To invite an author to submit a response to another submission in Editorial Manager requires all of the following:

• Editor has permission to view the 'Parent Submission'.
• Editor has permission to Solicit Commentary.
• Journal must have at least one 'Invited' Article Type configured.
• 'Parent Submission' has at least reached the status of assigned to editor and is not Withdrawn.
• The article type of the 'Parent Submission' must be configured with settings for due dates, etc., to set the parameters for the invitation(s).

1. On the Author Selection Summary page, choose one of the search tools and select Go.

   • Search for Alternate Authors
   • Search for Alternate Authors by Personal Classifications
   • You may also use the standard search too and select 'Alt" in the search results.
2. Results of either search appear below the tool in the Alternate Author Candidates grid.

   • Tick the box in the Select column to choose one or more Alternate Authors.
3. Select Proceed to open the Select Authors - Confirm Selection and Customize Letters page.
4. Use the drop-down menu to select a letter (if more than one is available).

   • No letter is sent at the time the Author is selected as an alternate. The letter is sent if and when the alternate is promoted to invited Author.
   • Optional: Select the Customize link to edit the letter.
   • A text box may appear under the letter drop-down menu. Enter any invitation notes to the Author.
5. Select 'Submit'.

Promotion of alternate Authors can be done manually. Promotion may also be configured to take place automatically when an invited Author declines or is uninvited. (This is configured by Parent Article Type.) Alternate Authors are promoted in the order they appear on the list.

Several tools (enabled by permission) allow Editors to manage the list of Alternate Authors :

• Use the arrow icons at the left of the list to move Authors up or down.
• Use the Promote link to move an Author to the Invited Authors list.
• Use the Remove link to delete an Author from the Alternate Authors list.

When an author declines, is manually uninvited, or is automatically uninvited, then the next available Alternate Author will be automatically invited.

Automatic promotion can be disabled within the definition of the Proposal Article Type.

1. Locate the parent submission.

   • Use the Simple Submissions Search in the top navigation bar if you know the title or manuscript number.
   • Go to the proposal tab at the top of the Editor main menu, and check My/All Submissions with Pending Commentaries. ("My" in this case means the handling editor of the parent submission.)
2. Select Details to view invitation statuses and view or edit due dates.

   • This will list all invitations, and their statuses.
   • The due dates will be editable it you have permission.
   • Journals may hide this section for some editor roles.
   • The section appears only when authors have been invited.
3. If you intend to invite authors, uninvite authors, etc., select the "Invite Authors" link instead.
4. If any of the invited authors have completed their submission, there will be a View Related Articles link.

Once submitted, an invited commentary is just like any other submission. If you are not assigned as an editor to the commentary, then you may be restricted from locating it via search or main menu folders. However, if you are assigned to the parent, you can use that to see at least basic information about any child submissions.

1. Locate the parent submission, or any child submission.

   • Use the Simple Submissions Search in the top navigation bar if you know the title or manuscript number.
   • Go to the proposal tab at the top of the Editor main menu, and check My/All Submissions with Pending Commentaries. ("My" in this case means the handling editor of the parent submission.)
   • Alternatively, try looking under the Completed section of the Proposal Menu many, for My/All Submissions with No Pending Commentary.
2. Select on View Related Submissions .

   • If this does not appear, either there is no fully submitted child, or else the Commentary group has been closed out.
   • Related Submission view for closed commentary groups can be found in the Completed section of the Proposal Menu, under My/All Submissions with No Pending Commentary
3. On the Related Submissions Page , the Parent manuscript appears at the top, and then the list of submitted commentaries underneath.

   • The actions available from this screen are limited.
   • If you are assigned to any of the Child submissions or have permission to act upon other editor's assignments, there will be a "Go to Submission" action. This will bring up the submission as a search result, with the full action menu including everything you have permission to do.
4. You may also see a Linked Submissions action. Linked Submission groups are manually formed by editors, as opposed to the automated "Related submission" groups formed by author invitation.

Invited Authors may be reminded via:

1. Automated Author Reminders if defined for the journal.
2. Manual Reminders, which can be sent by editors with permission both to send reminders, and to view the parent submission.

Once all the commentaries have reached final disposition, the commentary group can be closed out, so it moves out of the Pending part of the Proposals menu.

This is not reversible, once Solicit Commentary is closed out for a parent submission, it is never possible to invite authors to comment on that same parent again.

Submissions cannot be moved out of the Submissions with Pending Commentaries folders until all invited Authors have submitted, declined the invitation, or been uninvited. It is recommended to wait until all related submissions have reached final disposition, because closing the group hides the "View Related Submission link from any views except for the "Closed" section of the Proposals menu.

To close a commentary group:

1. Go to the proposal tab at the top of the Editor main menu, and check My/All Submissions with Pending Commentaries. ("My" in this case means the handling editor of the parent submission.)
2. Locate the relevant parent article.
3. Select 'Move to Completed Folder'. This link moves the "parent" submission and makes it unavailable for any additional commentaries. This action cannot be undone.