Preparing Manuscript & Figure Files

Submission File Types

The following table contains a representative list of file types that may be encountered during submission. Available file types vary by journal and manuscript type, and file types unique to a single journal are omitted. Consult the journal's submission guidelines for additional instruction regarding required file types.

Manuscript File Preparation

Authors should submit manuscripts in an editable format whenever possible. Accepted manuscript file formats include:

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
• LaTeX source files (including all files required to compile the manuscript)

A PDF version of the manuscript should also be provided to ensure that reviewers and editors can accurately view equations, figures, tables, and formatting. Authors should verify that all fonts, symbols, equations, and special characters display correctly in the submitted PDF version.

General Manuscript Recommendations

Manuscripts should be formatted for readability, with adequate margins, page numbering, and consistent line spacing. Authors should consult the journal-specific submission guidelines for any formatting or length requirements.

To facilitate review and production:

• use standard, widely supported fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica);
• remove tracked changes, comments, and hidden text before submission unless specifically requested by the journal;
• ensure equations, tables, and figure labels remain editable in the source files;
• when submitting LaTeX manuscripts, include all supporting source files needed to compile the manuscript (for example, bibliography (.bib) files, custom style (.sty) files, and any additional source files referenced by the manuscript);
• avoid excessive manual formatting or custom styles that may not transfer reliably between systems;
• avoid using color within manuscript text or tables to convey meaning or emphasis; use formatting (such as headings, boldface, or table structure) that remains effective in both color and grayscale;
• ensure that all citations have corresponding references and that all references are complete and consistent throughout the manuscript;
• verify that all figures, tables, appendices, and supplementary materials referenced in the text are included with the submission; and
• ensure that all files intended for peer review — including supplementary materials, appendices, datasets, and code — are appropriately anonymized and do not contain author names, identifying metadata, or other information that could identify the authors.

Authors using LaTeX are encouraged to use the journal templates and class files provided by INFORMS whenever available.

Figure Preparation

Figures should be prepared to ensure clarity, readability, and accessibility in both online and print environments.

Figure files should be clearly named and numbered consistently with their citations and captions in the manuscript text.

General Figure Guidelines

Authors should ensure that figures:

• are legible at publication size;
• use consistent font styles and sizing;
• contain clear axis labels, legends, and annotations;
• avoid unnecessary visual complexity; and
• remain understandable when viewed in grayscale or printed in black and white.

Whenever possible, charts, graphs, and line drawings should be supplied as vector graphics to preserve image quality during resizing and production.

To ensure clarity in publication, raster images (e.g., photographs and screenshots) should generally be supplied at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi at the approximate size they are expected to appear in publication. Low-resolution images copied from websites, presentations, or screenshots may not reproduce acceptably.

Text, symbols, and lines within figures should remain legible when the figure is reduced to fit a journal page or column.

Authors are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions to reuse third-party figures, tables, images, or other copyrighted materials included in the submission. Proper citation or acknowledgment of the original source does not, by itself, satisfy permission requirements. See Originality, Attribution & Copyright for additional details.

Figures vs. Tables

Present information in the format that best communicates the content. Tabular data should generally be presented as editable tables rather than submitted as images, while charts, graphs, diagrams, photographs, and similar visual content should be submitted as figure images. Avoid converting tables into figure images unless the visual layout itself is essential to the presentation.

Recommended Figure Formats

The following formats are generally acceptable:

When figures are created in Microsoft Office applications, authors should provide the original editable files whenever possible.

Screenshots & Interface Images

Screenshots should be cropped to show only the relevant content and should be captured at sufficient resolution for clear reproduction. Text within screenshots should remain legible at publication size.

Use of Color

Figures may be submitted in color and will appear in color in the online version of the article.

For journals that publish print editions, figures are generally converted to grayscale unless authors arrange and pay for color printing. Authors wishing to reproduce figures in color in print should consult the journal's managing editor regarding pricing and any applicable production requirements.

Authors should ensure that figures remain understandable in both color and grayscale formats and do not rely relying solely on color to communicate information or distinguish figure elements.

To improve readability and accessibility:

• use distinct line styles (e.g., dotted, dashed), symbols, or patterns (e.g., hatching) in addition to color;
• ensure sufficient contrast between figure elements;
• verify that figures remain understandable when converted to grayscale; and
• avoid color combinations that may be difficult for readers with color-vision deficiencies to distinguish.

Three-dimensional effects, background shading, and decorative visual elements should be avoided unless they are necessary to communicate the content of the figure.

Accessibility Considerations

INFORMS is committed to supporting accessible scholarly communication. Authors are encouraged to prepare manuscripts and figures in ways that improve accessibility for readers using assistive technologies.

Alternative Text (Alt Text)

Authors should provide concise alternative text (“alt text”) for figures whenever possible.

Figure captions and alt text serve different purposes. Captions are visible to all readers and may provide detailed contextual information, while alt text is intended to provide concise descriptions for readers using assistive technologies.

Alt text should briefly describe the essential informational content of the figure rather than merely identifying its type.

Good Alt Text should:

• describe the informational content of the figure,
• summarize trends or relationships,
• avoid repeating the caption verbatim,
• remain concise, and
• omit unnecessary visual detail.

Alt Text should not:

• begin with “Image of” or “Figure showing,”
• merely restate the title,
• describe decorative elements, or
• attempt to reproduce every data point.

Examples:

If a figure contains multiple panels or complex information, authors may provide a brief summary in the alt text and include additional explanation in the figure caption.

Supplying Alt Text

Authors may provide alt text directly within the manuscript file immediately following each figure caption.

Example:

Figure 1. Inventory costs under varying reorder frequencies.

Figure 1 Alt Text: Line graph showing inventory costs decreasing as reorder frequency increases, with diminishing reductions at higher frequencies.

Accessible Figures

To improve figure accessibility:

• avoid using color alone to distinguish data elements,
• use color palettes that remain distinguishable for readers with common forms of color-vision deficiency,
• use font sizes that remain legible when figures are reduced to journal page or column width,
• ensure sufficient contrast between text and background, and
• avoid overly dense or cluttered visualizations.

Accessible Tables

Tables should be created using the table tools available in Word or LaTeX rather than inserted as images.

Authors should avoid overly complex table layouts, excessive merged cells, and visual formatting that may interfere with screen-reader interpretation.

Mathematical Content

Equations should be created using editable equation tools or LaTeX rather than embedded as images whenever possible.

Authors preparing manuscripts with substantial mathematical content are encouraged to consult the Guidelines for Mathematical Notation for additional recommendations regarding equations, symbols, notation, and mathematical readability.

Supplementary Materials

Authors may submit supplementary files that support the manuscript, including appendices, datasets, code, multimedia files, or additional figures and tables.

Supplementary materials intended for publication must be submitted to the journal as part of the manuscript submission, even if they are also deposited in an external repository or made available elsewhere. Authors may not rely solely on external websites, personal webpages, code repositories, or other third-party hosting services to provide supplemental content intended to accompany the published article. This helps ensure the long-term preservation, availablity, and integrity of the scholarly record.

Supplementary materials provided for peer review must be prepared in a manner that preserves the journal's double-anonymous review process. Remove author names, acknowledgments, identifying metadata, repository information, or other content that could reveal the authors' identities prior to acceptance.

Supplementary materials should:

• be clearly labeled,
• include descriptive titles, and
• be referenced appropriately within the manuscript text.

Authors should ensure that supplementary files are complete, accessible, and suitable for long-term archiving (for example, using widely accessible, non-proprietary file formats or formats that can be opened without specialized software) whenever feasible.

Authors preparing replication packages, code archives, data sets, or related supporting materials should also consult Research Transparency & Reproducibility for additional guidance regarding documentation, reproducibility, data sharing, and journal-specific requirements.

Questions & Additional Guidance

Questions regarding file preparation or production requirements may be directed to the journal’s managing editor.

For additional information regarding submission policies, publication ethics, copyright, permissions, and production workflows, please consult the related sections within the Author Portal.