peer review, ask the authors to resubmit the edited version if they are happy with your changes

Adjust submission files and rebuild PDF

  • From the Action Menu in EM, Edit Submission.
  • Select Edit the submission (and rebuild PDF).

  • On the Submission screen, skip to Attach Files.
  • Any file with item type Manuscript will be built into the PDF that goes to peer reviewers.
  • To ensure this includes only the latest version, you can tick to select any previous versions and Remove.
  • You do not need to remove any files of other item types, such as RevMan Source Package or Response to Reviewer and Editor Comment, as these are Companion files and not built into the PDF.

  • When you have removed all Manuscript files other than the current version, click Next.
  • On the Summary Following Attach Files screen, ensure only one file shows in the Manuscript column.
  • Build PDF for my Approval.

  • Go to Submissions needing Approval by Editor.
  • Use the action links to View Submission and then Approve Submission > OK.

Add Risk of Bias 2 tables and rebuild PDF

Your ME Submission Check may flag that text has been omitted from wide Risk of Bias 2 tables. You can add the full text of the tables as a supplementary file to the submission, for internal and external review.

Open the Review in RevMan Web and View the submitted version from the RevMan Web dashboard. You then have 2 options for generating a PDF view of the Risk of Bias 2 tables:

  1. Use your browser Print > Save as PDF function to generate a PDF of the full review. Set page layout to Landscape. Set a specific page range to capture the Risk of Bias 2 tables. Save as PDF.
  2. Navigate to the Risk of Bias tables, select and copy all content. Paste into a Word document and adjust page layout and font size to optimise readability. Save as PDF.

  • From the Action Menu in EM, Edit Submission
  • Select Edit the submission (and rebuild PDF)
  • On the Submission screen, skip to Attach Files
  • Choose Files, select your PDF > Next > Build PDF for My Approval

  • The submission will move to Submissions Needing Editor Approval
  • View Submission and Approve Submission to create a new PDF which contains the Risk of Bias 2 tables at the end. You can flag the placing of the tables within the PDF, when sending the review for internal or external review.