Springer Nature Transfer Desk

Taking the hassle out of resubmitting

No one likes manuscript rejections. And perhaps one of the most time-consuming parts of rejections is the problem of finding another suitable journal and submitting your manuscript again.

But what if you didn’t have to go through that process again? 

Sometimes Editors have to reject sound manuscripts for reasons other than the research’s quality; for example, the manuscript may not fit well with the journal’s aims and scope. 

Our free Transfer Desk service recognizes your manuscript’s scholarly merit, and offers one-on-one consultation with a subject expert to find your manuscript find its best home.

And, you always have the final say over where your manuscript gets submitted and published.

This is what it is:

What is the Transfer Desk?

The Transfer Desk is our manuscript transfer service, which is free of charge and provides you with a convenient way of resubmitting your manuscript to a more suitable journal. Our Transfer Desk subject matter experts will analyze your manuscript with the help of our advanced journal-matching technology, taking into account your submission preferences and any Editor or reviewer comments to find the best journal for your research. We will send you our journal recommendations and you can then let us know your journal of choice. We will ensure your manuscript is submitted to your preferred journal seamlessly and quickly.

Please be assured that we will never transfer your manuscript to another journal without your approval.

Please note that a transfer does not guarantee publication and Transfer Desk recommendations are not based on consultation with the suggested journals. All journals are editorially independent and will assess your manuscript against their own criteria. 

How can you benefit from the Transfer Desk?

  • Subject matter experts analyze your manuscript and suggest relevant journals within one working day
  • 97% satisfaction rate for the Transfer Desk from transferred authors
  • Reduces effort for resubmission—in most cases, your manuscript files and submission information will be automatically transferred to the next journal
  • Saves valuable time

This is how it works:

How to use the Transfer Desk

Notice

Please note that assistance with a submission to another journal does not guarantee acceptance. The Transfer Desk only helps authors to submit their work to another journal in an easy and convenient way.

Please be assured that we will never transfer your manuscript to another journal without your approval.

  • The analysis of my article was accurate and perceptive. The suggested journals were right on target and reflect the innovative nuances of my work. … This is an exceptional service. Thank you.

    —Author, United States

  • It was really helpful and [I] felt very supported throughout this process. Thank you.

    —Author, United Kingdom

  • This is an important improvement in the publishing process, as it saves valuable time on both sides. Thank you very much.

    —Author, Germany

  • This was enormously helpful and deeply appreciated! A great service. I will definitely apply to journals in this “family” due to this service. An enormous time saver and high-quality journals. Thank you!

    —Author, United States

  • The service is very helpful especially for upcoming researchers like myself. The options provided were helpful and clear and [the] response to queries and concerns was quick.

    —Author, China

Frequently asked questions

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: 

  1. The Editor-in-Chief of the initial journal of submission recommends your manuscript to the Transfer Desk
  2. 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.
  3. Once you receive our list of recommendations, you let us know the journal to which you would like to submit your manuscript
  4. The Transfer Desk will assist you with the submission to your journal-of-choice (in most cases, this can be done automatically)
  5. You will have the opportunity to revise your manuscript and finalize your submission before the review process in the next journal
  6. 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.

The service was quick, so it saved me time of looking for good relevant and good quality journal and manually resubmitting my paper. I would like to thank you very much for this new service and I really hope that you'll keep it.

Contact us

For general inquiries:transferdesk@springernature.com