What’s New

Clearer status names for accepted manuscripts in Research Exchange Review

Editors, Journal Admins

Two manuscript statuses now have clearer names to remove ambiguity for editorial teams. "Accepted" is now "Accepted: Awaiting Checks," and "Published" is now "Accepted: Exported," so you never mistake an export to production for a live, published article.

Sep-26

Link submissions to published articles

‍

Authors, editors

Author linking of a submission to a published article, e.g., a Letter to the Editor about a published article or a Registered Report.

May-25

Yes

Ability for non-Wiley editorial offices to upload files on behalf of authors during submission

Admins

Enables staff at external editorial offices to access submissions and upload files on behalf of authors when manuscripts are in draft, for example to allow for minor copyediting or other post-acceptance changes to be made.

Pilot Ongoing

Enhanced Image Manipulation checks

Admins, editors

Will improve the quality and efficiency of image manipulation checks with the integration of the ImageTwin tool.

Pilot Ongoing

User-validated keywords

Editors, Reviewers

Will allow users to edit the keywords that inform editor and reviewer suggestions to improve the accuracy of manuscript matching based on research expertise, keywords, recency of publications, and number of similar articles they've authored

Oct-26

Yes

Customizable email templates

Admins

The ability to customize selected sections of email templates – including editor assignments, reviewer invitations, decision letters, and editor recommendations – at the journal level. This eliminates repetitive editing on a manuscript-by-manuscript basis, whilst enabling more personalized communications. Some changes to templates will require coordinating with Wiley’s technical team. Please engage with your Wiley contact for further information and move your specific requirements forward. Given the critical nature of this update and its deep integration with existing editorial workflows, customizable email templates will be introduced through a phased rollout with changes being tested and validated before going live. This approach allows for a smooth, disruption-free user experience for all journals.

Nov-26

Yes

Reviewer ratings

Editors, admins

Ability to apply journal-specific quality indicator to specific reviewer profiles to surface in suggestions and reporting

Sep-26

Yes

Manuscript ID naming conventions

Authors, editors, reviewers

New Intuitive Manuscript ID format (Journal Code-Year-Sequential Number) to replace current numbering conventions, making manuscript IDs easier to recognize and reference across the system.

Oct-26

Yes

Reject & Resubmit decision option

Editors

New 'Reject and Offer Resubmit' decision type can be enabled at journal level where defined eligibility criteria are met (such as rate of, and time to, resubmission). Requests and approval can be handled by journal Title Teams. Where enabled, will be available at any decision point where Reject is currently offered, to give editors an option between outright rejection and revision: rejecting a manuscript in its current form while inviting the author to submit a substantially revised version as a new submission, with traceability back to the original.

Oct-26

Authorea deposit and file update

Authors

This feature allows submitting authors to opt-in to deposit their manuscript as a preprint to Authorea.

Pilot Ongoing

Yes

Ad-hoc email communication

Editors, admins

Editors, editorial assistants, and journal managers will be able to click on the name of an author, reviewer, or fellow editor anywhere in the manuscript interface and instantly open an email compose window, with no need to leave the page or draft a blank message from scratch. This replaces the current workaround of copying details into an external email inbox, and gives users a proper in-system way to ask quick questions, chase overdue reviewers, or resolve small issues without triggering a formal decision event (like a revision or rejection). Reply ingestion will not be part of this release, so incoming replies aren't captured back into the platform — they land in the editor's or journal's regular inbox.

Sep-26

Dedicated Editorial Board reviewer search and filter

Editors

Improved search for journal-specific Editorial Board Reviewers, making it easier for editors to locate and assign from large reviewer pools.

Oct-26

Yes

Configurable editor, reviewer and author deadlines and email reminder cadence

Editors, Reviewers

Introduces new configuration options for reviewer, editor and author deadlines at a journal level, as well as the email reminder cadence associated with each action. Configuration options will enable flexibility in the time for users to respond to invitations and submit reports or revisions. Once delivered, requests will be considered in line with standardized guidelines to accomodate different subject expectations, editorial models and preferences.

Oct-26

Rescind reject decision

Journal Admins

Now enables journal admins to return a rejected manuscript to peer review.

Sep-26

Editorial Oversight Permissions

Editors

Triage Editors and Academic Editors can be assigned 'viewer' permissions, enabling a view of manuscripts submitted to the journal.

Aug-24

Automatic screening for Author Names in Double Anonymous Manuscripts

Authors, admins

New feature supports checks for double anonymous manuscripts in the Screening application.

Sep-24

Improved 'Return to Draft' and 'Refuse to Consider' Reasons

Editors

Menu of reasons for refusal to consider or return to draft in addition to a free text 'Comments' box.

Sep-24

Yes

Extend reviewer due date

Editors, reviewers

Editors and journal admins can extend a reviewer's due date within 10 days of their deadline.

Nov-24

Yes

Ability for Editor-in-Chief to assign self as handling editor

Editors

Editors-in-Chief can self-assign as handling editors and complete tasks without requiring a separate account. Find out more here

Nov-24

Yes

Updated text in email templates

Editors, reviewers, authors

Updated content and tone in 25 email templates for reviewers and authors, reflecting feedback.

Dec-24

Yes

Reviewer file upload

Reviewers

Reviewers can upload a file as part of their review.

Dec-24

Commission tool now available

Editors

Designed to streamline invitation workflows, boost efficiency, and elevate your journal's impact. Find out more here.

Jan-25

Yes

Full-text email history visible in Review

Editors, admins

Improved Activity Log enables editors to view all emails sent during the lifecycle of the manuscript within Research Exchange Review.

Jan-25

Yes

Edit reviewer comments in decision emails

Editors

Editors can edit reviewer comments in decision emails, e.g. to clarify meaning, correct errors, or remove problematic content.

Feb-25

Yes

Preview decision emails

Editors

Editors can preview emails for all decision types before sending to the author.

Feb-25

Yes

PDF file for peer review

Authors, editors, reviewers

Authors, editors, and reviewers can download a single manuscript PDF containing all manuscript files.

Feb-25

Yes

Automatically list previous reviewers on revised manuscripts

Editors

Easier location and re-invitation of reviewers of previous manuscript versions for revisions, without need to toggle between versions.

Feb-25

Gold OA (Phase 3): display discount in Review

Admins, authors, editors

Editors of Gold Open Access titles will see details of discounts or waivers claimed by authors at submission.

Feb-25

Overdue reviewers able to submit comments after due date

Reviewers, editors

Reviewers with overdue reviews can submit their reports at any point before a recommendation or decision is made, without need for an extension.

Mar-25

Yes

Enhancements to reviewer information

Editors

Editors can see suggested reviewers' publication and retraction histories alongside their previous reviewer activity for the journal.

Mar-25

Support for Dryad data deposit

Authors, admins, editors, reviewers

Support for authors depositing their research to Dryad, making the Dryad reference available in the peer review workflow.

Apr-25

Yes

Enhancements to reviewer search results

Editors

Editors will see the same level of information about reviewers surfaced by system suggestion as they will for those from manual search.

Apr-25

Yes

Editor-authored manuscripts hidden from view

Editors, admins

Prevents editors from viewing and taking actions on manuscripts they have co-authored and submitted to their own journal.

Apr-25

Yes

Further updated text in email templates

Editors, reviewers

Additional content and tone updates to email templates for reviewers and editors, reflecting feedback.

Apr-25

Commission: improved flexibility and visibility of due dates

Authors, editors

Due dates for manuscripts invited via Research Exchange Commission can be customized without affecting due dates for other papers within the same group.

Apr-25

Adjusted frequency of decision required notifications

Editors

Ensure decision/recommendation required reminders are sent to editors less frequently, and only when the required number of reviews are received, with no reviews or invitations pending.

Apr-25

Invite-only article types

Admins, authors

Enables admins to configure invite-only article types, to support with commissioning content.

Apr-25

Send bulk invitations in Research Exchange Commission

Editors

Enables editors to send multiple invitations at once for a special issue.

May-25

Support for Continuing Medical Education (CME) reviewer credit

Reviewers

Opt-in for reviewers to receive Continuing Medical Education credit when completing a review, for journals offering this service.

May-25

Yes

Post-acceptance update to Main Document file

Authors

Allows update of the main manuscript file following acceptance, when minor edits have been made (e.g., copyediting).

May-25

Filter reviewer suggestions by active journal pool

Editors, reviewers

To assist editors further in the reviewer invitation process, allows the option to filter reviewer suggestions by those actively reviewing for the journal.

May-25

Selection of TOC category at decision stage

Editors, admins

For journals that organize their issues on Wiley Online Library by Table of Contents (TOC) sections, editors can indicate TOC category when making a decision to accept an article for publication.

Jun-25

Suppress email to author at Request Files stage

Admins

Ability to suppress email at Materials Check/Request Files stage, enabling admin to replace manuscript files if there is no need to consult with the author.

Jun-25

Yes

Include files in decision emails

Editors

Enables editors to upload files when making their decision on a manuscript, which will be made available to the author as part of their decision letter.

Jul-25

Improvements to reviewer suggestion tool

Editors

When searching for reviewers, editors can add custom keywords of their choice to refine and improve the accuracy of results.

Jul-25

Additional submission questions

Authors

Additional submission questions to be configured and reportable upon request, such as confirmation of authors' status as Early Career Researchers to determine eligibility for journal awards, and providing social media details

Jul-25

Yes

Re-invite a declined reviewer

Editors

Enables editors to re-invite a reviewer who has previously declined to review.

Aug-25

Improved management of authorship changes

Authors, admins

Ensures integrity of authorship by alerting journal admins to any changes in the author list when a manuscript is revised.

Aug-25

Transparent Peer Review (TPR)

Reviewers, authors

Authors can opt in to a peer review process whereby the entire review history of the manuscript is published alongside the published article.

Aug-25

Yes

Identify and invite specialist reviewers

Editors, reviewers

Allows journals to set up categories of specialist reviewers, e.g. Statistical Reviewer, Early Career Researcher, Editorial Advisory Board, and identify these easily when searching for reviewers.

Aug-25

Sending manuscript to reviewer at invitation

Editors

Will allow the ability to share a secure link to the manuscript with the reviewer at the invitation step.

Sep-25

Conversation tool

Editors

Enables editors assigned to a manuscript to discuss submission: posting comments and responses in a new conversation panel.

Sep-25

Ability to attach files to "Return to Draft"

Admins

Checkers and lead screeners can now attach a supporting file at "Return to Draft" decision, making it easier to provide examples, reference materials, and documentation to help authors understand requested changes.

Sep-25

Linking another paper to manuscripts in Review

Admins, Editors

Within the same journal, a user can search and link other submissions to an in-progress manuscript. Journal staff can view papers that were linked to the in-progress manuscript in Submission and Review.

Sep-25

Commission search enhancements

Editors

New search functionality within Research Exchange Commission allows users to more quickly locate commissions by searching for commission name or ID.

Sep-25

Enhanced deadline management in Research Exchange Commission

Editors, Authors

Updates include the ability for editors to easily grant extensions to author invitation deadlines, automatically informing authors, as well as a more strategic approach to deadline reminders.

Sep-25

Attach file in escalation steps

Editors, admins

Will allow the ability to attach a file when a manuscript is escalated to a specialist, and for the specialist to attach a file when returning their report.

Sep-25

Yes

Total publication history keywords for reviewers

Editors

Previously, editors could only view keywords from a reviewer's publications directly related to the manuscript under review. The system now displays keywords from the reviewer's complete publication history, giving editors a fuller picture of reviewer qualifications and subject matter expertise

Sep-25

Gold OA: Multiple discount codes

Authors

Supports journals with discounts from multiple societies

Sep-25

Yes

Improvements to editor dashboard filters

Editors

Enhance editor dashboards and manuscript filters, e.g., ordering filters by chronological manuscript status and enabling filter by different manuscript properties (Commissioned, Special Issues, Transferred, Transparent Peer Review, Article Type).

Oct-25

Flexibility for editors to adjust required number of reviews

Editors

Enables editors to amend their desired number of reviews required to make decisions on an article-by-article level (while ensuring a minimum number has been met for acceptance decisions).

Oct-25

Yes

Dashboard search by Editor

Editors

Enables editors with oversight permissions to search for manuscripts within their dashboards by editor name or email address.

Nov-25

Integrate Research Exchange with Support Chat Function

Editors

Adds an AI Chatbot to provide in-system, immediate, and efficient Editor support.

Nov-25

Manual Triage Editor assignment

Editors, Admins

Supports journal workflows where admins manually assign Triage Editor (initially available for journals migrating from now; can be configured for already-migrated journals from December onwards).

Nov-25

Yes

Choice of Academic Editor assignment or invitation

Editors, Admins

Support for journal workflows where Academic Editors are assigned, rather than invited, to handle a submission (initially available for journals migrating from now; can be configured for already-migrated journals from December onwards).

Nov-25

Yes

Recording editor availability

Editors, Admins

Editors can record their availability to ensure manuscripts are not assigned to them.

Dec-25

Taxonomies for Wiley Online Library topic collections

Authors, Editors

Will enable journals to use portfolio-level or journal-specific custom subject taxonomies to classify accepted manuscripts at publication, which will be validated by the author at submission.

Dec-25

Yes

Additional dashboard filter and search enhancements

Editors

Enables editors to toggle between journal roles without leaving their dashboard and enables search by author email.

Jan-26

Allow changes to issue type at acceptance

Editors

Enable editors to control, at the point of acceptance, whether a manuscript submitted to a regular issue should be published in a special issue, or vice versa.

Feb-26

Three-tier editorial workflow

Editors, admins

Support for migrating journals with three tiers of editors, e.g. Editor-in-Chief, Senior Editor and Handling Editor; configuration updates to existing single or two-tier journal workflows will be considered at a later date.

Feb-26

Yes

Conversation Tool Updates: Tagging and notifications

Editors, admins

Enables any users assigned to a manuscript or with observing permissions to be tagged and notified in the Conversation Tool and to leave their own comments.

Feb-26

Yes

Custom email signature at user level

Editors

Users will be able to customize their default signature which will automatically populate email templates for the respective sender. For example, allowing editors to add initials, affiliations or academic titles in line with their preferences.

Mar-26

Enable response actions on behalf of reviewers

Admins, reviewers

Now enables admins to act on behalf of a reviewer to respond to invitations and submit a review.

Sep-26

Change issue type at revision

Authors

Will allow authors to change issue type at revision (possible at acceptance currently) and ensure workflow changes are appropriately reflected in Review.

TBC

Additional reviewer search filters

Editors, Reviewers

Additional options to filter search results to more efficiently locate known reviewers, including filter by affiliation, reviewer engagement (the number of reviews completed for the journal in question and the recency of reviewer or author activity for the journal in question).

TBC

Triple anonymous peer review

Authors, editors, reviewers

Support triple anonymous peer review workflow in line with Standard Terminology for Peer Review: reviewer identity is not made visible to author, author identity is not made visible to reviewer, reviewer & author identity is not made visible to (decision-making) editor.

TBC

Yes

Editors can attach files to recommendations

Editors

Will enable editors to upload files when making recommendations on a manuscript, which will be made available to the author as part of their decision letter.

TBC

Allow users to change article type at revision

Authors, admins, editors

Enables changes to article types and subsequent changes to editorial workflow after the point of initial submission.

TBC

Yes

Reviewer can decline and suggest another reviewer

Editors, Reviewers

Will allow reviewers to suggest alternatives when declining a review invitation, as well as give reasons for declining.

Oct-26

Reviewer recognition with ORCID

Reviewers

Will enable reviewers to get credit for their review in their ORCID profile

TBC

Reviewer pool management

Admins, editors

Adds the ability to dynamically add and remove individuals from journal-specific reviewer pools.

Jan-27

Yes

Enhancements to manuscript status filtering

Editors, admins

Ongoing improvements to the clarity of manuscript status filters.

Jan-27

Author-suggested and author-opposed reviewers

Authors, reviewers

Pre-pilot testing. This feature enables authors to suggest and oppose reviewers. Given the integrity risks associated with author-suggested reviewers, enablement will be limited in the first instance, with a formal governance process and monitoring of use to avoid exposure of journals to integrity risks. Additional functionality to expand safeguards  against key integrity risks - the sole use of author-suggested reviewers, and the suggestion of fabricated reviewers - is planned before consideration of further release.

Pilot Ongoing

Yes

Disambiguation of researcher profiles

Editors, reviewers

Enhancements to Wiley's researcher database will improve the quality of data in researcher profiles and reduce instances of an individual appearing multiple times in reviewer suggestion results.

Ongoing

Improved scope matching in Screening

Journal Admins

Journals will now see a much clearer "in or out" result in screening based on aims and scope, supported by relevant journal publications.

Apr-26

Author Dashboard improvements

Authors

Authors are now able to view the decision letter for their manuscript through the Author Dashboard. They'll also be able to view any accompanying files provided by reviewers or editors.

Apr-26

Improved Conflict of Interest matching

Editors

Editors can now better disambiguate authors through the use of researcher identifiers (like ORCiD). and a manuscript's co-authors are now automatically excluded from reviewer search results. Advisory warnings will also appear when a potential reviewer and any co-author have a shared publication or are from the same institution, further safeguarding the integrity of peer review.

Apr-26

Yes

Reviewer Invitation Queue

Editors, reviewers

The reviewer-queue pilot is now available for all journals. Editors can now set up a queue of reviewers to invite in order of preference. It includes auto-invitation of assigned reviewers, in sequence, until the required number of reviewers have agreed to review.

May-26

Yes

Notifying overdue or unresponsive reviewers

Reviewers

Ensures all reviewers who accepted an invitation but did not submit a report—including overdue reviewers—receive a "your report is no longer needed" notification when a manuscript is accepted or rejected

May-26

Yes

AI disclosure submission question

Authors

Journals now have the option to include a separate question (with free text field) at submission to collect author disclosures on AI usage, providing a transparent way for authors to communicate this information.

Jun-26

Yes

Email notification center

Editors

Adds a centralized hub that enables users to control their own preferred settings, and to toggle on/off certain notifications.

Jun-26

Enhanced integration with Dryad

Authors, admins

Question included in the submission process to assist authors with data deposit and automatically alerts Dryad at submission and acceptance stages.

Jun-26

Extend author email search to all editors

Editors, admins

All editors can now search for manuscripts by author email address on the Dashboard, aligning their capabilities with FAEs, EAs, and JMs.

Jul-26

Reviewers can opt out from reviewer invitations at journal level

Reviewers

Allow reviewers to opt-out from future contact when responding to invitation

Jul-26

Dashboard search by keywords

Editors, admins

Allow users to generate a 'soft' match between the free-text keyword entered in their dashboard side-panel and the keywords related to a manuscript's title/abstract, to assist with manuscript identification and assignment.

Jul-26

Yes

Direct access to file download of manuscript reporting (CSV) from Dashboard

Editors, Journal Admins

Users will be able to download a CSV export directly from the Research Exchange Review dashboard, giving real-time, manuscript-level reporting without the need to wait for scheduled PowerBI subscription reports.

Aug-26