Submission and Manuscript Exchange Format (SMXF)

Proposed XML-based Standard to Allow Journals and Publishers to Exchange

In-Process Manuscripts Between Different Online Submission and Tracking Systems

North Andover, MA, USA. November 25, 2002.

Aries Systems Corporation today announced the launch of an initiative to formulate a publishing industry standard that would allow the exchange of scientific manuscripts between differing online manuscript tracking systems.

In the past two years, Scientific, Technical and Medical (STM) journals have identified that the Internet provides an excellent medium for the submission and tracking of scientific manuscripts. While some large societies have developed in-house systems, many journals have also adopted solutions sold by commercial vendors.

Aries' proposed XML-based "Submission and Manuscript eXchange Format" (SMXF) would provide a system-neutral standard for the exchange of manuscript metadata and content. The broad adoption of such a standard would provide key benefits to STM publishers. For example, a journal would be able to download SMXF data from one conforming system, and upload it into another -- thereby ensuring continuity of service and data security. The SMXF standard could also be used to build functionality, enabling cooperating journals to "share" in-process manuscripts even if they use systems from different vendors.

Richard Wynne, the VP of Sales and Marketing at Aries Systems Corporation commented: "This marketplace will undergo numerous technical and business changes during the next few years. Journals are justifiably concerned about locking their data into incompatible proprietary systems. An open standard like SMXF is the only real way to address fundamental concerns about continuity of service, as well as providing an exciting platform for cooperation between journals. We are committed to making our Editorial Manager system SMXF compatible."

It is anticipated that the SMXF standard would build on top of existing XML initiatives such as PRISM and the Dublin Core, by making additional provisions for in-process manuscript data such as reviewer commentary, status terms and editor decision letters. Aries Systems Corporation seeks industry feedback and participation from publishers, system vendors and journal staff so that an open standard can be developed. Aries is sponsoring an initial meeting for interested parties at the London Online Information 2002 Meeting in Room 305 (Conference Level 3) at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4th, 2002. Interested parties should send an email to: smxf@ariessys.com.

About Aries Systems Corporation

Since 1986 Aries Systems has successfully delivered technology that enhances the scientific publishing process: Knowledge Finder (http://www.kfinder.com), for online literature searching, DocuRights (http://www.docurights.com), digital rights management for STM publishers, and Editorial Manager (http://www.edmgr.com) for online manuscript submission and tracking.

Contact

Richard Wynne
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Aries Systems Corporation
200 Sutton Street
North Andover, MA 01845 USA
Tel: +1 978 975 7570
Fax: +1 978 975 3811
Email: Marketing@editorialmanager.com
WWW: http://www.editorialmanager.com

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See the 2002-11-27 news item "Aries Systems Proposes Submission and Manuscript Exchange Format (SMXF) for STM Publishing."

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