Managing a conference is no small feat—it's a journey filled with countless tasks, from inviting speakers to managing logistics, and perhaps one of the most crucial parts of it all is managing abstracts and papers. Launching a call for papers, collecting submissions, assigning them to reviewers, and communicating effectively with authors requires careful coordination and flawless execution. If you’ve been part of a chair committee, you know exactly how much of a challenge this can be. Traditionally, abstract management has often been cumbersome, requiring numerous emails, constant communication, and hours of manual labor to ensure everything moves smoothly. Fortunately, with advancements in technology, things have gotten a lot easier.
Today, you don’t have to settle for an inefficient manual workflow—there is a better solution. With the Dryfta Abstract Management System, your team can manage abstracts in a simple, streamlined, and automated way that saves time, minimizes errors, and improves communication.
In this blog, we’ll explore the Dryfta abstract management system, highlight how it makes life easier for conference organizers, and showcase all the features that make it an ideal solution for both small and large events. Let’s dive in!
The Challenges of Manual Abstract Management
If you’ve ever worked on a conference without the help of an abstract management system, you’re probably all too familiar with the manual workflow that accompanies abstract submission. Let’s break down what this typically looks like:
- Collection of Abstracts: Authors send their abstracts via email.
- Forwarding to Reviewers: Track chairs forward these emails to potential reviewers, who then assess the abstracts.
- Communication with Authors: Reviewers email their feedback back to the track chair, who communicates the necessary revisions to authors.
- Revision Process: Authors revise and resubmit, usually by email, after which chairs must again manage all feedback and approvals.
- Final Decision: Once an abstract is finalized, the track chair emails the authors with their decision.
- Attendance Confirmation: Authors confirm their attendance by registering for the event, often through separate communication channels.
Each step in this process involves numerous manual actions, resulting in considerable work hours, multiple staff members, and the potential for miscommunication or lost information. Mistakes at any point in the process are not easily remedied and can involve redoing a lot of work, making the entire system cumbersome and inefficient.
The Drawbacks of Manual Abstract Management
- Tedious Communication: Sending emails to authors and reviewers individually is inefficient and prone to error.
- High Risk of Errors: Misplaced emails, incorrect assignments, or missing updates can easily happen when everything is manual.
- Multiple Staff Required: A manual system often needs a dedicated team just to ensure everything is running smoothly, which is resource-intensive.
- Time-Consuming: The process is highly dependent on people doing repetitive tasks—like forwarding emails or tracking deadlines—which means it's easy for things to fall through the cracks.
In an era where automation is redefining every aspect of our professional lives, is there a better way to manage your conference’s abstract submissions? Fortunately, the answer is yes.
The Alternative: Automated Abstract Management with Dryfta
Imagine a system where all of these steps are integrated, with automated notifications and seamless workflows that reduce the need for manual intervention. That’s exactly what Dryfta offers. The Dryfta Abstract Management System is built to streamline every step of abstract submission and review, providing event organizers with all the tools they need to simplify complex workflows.
Let’s revisit the abstract management workflow—only this time, let's automate every possible step:
- Step 1: Authors are invited to submit abstracts directly through an online submission form.
- Step 2: Abstracts are automatically assigned to reviewers based on predefined rules (like expertise or track).
- Step 3: Reviewers log in to submit feedback, which is then automatically shared with the track chair.
- Step 4: Authors are automatically notified to make revisions, if necessary, and they can re-upload their revised submissions.
- Step 5: The chair committee makes decisions, which are again communicated automatically.
- Step 6: Authors confirm attendance and pay registration fees online without any manual intervention.
The automated system minimizes human error, cuts down the need for a large staff team, and saves countless hours of work.
Here’s a closer look at the features and benefits of Dryfta’s abstract management system:
Dryfta's Abstract Management System: A Deep Dive into the Features
Dryfta’s abstract management system enables conference chair committees to choose between a simple submission process or a complex, multi-track, multi-level submission and review workflow. Whether you’re organizing a small seminar or an international conference with hundreds of participants, Dryfta has the capabilities you need.
To illustrate this flexibility, here are diagrams of two types of workflows available within Dryfta:
1. Simple Abstract Submission Workflow
A simple workflow involves basic submission and review steps. Authors submit their abstracts, reviewers provide feedback, and decisions are made. There’s no complexity in multiple tracks or submission types, making it an easy option for smaller conferences with straightforward needs.
2. Complex Abstract Submission Workflow
For larger conferences, a complex workflow might be needed. This involves multiple tracks, levels of submission, different types of abstracts, and perhaps even multiple rounds of reviewing. A complex workflow can include more sophisticated features like rebuttals, secondary reviews, and varied access for different user roles. With Dryfta, these complex workflows can be implemented with minimal effort—all configured from a user-friendly dashboard.
The Key Features that Make Dryfta an All-In-One Solution
Let’s walk through some of the core features of the Dryfta Abstract Management System and see how it takes the stress out of abstract management.
1. Comprehensive Abstract Submission and Management Tools
Dryfta’s system makes it incredibly easy to handle submissions, no matter how large or small your event:
- ☑ Customizable Submission Configurations: Collect abstracts, papers, and session proposals with fully customizable submission forms.
- ☑ Set Separate Deadlines: Easily set separate deadlines for each submission type, accommodating different tracks or categories.
- ☑ Auto-Save Feature: All fields in the submission form are automatically saved, so authors never have to worry about losing their work.
- ☑ Centralized Author Dashboard: Authors can submit abstracts, manage their sessions, update their profile, and track the progress of their submission—all from a dedicated dashboard.
With these features, the entire process becomes transparent and centralized for both authors and conference organizers, making it easy to keep track of submissions and ensure deadlines are met.
2. Powerful Review and Feedback Management
An efficient abstract management system is incomplete without an effective review mechanism, and Dryfta’s features are built to support all kinds of review processes:
- ☑ Assign Abstracts to Multiple Reviewers: Assign abstracts automatically or manually to multiple reviewers based on their area of expertise or the topics they have selected.
- ☑ Reviewer Dashboard: Reviewers have their own dashboards where they can see their assigned abstracts, submit reviews, and update their profile information.
- ☑ Double-Blind Review: Dryfta offers an option for a double-blind review process, ensuring unbiased feedback by hiding author details from reviewers.
- ☑ Admin-Moderated Rebuttal: Dryfta allows moderated communication between reviewers and authors, enabling authors to respond to feedback if needed.
This comprehensive system of managing reviews reduces the time required for coordination between reviewers and track chairs while ensuring that authors receive constructive and timely feedback.
3. Automated Decision-Making and Communication Tools
Dryfta doesn’t just stop at submission and review—it helps streamline the entire decision-making process and communication with authors:
- ☑ Acceptance Letter Builder: Once a decision is made, create and send acceptance letters along with cover letters and PDF attachments—all automatically.
- ☑ Custom Notifications: Send automated notifications to authors, reviewers, and speakers for different actions such as submission confirmation, decision notifications, and updates.
- ☑ Program Session Creation: Accepted abstracts can automatically populate program sessions, reducing the time required for manual scheduling and helping organizers keep everything in sync.
These features ensure that authors stay informed and engaged throughout the process, while also keeping everything efficient for the organizers.
4. Customizable Abstract Archive and Publishing Tools
Once abstracts are reviewed and accepted, Dryfta provides tools to showcase the content to attendees and other participants:
- ☑ Public Abstract Archive: Dryfta allows organizers to create a publicly accessible archive of accepted abstracts, giving authors an additional platform to showcase their work.
- ☑ Abstract Book Publishing: With just a few clicks, organizers can generate an abstract book complete with customizable fields and formatting options, ready to be shared with attendees.
- ☑ Multi-File Upload Support: Authors can upload supplementary files like PDFs, presentations, audio, and videos, which can be included in the abstract archive or made available for download.
These publishing tools are especially helpful for academic conferences or seminars where the primary goal is to disseminate research and create a lasting impact.
5. Integrated Payment and Participation Management
In many conferences, there is an additional layer of complexity that involves managing payments for submissions or attendance. Dryfta’s abstract management system makes this seamless:
- ☑ Online Payment for Abstract Submissions: Authors can be required to pay a submission fee before submitting their abstract, with payment verification integrated into the submission process.
- ☑ Attendance Confirmation via Payment: Authors of accepted abstracts can confirm their attendance by making an online payment directly from the platform.
- ☑ Multiple Presenters: The submitting author can select multiple presenters for a given abstract, which is especially useful for group projects or panels.
Having an integrated payment gateway means you can reduce the number of third-party tools you use, keeping everything centralized and easy to manage.
6. Real-Time Reporting and Analytics
What’s the point of streamlining submissions if you can’t learn from them? Dryfta provides real-time reporting that gives you insights into your event, making it easier to track progress and adjust your plans as needed:
- ☑ Submission Analytics: Track submission numbers, review status, author engagement, and more, all in real time.
- ☑ Custom Reports: Generate custom reports to understand abstract quality, reviewer performance, and author engagement—all of which can be exported for further analysis.
- ☑ Reviewer Feedback Summary: Generate PDFs listing all the reviews received for each abstract, making it easy to evaluate abstract quality and reviewer consistency.
These insights can help you identify areas for improvement in future conferences and make more informed decisions.
Simplify Your Workflow: Abstract Management for Modern Event Planners
Dryfta’s Abstract Management System is not just about making life easier for organizers—it's about making the experience better for everyone involved, from authors and reviewers to attendees. Here’s a quick look at how Dryfta’s system benefits each group:
For Organizers: Efficient and Scalable Management
Organizers gain a unified platform that allows them to:
- Manage every aspect of abstract submission, review, and publishing in one place.
- Automate manual workflows, saving hours of labor and reducing human error.
- Create custom submission and review processes that are as simple or as complex as needed.
For Authors: Transparent and Seamless Submission
Authors can enjoy:
- An easy-to-use submission form with auto-save capabilities.
- A personal dashboard that allows them to track every step of their submission.
- Clear communication and feedback loops, ensuring their work is given careful consideration.
For Reviewers: Focus on Reviewing, Not Logistics
Reviewers benefit from:
- A dedicated dashboard that organizes all their assigned abstracts.
- Automated notifications that help them stay on track.
- The ability to submit detailed reviews without worrying about email chains or lost information.
Why Dryfta’s Abstract Management System Stands Out
With so many abstract management tools on the market, you may be wondering: why Dryfta? Here are a few key reasons Dryfta stands out as an industry leader:
1. All-in-One Platform
Dryfta isn’t just an abstract management system—it’s an end-to-end event management platform. In addition to handling abstracts, Dryfta helps you manage attendee registration, communication, scheduling, and even payments, allowing you to run your entire event from one place.
2. Flexibility for Every Type of Conference
Whether your event has a simple, single-level submission process or requires a multi-track, multi-round review workflow, Dryfta provides the flexibility to accommodate every need. You can customize fields, review levels, submission types, and deadlines to fit the unique requirements of your event.
3. Automation and Customization
Dryfta provides powerful automation tools while still allowing for customization. You can automate tedious processes, like reviewer assignments or acceptance notifications, while retaining control over how submissions are organized, how deadlines are set, and who receives what communication.
4. Personalized Support
Dryfta offers personalized support for event organizers, ensuring that you have the help you need to make the most of the system. Whether you’re setting up your first call for papers or navigating complex reviewer feedback, Dryfta’s support team is here to help you succeed.
Ready to Simplify Your Next Conference? Try Dryfta Today
Managing a call for papers can be daunting, but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be. The Dryfta Abstract Management System is designed to simplify every part of the process, freeing you from endless manual work and helping you focus on creating an incredible event.
With features like bulk abstract submission, automated reviewer assignments, integrated payments, and real-time reporting, Dryfta provides everything you need in one place—reducing costs, saving time, and helping you create more successful events.
Ready to take the next step? Contact us today to learn more about how Dryfta’s abstract management system can help make your next conference a resounding success.
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Want to take Dryfta abstract management system for a spin and see if fits your needs? Click here to request a free trial. The free trial is available for 14 days and includes all the latest features.
