Setting Up Open Journal Systems for a New Journal

Although Open Journal Systems can be downloaded for free, getting a journal to run well on it takes careful configuration. This OJS setup guide leads a new journal through server choice, installation, settings, the editorial workflow, roles for users, email templates, must-have plugins, security, backups and a pre-launch test — the hands-on stages from downloading OJS to releasing a first issue. Treating set-up as a project with a checklist saves far more time than fixing problems after authors arrive.

Before You Install

Open Journal Systems (OJS) is free, open-source software for journals, built by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP). Still undecided about using it? Read what OJS is and OJS vs a custom journal management system first. This guide takes for granted that you have picked OJS and shows how to go about setting it up properly for a new journal.

Step 1: Get the Hosting Ready

Step 2: Install OJS

1. Get the latest stable release only from PKP’s official site.
2. Set up a blank database along with a database user protected by a strong password.
3. Copy the files to the server, place the files directory outside the web root and grant the web server write permission where needed.
4. Open the web installer, choose the language, create the administrator account, then supply file paths and database information.
5. Delete or lock the installer, then verify that the site opens over HTTPS.

Step 3: Set Up the Journal Settings

To see every page a journal website requires, read academic journal website: required pages and SEO.

Step 4: Arrange the Editorial Workflow

Choose the review method (for example double-blind), the default reviewer response time and review deadlines, build review forms around your criteria, and decide who may make decisions. Draft your review policy beforehand; see writing a peer review policy. Clear deadlines and criteria help reviewers respond consistently and keep authors informed.

Step 5: Assign Roles and Add Users

Grant each person only the lowest level of access they need. Keep journal manager rights to a small group, use personal accounts (never shared logins) and delete accounts once people move on.

Step 6: Customise the Email Templates

OJS sends numerous automatic messages, such as submission acknowledgements, reviewer invitations, reminders and decisions. Adapt every template with the journal’s name, a clear signature and correct details. Delete any promise of a fixed decision date and ensure decisions go out from an address someone monitors. Sending a test message from each template shows how it will actually look to recipients.

Step 7: Switch On the Key Plugins

• DOI and Crossref registration: allocate DOIs and deposit metadata after you obtain a prefix; see Crossref DOI registration for journals.
• OAI-PMH: included by default; allows indexes and repositories to harvest your metadata.
• Google Scholar meta tags: inserts citation tags into article pages; see the journal metadata checklist.
• ORCID: allows authors to connect verified iDs.
• PKP Preservation Network: long-term preservation for OJS journals that qualify; see repositories and journal archiving.

Step 8: Keep It Secure, Updated and Backed Up

Further reading: journal website hosting and security checklist.

Step 9: Run Tests Prior to Launch

1. Submita trial manuscript while acting as an author
2. Reviewit using a dummy reviewer account
3. Decideand dispatch every decision email
4. Publisha trial issue and delete it afterwards
5. Checkthe article pages, PDF files and meta tags
6. Restorethe site from a backup at least once

Frequent OJS Set-Up Errors

• Placing the files directory within the public web root.
• Outgoing email that does not work, leaving authors without their decisions.
• Empty policies, or ones lifted from a different journal.
• Failing to update once installed.
• No tested backup.

Getting Help

For authoritative help, use the PKP documentation hub and the PKP community forum. If you would rather not run OJS yourself, managed hosting or a journal management platform is an option; the JMVRA publisher network has its own platform, jwjms.org, covered in Open Journal System and jwjms.org. Our guide on how to start a new journal is a useful next read.

Get Your Own Research Published in JMVRA

Managing a journal is not the same as publishing in one. Researchers seeking a peer-reviewed venue for their own paper can send it to JMVRA, which takes submissions at all times.

Share Your Research Through JMVRA

Your At-a-Glance Checklist

1. HostingHTTPS, PHP, database
2. FilesOutside web root
3. PoliciesAll completed
4. EmailWorking SMTP
5. PluginsDOI, OAI, Scholar
6. BackupsTested restore

Practical Tips for Running a Smooth Open Journal Systems Setup

Launching a journal platform involves technical decisions that are hard to undo once authors arrive. These suggestions help new editors and administrators avoid common stumbles before going live.

• Rehearse on a test site. Install a separate practice copy and push dummy submissions through every stage. Mistakes found there cost nothing, while the same errors on a live journal damage author confidence.
• Write your policies first. Draft the aims, scope, ethics statement and review model in plain language before configuring settings. Having agreed text ready makes setup faster and keeps the journal consistent.
• Limit administrator accounts. Give each editor only the permissions that role needs, and use strong, unique passwords. Fewer powerful accounts mean fewer ways for accidents or intrusions to happen.
• Test your backups. A backup is only useful if it restores. Periodically recover a copy onto a spare environment and confirm that files, database and uploaded articles all return intact.

Rehearse, document decisions, restrict access and verify backups, so your launch is controlled rather than improvised.

Questions Researchers Often Ask

In Summary

OJS offers a new journal a well-tested workflow, yet trust comes only from careful configuration: protected hosting, full policies, sensible user roles, truthful email templates, plugins for discovery and preservation, and backups you have actually tested. Follow these steps, try a full submission from start to finish, and keep maintaining the system once it is live.

References and Further Resources

• PKP: Open Journal Systems
• PKP documentation hub
• PKP community forum