Enable formatting options for abstracts after abstracts were already submitted

We have already received many abstracts and now some authors are asking if they could use bold and italics in their abstracts. However, we activated only the plain text w/o formatting mode for the abstract field which does not allow for different font styles.

Is it possible to enable the rich text editor for the abstract field at this time?

The format for the abstract field can be set separately for each submission type / conference track. Please go to:
Overview => Settings => Manage Submission Types / Conference Tracks
... select a submission type here and click on "Edit Submission Type/Track".

In the section "Settings for the Submissions Form of this Type or Track" go to the option "Abstract". If you have already received submissions, this option is blocked (grayed out), as the different formatting options have a different internal representation, and therefore you cannot change the type anymore (or all authors would have to update their abstracts).

However, there are some options:

• You could, for instance, create a new submission type, call it "Abstracts with Formatting", for the option "Abstract" choose the setting "Yes, rich text editor." and let the corresponding authors use this type for their submissions.
• Alternatively, we can still update the abstract field formatting for you: There is another abstract field input format available, which is compatible with the "Plain Text" format. It is called "Yes, plain text field with basic formatting syntax (bold, italics, lists)" (see image) and usually hidden in the "Expert Settings" (toggle the switch icon at the bottom of the page to activate them). This mode allows "italics" and "bold" text. Use an underline character "_" before and after a text section to be shown in italics and an asterisk "*" before and after a text section to be highlighted in bold. If you have already received submissions in this submission type, we will have to activate this option for you.
• NB: If required, there are also two modes that support mathematical symbols. They are called "Yes, plain text field with LaTeX math formula support" and "Yes, rich text editor with LaTeX math formula support" (see image). We use the JavaScript Library MathJax to display the corresponding abstracts. Again, if you have already received submissions in this submission type, we will have to activate this option for you.