Withdraw or Delete Submissions
Approve author withdrawal requests, withdraw submissions directly, or permanently delete them
There are three ways a submission leaves the review pipeline:
| Action | Triggered By | Effect | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author withdrawal request | Author requests, chair approves | Marks as withdrawn after chair approval | No (one-shot) |
| Direct withdrawal | Track or conference chair | Marks as withdrawn immediately | No |
| Delete | Track or conference chair | Permanently removes all data | No |
Which should I use?
Author withdrawal requests are the standard path — let the author own the decision and approve it from the inbox. Direct withdrawal is for cases where the chair acts unilaterally (e.g., desk-withdrawing a duplicate or a paper out of scope). Delete is only for completely removing a submission and all its data, such as cleaning up duplicate submissions.
Review Author Withdrawal Requests
When an author submits a withdrawal request, both conference chairs and track chairs are notified by email. Approve or decline from the Withdrawal Requests inbox.
- From the track page, under Submission Management, click "Withdrawal Requests"
- Pending requests appear in the Pending tab with the author's name, reason, and submission title
- Click "Approve" or "Decline" on the row
- Optionally add a note — the author sees this on their submission page and in the email
- Click "Approve" (or "Decline") in the confirmation dialog
After the decision:
- Approved — the submission status changes to WITHDRAWN, and authors plus all chairs are notified.
- Declined — the submission stays under review. The author sees the decline + your note on their submission page; they cannot re-request through PaperFox.
Dashboard reminder
The main Dashboard shows a Pending Withdrawal Requests banner with a one-click Review link to each track's inbox whenever you have requests waiting. The banner only appears when count > 0, so an empty inbox stays out of your way.
Withdraw a Submission Directly
When a chair decides to withdraw a paper without an author request — for example, an out-of-scope paper or a duplicate — use the Actions dropdown on the Track Submissions page.
- From the track page, under Submission Management, click "Submissions"
- Find the submission and click the "Actions" dropdown
- Click "Withdraw Submission"
- Optionally enter a reason for the withdrawal
- Click "Withdraw Submission" to confirm
Conference chairs
Conference chairs see an additional "Move to Another Track" option in this dropdown for relocating a submission across tracks.
After a direct withdrawal:
- The submission status changes to WITHDRAWN
- All authors, conference chairs, and track chairs are notified
- A record appears in the Withdrawal Requests inbox under Approved, attributed to you
Delete a Submission
Deleting permanently removes a submission and all associated data. Available to track chairs and conference chairs.
- Click "Delete Submission" from the Actions dropdown
- Review the Danger Zone warning carefully
- Click "Delete Submission" to confirm
Permanent deletion
Deleting a submission permanently removes all reviews, review assignments, program items, and revision history. This action cannot be undone.
After deletion:
- The submission and all related data are permanently removed
- You are redirected back to the Track Submissions list