Tag: User Tip

Tips for Avoiding Malware in Submissions

We’ve all been cautioned for years never to open files from suspicious sources. And even if a file is from a trusted source it’s best not to open it until it’s been scanned with antivirus software. Otherwise you run the risk of installing malware, like a Trojan horse, spyware, or ransomware. Opening a file—or even clicking a link—can be one of the easiest ways for hackers to gain control of your computer.

But what if you’re a call admin or reviewer? It’s difficult to assess the quality of submissions without opening documents or following links. This is the security dilemma inherent to every call for proposals: You have to collect content but the only sure-fire way to avoid harm from that content is never to open it.

Unfortunately there is no bulletproof solution. There are, however, a few best practices call admins and reviewers can observe to help reduce their risk:
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Invitations

Here’s a quick tip for call admins when adding an admin, review chair, or reviewer:

Use a complete email address (e.g. “harry.potter@hogwarts.edu”) to search for the user’s account. That way, the user will be added immediately and won’t have to confirm the action.

If instead you search using all or part of a user’s name (e.g. “Potter”) or a partial email address (e.g. “harry.potter”), the user will have to confirm the action before actually being added.

In case you’re wondering, we added this step to strengthen privacy on the site. We figure if you don’t know someone’s full email address, we shouldn’t display it to you until they say it’s OK to do so. If, however, you already know someone’s full email address, there’s really no reason to require an additional step. In that case, we just send them an email letting them know they’ve been added.

Tip: Avoiding Junk Submissions  

Sometimes too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. If you’re having a problem with individual users submitting too many proposals (usually so they can have better odds of being selected, but for whatever reason), you might want to try setting a submission limit. That way, users will have to pick their best papers to submit and won’t be able to flood the selection committee with “junk”.

To take advantage of this feature, all you have to do is set the Individual Limit (under “Submission Settings”) to the maximum number of submissions you want to allow from an individual user.

For example, if you want to restrict users to three submissions, enter “3”. (If you do not want to place a limit on the number of proposals a user may submit, enter “0” or leave the setting blank.) Once a user has met the submission limit, he will still be able to create proposals and collaborate with other users, but he won’t be allowed to submit any more proposals for your call.

Tip: Link Directly to Your Call

We designed ProposalSpace so that authors can find calls easily, using our Find a Call feature. Once a user is logged in, he/she just has to click a button to see all the calls in the system that are active and accepting proposals.

There may be times, however, when you want users to be able to bypass this step and go directly to your call. To do this, just use the special link provided on the Call Settings page. Anyone who uses this link will be taken directly to your call’s main page. (If a user isn’t logged in, he/she will be asked to log in first, then be automatically redirected to your call’s main page.)