OJS 3.4.0.3 Error When Recording Decision "Send for Review"

Software Support
1

Hello PKP Community,

I am experiencing an issue in OJS 3.4.0.3 when attempting to send a submission to the review stage.

Problem Description

As an Editor, I follow these steps:

  1. Open a submission.

  2. Click Send for Review.

  3. Select the submission file.

  4. Click Record Decision.

After clicking Record Decision, a popup message appears:

Error
An unexpected error has occurred. Please reload the page and try again.

Screenshot 2026-05-31 194450
Screenshot 2026-05-31 1944501341×528 49.1 KB

The submission cannot proceed to the review stage.

System Information

  • OJS Version: 3.4.0.3

  • PHP Version: 8.1

Additional Information

  • The error occurs consistently whenever I click Record Decision.

  • The submission file has been uploaded successfully.

  • The problem occurs at the “Send for Review: Select Files” stage.

  • A screenshot of the error message is attached.

Troubleshooting Attempted

  • Cleared browser cache.

  • Tested with different browsers.

  • Reloaded the page and repeated the process.

  • Confirmed that the submission file is available and selected.

Questions

  1. Is this a known issue in OJS 3.4.0.3?

  2. Are there any known compatibility issues with PHP 8.1?

  3. Which log files should I check to identify the root cause?

  4. Has anyone encountered a similar issue when moving a submission from Submission to Review stage?

Any assistance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your support.

2

Hi @Wiji,

I’m not sure, but 3.4.0-3 is not the most recent build in OJS 3.4, so if you’re looking to stay on 3.4, consider upgrading to a more recent build (as of today, the most recent build for 3.4 is 3.4.0-10. We have a tutorial on keeping up-to-date on builds here: Updating OJS / OMP / OPS with builds (helps keep your installation secure) -- recording available

You can get a better sense of this by looking at past Github issues (although it is not immediately clear from the title of the issues):

We also offer some more general guidance on this here: https://docs.pkp.sfu.ca/help-guide/en/#4-github

Your best bet would be checking your PHP error log, and report back on errors found there:
How do I find my PHP error log? - from there the issue may be able to be more accurately pinpointed. Post your errors here, and hopefully a PKP team or community member may be able to assist.

Others may wish to weigh in, but you can also search through past posts here on the forum:

https://forum.pkp.sfu.ca/search?q=Send%20for%20review%203.4%20errors

Best regards,

Roger
PKP Team