Guidelines for Assigning Abstracts to Reviewers Using the Import Tool

When utilizing the Import tool to assign abstracts to reviewers, it's crucial to follow these guidelines to ensure a smooth and accurate process:

1. Reviewer Account Verification:

   • Confirm that each reviewer has an active account in the system. If a reviewer doesn't have an account, you'll need to create one before proceeding with the assignment of abstracts.

2. CSV File Formatting:

   • If your CSV file includes columns with special characters, ensure the file is converted with UTF-8 encoding. This step is vital for maintaining the integrity of the data during the import process.

3. Organization Check:

   • Verify if the 'Organization Check' feature is activated. This feature is designed to prevent conflicts of interest by ensuring that reviewers are not assigned abstracts from authors within the same organization.

4. Review Limits:

   • Review the limits set for assignments per reviewer and per abstract under the submission settings. These limits help maintain a balanced workload and ensure fair distribution of abstracts among reviewers.

5. Review Rounds:

   • Determine whether single or multiple rounds of reviews are in place. For multiple rounds, confirm that the timeline allows for assigning reviewers to the current round.

6. Topic Match for Automated Assignment:

   • If the 'Topic Match' feature is enabled in the automated assignment settings, the system will match abstracts with reviewers based on their areas of expertise. Ensure that this setting aligns with your assignment strategy to prevent mismatches between abstract topics and reviewer expertise.

By adhering to these guidelines, you can effectively manage the abstract review process and ensure that each abstract is assigned to the most suitable reviewers.