What to Do After Setting Up Your Conference

Paige Watson

Updated on 10 March 2026

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After creating and configuring your conference in PeerSubmit, the next step is to prepare your submission and review workflow for authors and reviewers. Following a structured checklist ensures that your conference is ready to accept submissions and run the peer review process smoothly.

This guide outlines the key actions organizers should complete before and after launching their Call for Papers.

1. Review Your Conference Details

Start by verifying that your conference information is accurate and complete.

• Confirm the conference title and acronym.
• Verify conference start and end dates.
• Update the conference description and summary.
• Add event banners, venue details, and guidelines.

Clear and accurate information helps authors understand your conference and submission requirements.

2. Configure Submission Settings

Next, configure the submission process for authors.

• Set the submission start date.
• Define the submission deadline.
• Configure the review deadline.
• Set submission limits if required.

These settings control when authors can submit their research papers.

3. Create Tracks and Topics

Tracks help categorize submissions and assign appropriate reviewers.

• Create tracks based on conference themes.
• Define topics within each track.
• Ensure that authors can easily select the correct track.

Well-structured tracks make the peer review process more efficient.

4. Configure Submission and Review Forms

Submission forms collect information about the manuscript and authors.

• Configure author information fields.
• Define manuscript submission fields such as title, abstract, and keywords.
• Set up review evaluation forms.
• Define scoring criteria for reviewers.

These forms ensure consistent and structured submission and review data.

5. Add Program Chairs and Reviewers

Program chairs and reviewers are responsible for evaluating submissions.

• Add program chairs who will manage the review process.
• Invite reviewers with expertise in relevant topics.
• Verify reviewer profiles and expertise areas.

Assigning qualified reviewers ensures fair and high-quality evaluations.

6. Test the Submission Workflow

Before opening submissions to the public, test the full workflow.

• Submit a test paper using the conference submission page.
• Verify that the submission appears in the dashboard.
• Assign reviewers and submit a test review.
• Test the decision process (accept, reject, revision).

Testing helps identify configuration issues before authors start submitting papers.

7. Launch Conference Submissions

Once everything is ready, open your conference for submissions.

• Set the conference status to Live.
• Verify that the submission page is accessible.
• Share the submission link with researchers.

At this stage, authors can begin submitting their research papers.

8. Monitor Submission Activity

After submissions begin, track activity through the organizer dashboard.

• Monitor incoming submissions.
• Assign reviewers to new papers.
• Track review progress and completion.
• Review submission analytics.

Monitoring activity helps organizers manage the conference review process efficiently.

Best Practices for Conference Organizers

Following these best practices can help ensure a successful conference submission process.

• Provide clear submission guidelines for authors.
• Invite reviewers early to avoid delays.
• Monitor submissions regularly during the submission period.
• Communicate deadlines clearly with authors and reviewers.

With these steps completed, your conference will be fully prepared to manage submissions and run a successful peer review process.