Nature has introduced a web-based production tracking system for research manuscripts that have been accepted for publication, which we hope will bring many benefits for authors. In the first phase at Nature, authors are able to access a website to download the journal’s edited version of the text of their accepted manuscript, so they can make their corrections and upload the revised version back into the system. Very soon afterwards, the typeset PDF, laid out and complete with figures and/or tables, can also be uploaded and checked by the authors.

According to a survey of authors who have been testing the system in the past few weeks, a substantial majority strongly agreed that the new process is easy to operate and, for those who had published in Nature before, 100 per cent found the new system easier. One author wrote: “If it will always remain this efficient and user friendly, it is an easy, professional way of taking a manuscript through the production process.” Another said: “I found the responses by the Nature staff to email queries were very impressive, being both very rapid and very helpful.”

The system is being further developed, already being in use in several of the Nature monthly journals. We will keep authors informed as we introduce new components.