Introduction -How to AUTOMATE page creation based on crossref data

For organizations that publish conference proceedings, managing dozens of research papers and their Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) can be a painstaking process. UDEKOM BALKANS is an association dedicated to advancing economics and management science—faced this challenge while organizing multiple international conferences each year. We Deliver IT has been UDEKOM BALKANS’s trusted IT partner for over 8 years, helping streamline their workflows so they can focus on what they do best. In this case study, we explore how an automated DOI import solution developed by We Deliver IT revolutionized UDEKOM BALKANS’s conference management, saving significant time and effort.

About UDEKOM BALKANS

UDEKOM BALKANS (Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 2014 to promote scientific thought, professional development in economics and management, and public education in the Balkan region. Headquartered in Serbia, UDEKOM BALKANS’s mission is to foster knowledge growth through high-quality conferences and events that encourage research and education in the social sciences udekom-balkans.com. The organisation plays a key role in organizing annual international conferences such as EMAN, ERAZ, ITEMA, LIMEN, and AI SMART Conference  (All powered by the WE DELIVER IT team), which serve as platforms for academics and professionals to exchange ideas and publish their findings. This strong focus on conferences means UDEKOM BALKANS handles numerous research papers and publication processes each year as part of its knowledge dissemination efforts.

The Challenge: Time-Consuming Conference Publishing

Organizing a conference involves not only event logistics but also managing the publication of conference papers and proceedings. Each accepted paper needs to be catalogued, assigned a DOI, and made accessible to the public. Before our involvement, clients’ team had to manually create entries for every paper on their website – including copying titles, authors, abstracts, and adding DOI links for each document. With conferences often featuring dozens of papers, this manual process was labor-intensive and prone to human error. Clients’ core team, whose primary expertise is organizing conferences and advancing scientific knowledge, found themselves spending a lot of time on repetitive data entry and technical chores. The organization needed a way to automate the DOI import and publication process so that staff could reclaim their time for higher-level tasks like curating conference content and engaging with participants.

The Solution: DOI Import Automation by We Deliver IT

We Deliver IT designed a custom DOI Import Automation tool tailored to clients needs. This solution seamlessly integrates with conference website (built on a content management system) and dramatically simplifies the process of publishing conference papers. Here’s how it works:

1. One-Click Import: After a conference, editors obtain a Crossref DOI XML file containing metadata for all conference papers (titles, authors, abstracts, DOIs, etc.). Using the new tool, they simply upload this XML or provide its URL in the import interface and click “Import.”

2. Automatic Data Extraction: The system parses the XML and automatically creates a new webpage entry for each paper in the conference proceedings. All available metadata—such as the paper title, author names (with affiliations), abstract, and the DOI number—is imported into the corresponding fields. The DOI is used to generate a direct link to the paper’s entry and ensure it’s properly registered and citable.

3. Minimal Manual Input: If certain metadata are missing in the source (for example, keywords or if an abstract wasn’t provided), the tool flags those and prompts the admin to enter them manually. This ensures each paper’s entry is comprehensive.

4. Publication & Formatting: Within minutes, all papers are published on the conference website in a consistent format. Each paper’s page includes the title, authors, keywords, abstract, DOI link, a PDF download for the full text, and even a suggested citation in the proper format. The system also applies an open-access license notice where applicable, and organizes the papers under the conference’s proceedings category for easy navigation.

Key features of the DOI import solution include:

• Bulk Processing: Import dozens of papers in one go, instead of creating pages one by one.

• Accuracy and Consistency: Metadata comes directly from the DOI records, reducing typos or formatting inconsistencies. All papers have a uniform layout and citation style on the site.

• SEO and Indexing Benefits: Each paper gets its own page with a DOI backlink, which improves discoverability on search engines and academic indexing services. Researchers can find conference papers online more easily, potentially increasing citations.

• Maintenance Simplicity: The tool is integrated into existing site admin dashboard, requiring no technical expertise to use. Even if a paper needs updating (say an author detail or revised PDF), administrators can update it through the familiar content management interface.

By automating what used to be a manual workflow, the solution delivered an immediate impact.

The screenshots from the actual solution are visible in the gallery below:

Results and Impact

Implementing the DOI import automation has significantly improved clients’ operations. What once took days of painstaking work can now be accomplished in a matter of minutes. Here are the notable benefits the client experienced:

• Time Savings: The UDEKOM BALKANS team saves countless hours on data entry for each conference. For example, instead of manually inputting 50 paper entries (which could take multiple workdays), they can now publish all papers in one short session. This freed up their staff to concentrate on core activities – organizing high-quality conferences and engaging with participants – rather than back-end publishing tasks.

• Reduced Errors: Automation has virtually eliminated the risk of mistakes in paper titles, author names, or DOI links. Consistency across all entries is ensured, which is crucial for maintaining professional and scholarly standards.

• Enhanced Conference Reputation: With every paper promptly published online with a DOI, authors and attendees see a fast turnaround in dissemination. This boosts reputation among academics as a well-organized publisher of conference proceedings. Each paper’s dedicated webpage and DOI also mean they are citable and accessible worldwide, aligning with UDEKOM’s mission to advance knowledge.

• Long-Term Scalability: As UDEKOM BALKANS grows and possibly hosts more conferences, the process will remain scalable. Whether a conference has 20 papers or 200, the automated workflow can handle it with minimal effort from the team. The system can be adapted for any new types of content or updated DOI standards in the future, providing a sustainable solution for years to come.

Conclusion

The collaboration between We Deliver IT and UDEKOM BALKANS is a prime example of how the right technology solution can transform an organization’s workflow. Through understanding client needs and leveraging automation, We Deliver IT delivered a tool that not only saves time and reduces errors, but also strengthens client capacity to share knowledge. In the fast-paced world of academic conferences, this kind of efficiency and reliability is a game-changer. We Deliver IT is proud to support important mission and will continue to deliver technical solutions that let our clients deliver on their promises.

About the Author

Stojan Ivanisevic, PhD is the founder and Solutions Architect of We Deliver IT. He is a seasoned IT professional with over 17 years of experience in roles ranging from software developer to strategic consultant. Stojan has led the development of critical systems for government institutions, international organizations, and innovative companies worldwide. With a strong academic background (holding a PhD in Information Technologies) and an eye for practical solutions, he excels at turning complex requirements into clear, functional outcomes. Stojan is known for delivering projects “on time, on budget, and in quality,” upholding the very promise in his company’s name.

SEO Note: For multilingual readers, this article will also be available in Serbian. To read the article in Serbian click here.