Introduction

Welcome to PRIMO!!!!

Primo is a web based proofing framework which renders the xml file sent by the typesetter into the HTML version thus making it very easy for the authors to access it and edit. To those of us who are used to using word processors, this tool would be quite easy to use (except with a few additional quirks).

By providing extra features which would then help the author to get a glimpse of the final result of the processing, PRIMO ensures a smooth transition throughout the whole proof checking process.

Accessing your article proof

Step-by-step process of accessing the proof

Step 1: As an author, you will receive an email from the publisher containing a link to the proof of your article.
Step 2: By clicking on this link, you will be directed to the login page.
Step 3: Registered Users, simply enter your credentials to sign in and view the proof of your article.
Step 4: New Users, if you do not have an account, you will need to complete a brief sign-up process. Rest assured, the sign-up is straightforward and will grant you access to your article's proof.
Step 5: Once you successfully sign-in/sign-up, you will reach the landing page.
Step 6: Read the instructions in the landing page carefully.
Step 7:Click on the Proceed button.
Step 8: Yes, you have landed on the proof page. Now, start proof-reading and making changes.

The detailed instructions are provided in the following sections.

Sign up process

Initiate Sign-Up: Click the'Sign-Up' link located at the top-right corner of the login page.
Enter Your Details: Fill in a valid email address, choose a user ID (use only alphabets), create a strong password (with a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters), and enter your name in the respective fields.
Complete Sign-Up: After entering the required information, click the 'Sign-Up' button to proceed to the proof page of your article.
Record Your Credentials: Remember to save your login details securely. In the future, you can access the site using these credentials to sign in.

Landing page

Once you provided the credentials in the required field correctly, then you will be directed to the landing page.

In the landing page, with and placed at the top, you can see a brief info of the article on the left hand side and a part addressing the author as well as a few mandatory steps that need to be kept in mind before submitting the proof on the other side.
The tab functions to assist the author in making the proof checking process as easy as possible by providing instructions on the various functions and features that are available in the interface.
can be accessed to get a video tutorial of the interface.
can be accessed to get Elsevier's author guidelines.
In order to start the proofing process, click to load the PRIMO proof page on the same tab. Alternative, by clicking on the downarrow near the the button will provide an option to open the PRIMO proof page on a different tab.

Navigating to the PRIMO proofing page

Upon clicking the Proceed button, you will be directed to the PRIMO proofing page. The layout is strategically divided into three sections for optimal navigation:

Center: The Main Editor is positioned here, serving as your primary workspace for reviewing and editing your article.
Left: The Navigation Panel is located on this side, providing quick access to various sections of your document.
Right: The Track Change Panel is situated here, displaying all the editorial changes, comments, queries, etc.

Recommended Workflow for Authors

The panels and tabs are organized to facilitate a smooth proofing process. Authors are encouraged to follow the sequence outlined below for an efficient review:

Start with the Navigation Panel: Familiarize yourself with the document's structure and easily jump to different sections.
Proceed to the Track Change Panel: Address any editorial changes, comments, and queries in the order they appear.
Utilize the Main Editor: Make necessary revisions directly within your article, leveraging the insights from the other panels.

Note: This structured approach ensures a comprehensive and systematic review of your article before submission.

Navigation panel

The Navigation Panel serves as your guide through the document's structure, allowing you to swiftly move between different sections. It lists all the key elements such as sections, figures, tables, formulas, etc. Clicking on any item will directly take you to its location in the document, streamlining your editing process.

Note: While the system is equipped to handle various modifications, it is crucial to limit changes during this stage to those that are absolutely essential.

Front Matter tab

Following the navigation tab, the 'Front Matter' tab is organized into sub-tabs for 'Head', 'Authors', 'Abstracts', and 'Keywords', each with its specific purpose. Based on the portion where you want to make the changes, you can make the edits in the associated fields provided within the tab. You can add short titles, footnotes, dedication, add or delete the existing author names, change the author name order, edit the contents in affiliations/ Abstracts/ Keywords etc.

Head

This section is divided into two parts:

Non-Editable Meta Information: Contains fixed details like JID, AID, Article number, PII, DOI, and Copyright, which cannot be altered by authors.
Editable Area: Located below the non-editable section, this area is presented in a form layout for ease of editing. Authors may choose to edit here or directly in the central editor. Different versions of titles like 'Subtitle', 'Alt title', 'Short title', 'Footnotes', etc. can be added, deleted or modified in the form mode as well as in the main editing area.

Authors

During the proof correction stage, it is generally advised to avoid making changes to author details. Should any critical changes be necessary, they must receive approval from the Journal Manager. The system does provide the following capabilities:

Add/Edit/Remove Authors: Manage the list of authors as needed.
Reorder Authors: Adjust the sequence of authors and switch between given names and surnames.
Email Addresses: Update or remove existing email addresses, or add new ones.
Contributor Roles: Define or modify the roles of each contributor.
Affiliations: Link or update author affiliations.
Corresponding Author: Designate or change the corresponding author.

Affiliations Tab

Manage Affiliations: Make necessary adjustments, including the reordering of affiliations. The system will automatically update the affiliation numbers to reflect any changes.

Correspondences Tab

Corresponding Author Details: This section displays the affiliation details of the corresponding author.

Footnotes Tab

Footnote List: If applicable, this tab will contain a list of all footnotes associated with the article.

Track change panel

The track change panel, located on the right-hand side of the main editor, is an essential tool for authors during the proofing process. It comprises several tabs, each serving a distinct purpose:

Queries: Start with the Queries tab to address any mandatory questions posed by the editors. These queries must be answered prior to submitting your proof.

Changes: Review the edits suggested by the language-editor or copy-editor. Each change is accompanied by 'Accept' or 'Reject' options, allowing you to decide whether to incorporate the suggested edits. Changes from the copy-editor are marked with 'CE', while your own changes will bear the initials from your login name.

Comments: Use this tab to communicate any additional changes you'd like the typesetters to make on your behalf.

Assets: This tab displays all figures and supplementary materials linked to your article. For fast-rendering and using low band-width, the low-resolution images are shown within the editor, but you can view the high-resolution versions in the Assets tab.

Warnings: Any critical issues or deviations from the journal's guidelines, such as exceeding the allowed number of keywords, will trigger warnings here.

Exploring more features of the track change panel

List decided changes: Once you accept changes made by the copy-editor, they will no longer be visible in the track change tab. To review the changes you've accepted, enable the 'List Decided Changes' option, which will display all the edits you've accepted.
Visualize: This feature allows you to categorize and view changes based on::

Made by yourself
Made by others
Decided by yourself (Your accepted changes)
Decided by others (Others' accepted changes)

Who/Everyone: Use this filter to view changes made by a specific contributor or by everyone involved in the document.
Where/Everywhere: This function lets you focus on changes made to specific sections of the document, such as the front matter, figures, tables, equations, and more.

Main editing area

Your article will be rendered in full in this area in HTML format with underlying XML. Whatever changes you make will be carried out automatically in the underlying XML from which the final PDF of your article is produced in web, print or any other format as required.