Why can't an author submit their paper?

Paige Watson

Updated on 10 March 2026

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Sometimes authors may encounter issues when trying to submit their research papers to a conference. These issues are usually related to submission deadlines, missing required fields, incorrect file formats, or conference settings.

PeerSubmit includes validation checks during the submission process to ensure that all required information is provided before a paper can be submitted. If any required step is incomplete, the system will prevent the submission until the issue is resolved.

Common Reasons Why Submission May Fail

Below are some of the most common reasons why an author may not be able to submit their paper.

• Submission deadline has passed – Conferences only accept submissions within the configured submission period.
• Required fields are missing – The submission form requires specific information such as title, abstract, keywords, and track selection.
• Manuscript file not uploaded – The system requires at least one manuscript file before submission.
• Invalid file format – Some conferences restrict uploads to specific file formats such as PDF or DOCX.
• Incomplete author information – Author or co-author details must be filled correctly.

If any of these conditions are not met, the submission process may be blocked until the issue is corrected.

How Authors Can Fix Submission Issues

Authors can usually resolve submission problems by reviewing the submission form and ensuring that all required information has been provided.

• Check that all required fields are filled in.
• Confirm that the manuscript file has been uploaded successfully.
• Verify the selected conference track and topics.
• Ensure author and co-author details are complete.

Once all required information is provided, the system will allow the paper to be submitted.

Check Conference Submission Deadlines

If the submission button is disabled or missing, the conference submission window may not be open.

• Submission start date may not have begun.
• Submission deadline may have already passed.
• Organizers may have temporarily closed submissions.

Authors should verify the conference submission dates on the conference page.

Contact the Conference Organizer

If the issue persists even after completing all required steps, authors should contact the conference organizers for assistance.

• Provide the conference name.
• Describe the issue encountered during submission.
• Include screenshots if possible.

Organizers can review the conference settings and help resolve the submission issue.

Next Step

Once the issue is resolved, authors can complete the submission process and their paper will enter the peer review workflow.