1. Basic Settings

First, define the main parameters for the conference. In the section "Parameters of your Conference", the first option "Main Setup" guides you through the input fields that need filling in: name, location and date of the conference, imprint address, your main e-mail contact address and time zone. Usually, most of these parameters are already set during installation.

The section "E-Mail Settings" lets you define the e-mail sender name, the "Reply-To" address, and additional texts for the confirmation e-mails sent by the system. Please do not change the sender e-mail address provided by ConfTool: it is configured to match the server's SPF (and DKIM) records, so a different sender address can cause the e-mails to be classified as spam or rejected by the recipients' mail servers. You can also choose which confirmation e-mails are sent, and whether you receive copies of the mails sent. These settings can be updated at any time.

In "Conference Phases and Deadlines" you determine during which periods which functions of ConfTool are enabled. "Wording and Phrases" lets you edit all default wording and labels in ConfTool.

The section "Settings for Users Registration and User Options" covers the basic options for users creating a new account: which of the standard registration fields are mandatory or optional, salutations, countries and nationalities, specific user rights for front-desk users and (track) chairs, and registrations for prospective participants.

Related Manuals: The Phases of Conference Preparation · Edit Wording and Phrases: HTML Basics

2. Settings for the Submission and Reviewing Module

Good presentations are the backbone of a successful conference. The submission and reviewing module supports the selection of the most suitable presentations. During set-up you decide how submissions are supplied (types, formats, etc.) and how they are evaluated by reviewers or programme-committee members. The configuration consists of two sections.

First, in "Conference Tracks, Contribution Types and Topics" you define how authors provide submissions. "Main Settings for Paper and Abstract Submission" covers conditions for submissions (e.g. the maximum number per user, default upload settings). "Manage Topics" can matter for several aspects of your conference – topics help match submissions with reviewers and serve as a reference in the proceedings. In "Manage Submission Types / Conference Tracks" you define submission types (e.g. Poster, Full Paper, Round Table Proposal) or conference tracks and their specifications (abstract handling, number and type of uploads, special deadlines).

The second section, "Parameters for the Reviewing Functions of ConfTool", defines the review process. "Main Setting for Paper Reviewing" specifies how the system identifies conflicts of interest, whether meta-reviewers are required, methods for discussion among reviewers, and whether authors can submit a rebuttal. "Factors for Reviews" is part of setting up the categories, weighting and calculating factors for the review form. In "Manage Acceptance Status" you define the statuses (accepted, rejected, etc.) that chairs assign to submissions based on the review results.

Detailed manuals: Submission Module Configuration · Configuration of the Reviewing Functions · Track-Chair Module: Assigning Persons to Tracks

Set up submission and reviewing together. It is advisable to configure and test both the submission and the reviewing functions before the submission process starts, because the review process can require specific options on the submission forms. For example, you may not bother to define topics for submission, only to realise later that they are essential for reviewer assignment – adding them afterwards means asking all authors to update their submissions.

The "Track-Chair Module" is an optional add-on (extra charge). It lets you assign chairs, reviewers and topics to submission types / conference tracks; when installed, corresponding extra options appear in this section.

3. Settings for the Participant Registration and Management Module

The "Settings for the Participant Management of ConfTool" cover the options for the participant registration and payment process. These settings translate into the registration pages that ask participants for all relevant details. The main parts concern payment options (credit card, PayPal, etc.), participant groups (e.g. members, non-members, students), time-based discounts (early-bird, late registration), prices (including VAT where applicable), and the events or items participants can select (conference participation, social events, printed proceedings).

Detailed manual: Configuration of the Participant Registration

Complete this module before opening registration. Every registration is effectively a contract between organizers and participant. Because changes to the settings can also affect existing registrations, the system blocks most settings once people have registered. Changing options or prices retroactively may require obtaining the agreement of every registered person.

4. Testing the ConfTool Configuration

As with any system, test the settings before going live. Depending on the modules you use, register as a new user (without administrative rights), submit proposals for every track / submission type as this user, assign reviewers as programme-committee chair, and enter reviews as a reviewer. Before opening participant registration, also do some test registrations.

When your tests are complete, delete, withdraw or cancel your entries and purge the deleted ones, so the database is pristine before the system goes live.

Hints for testing your configuration

• Log in as another user. Administrative users can always view the system from a user's perspective: go to Overview ⇒ User and Participant Management ⇒ List of All Users and click "Login as" in the right-hand column.
• Open several windows or tabs. One window can show the settings, another the submission page. Note that two windows of the same browser share one user session – you cannot be logged in as admin in one and as author in another.
• Use two different browsers (e.g. Firefox and Chrome) to be logged in as two different users at the same time, as each browser keeps its own session. After changes, you may need to log out and in again to see updates in the second browser, since ConfTool caches many settings for performance.
• Use the "service mode" to temporarily disable access for normal users (without administrative rights): go to Overview ⇒ Settings ⇒ Main Setup.

See also the ConfTool Support Forum for further notes on cancelling and purging entries.