Editor’s Note

A substantial change was recently made to the manuscript submittal and manuscript review procedures for the Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities. The process is now all electronic, with online submission of new manuscripts by authors and online reviewers. To implement the transition, ASCE selected Editorial Manager, one of the more comprehensive and user-friendly software packages, in use today by more than 2,000 professional publications. From my perspective, the transition has been surprisingly direct, facilitated by outstanding training support by the software supplier and by helpful ASCE journals staff.

There are numerous advantages to the new system, the most significant being reduction of review time. There are no photocopying or mailing costs or delays, and instant communication is possible among authors, reviewers, the editor, and the ASCE publications staff. Tracking of manuscripts is improved, and there is a new capability for quickly generating useful and accurate statistical reports. One measure of success is particularly convincing: since the transition, ASCE journals are experiencing review times that have been cut in half, leading to more timely publication.

Some readers have already submitted new manuscripts using the online procedures, while others have accepted review assignments that were delivered electronically. I appreciate the way in which you have readily adapted to the system, as well as the timely responses received from invited reviewers. There is always a learning curve associated with any new way of doing things, but I believe that most of you have found the online system to be easier to use than the old hard-copy reviews that entailed potential misfiling or loss of manuscripts, the time-consuming process of filling out review forms, and the time spent preparing them for mailing.

Should you receive an invitation to review a manuscript, please respond immediately with your decision regarding acceptance of the assignment or declining the invitation. If you cannot accept the assignment, this will allow me to quickly select an alternate reviewer. Delaying your response holds up the review process. If the manuscript is on a subject outside your area of expertise or interest, perhaps you can recommend an alternate reviewer by indicating his or her name and e-mail address as part of your response. If you do not respond, you will receive an automatic reminder in a few days. A continuing lack of response will be interpreted as lack of interest in the Journal.

Reviewers who accept a review assignment and are subsequently late in completing the review also receive reminder notices automatically. This is a significant improvement from my point of view, as in the past I have spent countless hours tracking down late reviews.

When you first receive an invitation to review a manuscript, please complete your reviewer profile. This involves checking the boxes on the profile form that identify subject areas in which you are willing to review manuscripts. I prepared the list of topics specifically for this journal, based on subjects discussed in the papers that we have published in the past $22\text{years}$ . One advantage of Editorial Manager is the ability to create unique databases for each journal. When a new manuscript arrives, it is also given “classification” words from this database, making it easier for me to select appropriate reviewers by matching classifications.

To submit a new manuscript, or to simply explore the software, go to the Web site: http://www.editorialmanager.com/jrncfeng/.

Note that we have a small inventory of manuscripts that are still working their way through the hard-copy system. Until these are completed, the full benefits of the online procedures will not be realized. However, it is not possible to merge the two systems, and there will, for a brief time, be two parallel systems in operation. Please be patient with the ASCE publications staff, as this temporary situation may create some confusion once in awhile.

I think that most of you will like this new system. I had some concerns at first, mostly anticipating problems that never developed. I appreciate your willingness to help with the transition and your continuing support of the Journal—as authors, reviewers, and readers. Each of you is central to the success of this publication. Should you have any questions or problems with online submissions or reviews, I may be able to help. Also, we are always seeking willing reviewers. Please feel free to contact me by mail: Kenneth L. Carper, School of Architecture and Construction Management, College of Engineering and Architecture, P.O. Box 642220, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2220; by telephone at (509) 335-1229; by Fax at (509) 335-6132; or by e-mail at [email protected]