We have the data, now what?
So, your team has analyzed gaps, assembled data, created a strategy, and made a timeline. Now what? If you are not using a publication planning platform, it is highly likely that your team is sifting through e-mails for spreadsheets, documents, and file share links. If you have seen an e-mail with the header "wait, use this version," it is time for your team to evaluate a publication planning platform! In the past, price has been a major barrier for organizations to committing to the luxury of a planning platform. However, within the changing communication landscape new solutions like mlCatalyst are being introduced at a fraction of the price of competitors.
1) Replaces Spreadsheets
When creating a publication plan it is imperative to keep journals, authors, congresses, and publications themselves tracked and organized. With pricing of older platforms out of budget for many organizations, spreadsheets have been the answer of the past. However, even cloud-based shared spreadsheets can soon take on a life of their own.
These monstrous spreadsheet databases can end up looking more like abstract art than a useful publication planning tool, and if not cloud-based, can result in version control nightmares.
It's no doubt that affordable publication planning platforms like mlCatalyst stemmed out of the need to replace the limitations of spreadsheet databases and the expense of traditional publication management software.
It's no doubt that affordable publication planning platforms like mlCatalyst stemmed out of the need to replace the limitations of spreadsheet databases. With a publication planning platform the 'two-dimensional' x/y-axis limitations of a spreadsheet are surpassed by an interconnected map of information hubs that can weave together custom environments (like publications, authors, congresses, and journals).
2) Facilitates Version Control
The second benefit of investing in a publications planning platform is for version control. We have all been a recipient on those endless email chains that pass around the same document from person to person. Tracking version control and incorporating changes can become a full-time job. Publication platforms such as mlCatalyst bring commenters and editors to a cloud-based environment where they can edit documents together in unison with no risk of multiple versions. Isn't that a breath of fresh air?
Publication platforms such as mlCatalyst bring commenters and editors to a cloud-based environment where they can edit documents together in unison with no risk of version control.
Cloud-based editing brings teams together to collaborate, and version history is still intact. Contributors are identified and granted access according to their respective permission levels (author/editor/commenter...). Approvals can be documented easily, and final versions can be exported for upload for offline review. Once suggested changes are received, the team can be assigned a "task" to resolve required changes from reviewers, and the process picks right back up without missing a beat.
3) Coordinates Author Management
When the time comes to create a scientific publication, selecting the right contributors is critical. Of course your team has relationships with KTLs for whom you will ask to author your publication, however, are your authors organized so that you can make the best use of their areas of expertise? Publication planning software allows your team to have a 'bird's-eye view' of which author is assigned to each publication. Publication planning platforms like mlCatalyst provide KTL bios and contact information, as well as publication assignments, at a click of a button.
Publication planning platforms provide KTL bios and contact information, as well as publication assignments, at a click of a button.
Within the process of manuscript development, publication planning solutions ensure that all authors remain on-task as it pertains to their most recent responsibilities, and follow-up by each party can be initiated right from the platform.
4) Streamlines Congress Planning
Publication planning platforms like mlCatalyst can present a detailed calendar of congress information, submissions deadlines, criteria, and key contact information. Workflow and task automation can even provide reminders to responsible parties to follow up with congresses regarding the status of your submission. mlCatalyst can even sync directly with your team's Outlook Calendar to keep reminders, congress events, and deadlines top-of-mind.
Workflow and task automation can even provide reminders to responsible parties to follow up with congresses regarding the status of your submission.
Once presentations and other engagements are accepted and scheduled, authors, presenters, and final documents can be assigned to the event for easy reference by all parties.
5) Reporting and Documentation
Critical to the development of publications is your platform's ability to document all financial and other activity associated with the creation of publications, events, and authors. The ability to create custom reports will allow your team, at a glance, to view statistics relevant to your organization's key metrics.
A publication planning platform mlCatalyst like can save hours assembling:
- Sunshine act reporting
- Data exports on organizational key metrics (number of journals, number of items in queue, numbers of congresses attending...)
- Author disclosures
- Other custom reporting
With reporting and documentation updated real-time, information is kept current and accurate for easy access.