Troubleshooting
The decision button is missing
Causes and fixes when the Decision tab of a submission has no Issue decision button or only lets you save a recommendation.
The Issue decision button depends on your role, the status of the submission and your part in the submission. Check the causes below in order.
You are a section editor
A Section editor does not make final decisions. They see the Decision recommendation section on the tab and save a recommendation with the Save recommendation button. An Editor-in-chief makes the decision.
Your editor-in-chief role is for another journal
Your roles can differ from journal to journal. For example, you can be editor-in-chief of one journal and section editor of another. Your permission to decide applies only to the journal where you are editor-in-chief.
The submission is not at the decision stage
A final decision is made while the status of the submission is Under review or Revision submitted. In any other status the tab gives the current status of the submission in a note. To reject a submission that has not been sent to reviewers, see Desk-Rejecting a Submission.
You reviewed this submission
If you accepted a reviewer invitation for the submission, the decision buttons do not appear and the tab says so in a note. Another editor-in-chief has to make the decision. The rule is explained in Separation of Duties.
You are a system administrator
The System administrator role does not carry the permission to make final decisions. With this role you can only save decision recommendations. If you need to make decisions, you also have to be given the Editor-in-chief role.