How does the Transfer Desk work?
Our team of subject matter experts will help you find and submit your work to the most suitable journal selected from over 2,600 BMC, Palgrave, and Springer journals. This is how the Transfer Desk works:
- The Editor-in-Chief of the initial journal of submission recommends your manuscript to the Transfer Desk
- Our Transfer Desk team will analyze your manuscript and send you a list of journal recommendations. These are decided based on the subject matter and journal portfolio knowledge of the team and our advanced journal matching technology, together with your submission preferences.
- Once you receive our list of recommendations, you let us know the journal to which you would like to submit your manuscript
- The Transfer Desk will assist you with the submission to your journal-of-choice (in most cases, this can be done automatically)
- You will have the opportunity to revise your manuscript and finalize your submission before the review process in the next journal
- Once submission to the next journal is completed, the normal editorial process proceeds
Please note that a transfer does not guarantee publication. All journals are editorially independent and will assess your manuscript against their own criteria.
How do I follow up on a transfer offer?
To follow up on a transfer offer, please follow the steps detailed in the decision letter you received, or in the email sent by the Springer Nature Transfer Desk.
What happens if I decline the offer?
If you decline a transfer, or do not reply to the offer, your manuscript will not be transferred to another journal. You are free to submit your paper to a different journal. Please note: if you decline our offer to send your manuscript to the Transfer Desk, this choice cannot be undone; you would need to submit your manuscript to your preferred journal manually and independently.
Can I choose the destination journal myself?
Yes. Our team will work with you to find the best journal for your paper. If you have a preferred destination journal, please let us know. The Transfer Desk will not transfer your manuscript to another journal without your approval.
To which journals can the Transfer Desk send my manuscript?
In analyzing your manuscript, our Transfer Desk team will consider relevant journals from our portfolio of more than 2,600 titles. Most of our journals have Impact Factors and are indexed by major services. We can offer you journals with no submission charge or open access choices. You are encouraged to share any submission requirements or preferences with us so we can take them into account. Please be assured that we will never send your manuscript to another journal without your permission.
Will the reviewer reports from my initial submission be transferred along with my paper to the receiving journal?
No. We will transfer only the submission (including supporting data/supplemental files) to the receiving journal. We will not transfer the previous reports.
Do I have to resubmit my manuscript to the journal proposed by the Transfer Desk?
No. The Transfer Desk is simply a service to help you find the best journal for your work. Please be assured that we will never transfer your manuscript to any journal without your permission. If you would like to stop the transfer process at any stage, you can always let us know and we will withdraw your manuscript from our system.
Will my original submission and the transfer be mentioned if my paper is successfully resubmitted and published in another journal?
It will be not be indicated that your manuscript was transferred in the published version of the manuscript either online or in the article PDF. Once published, there is no difference between a transferred article and an article that was submitted via the standard submission process.
Will the Editor of the receiving journal see that my paper is a transfer?
No, the receiving Editor won't see that your paper is a transfer. If your original cover letter mentions a specific journal, you will have the chance to update the letter following the transfer when you finalize your new submission.
Will you recommend open access journals?
The Transfer Desk team will consider both open access (OA) and subscription journals (which do not charge a publication fee) when suggesting suitable destination journals. Most journals offer open access publication, either as an option (hybrid open access/Open Choice) or as a fully open access journal. If you have a preference for subscription, fully OA, or hybrid-OA, please let us know.
Please note that Springer Nature can also offer article processing charge (APC) waivers for papers whose corresponding authors are based in low-income countries. Funding is also available for authors via their country’s government or research institution. To find out more, please see:
Do I have to pay for the Transfer Desk service?
No. Our manuscript transfer service is completely free of charge. It’s a complimentary service to assist you in finding the best home for your research.