Microsoft CMT: Tutorial Guide for Managing Academic Conferences 2026

CMT (Conference Management Toolkit) is a free platform developed by Microsoft Research that allows for the professional and efficient management of academic conferences. With over 1 million active users, this tool has become the international standard for managing scientific conferences, enabling the handling of everything from simple to highly complex workflows.

What is CMT Microsoft?

Microsoft CMT is a comprehensive conference management system that provides all the necessary functionalities through a modern web interface built on HTML5, Bootstrap, and jQuery. The platform is hosted on Microsoft Azure, ensuring high scalability, security, and global availability. It allows for the management of unlimited submissions, the implementation of peer review processes (single-blind or double-blind), the automatic assignment of reviewers using TPMS (Toronto Paper Matching System), and the export of data to multiple formats.

Main Features of Microsoft CMT

Submission Management

CMT allows you to create multiple tracks or participation categories (presentations, posters, thematic sessions, workshops) with customized settings for each. The system accepts unlimited submissions and allows authors to edit, check the status, and manage their proposals from a personalized portal. Organizers can configure custom fields, additional questions, and specific templates for each type of submission.

Peer Review System

The platform implements double-blind or single-blind review processes with automatic reviewer assignment using the TPMS system, which analyzes areas of expertise. It allows for multiple review levels (reviewers and meta-reviewers) with custom rubrics and configurable rating scales. Reviewers can manually edit assignments, declare conflicts of interest, and manage the feedback process.

Notifications and Communication

CMT sends automatic email notifications to authors, reviewers, and organizers at each stage of the process. The system allows users to customize email templates, send bulk messages, and manage specific communications from the administration console.

Export and Integration

The platform allows data to be exported to Excel, XML, and CSV formats for external analysis and database management. It includes integration with IEEE camera-ready and eCopyright management systems. It also provides statistical tools for analyzing the review process using CMTStat.

How to Create a Microsoft CMT Account

Step 1: Access the Platform

Go to  https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com  followed by the code for your specific conference. If you don't know the code, you can search for the conference from the homepage using the "All Conferences" option.

Step 2: Account Registration

Complete the registration form with the following required information:

• Email : Preferably use your institutional email address

• Password : Create a secure password and confirm it

• First Name : Full names (do not use all capital letters)

• Last Name : Full surnames (do not use all capital letters)

• Organization Name : Full name of your institution without abbreviations

• Country : Country corresponding to your institutional affiliation

Step 3: Account Verification

Complete the human verification test (CAPTCHA) and accept the Microsoft CMT policies. Click "Register" and you will receive a confirmation email. Open your inbox (check spam if necessary) and click the activation link to confirm your account.

How to Submit a Paper

Prior Preparation

Before starting the submission process, prepare the following items:

• Title of maximum 12 words

• Summary of up to 2000 characters including problem statement, methodology, results and conclusions

• PDF file or Word document with the complete proposal

• Email addresses of all co-authors with activated accounts on CMT

Step-by-Step Shipping Process

1. Access the Author Portal.
Log in to CMT with your email and password, and go to the "Author Console".

2. Create New Submission
Click on "+ Create new submission" and select the corresponding track (for example: "Conference Papers" or "CEFE2023 Presentation").

3. Complete the Submission Form.
Fill in all required fields marked with an asterisk:

• Title : Concise title without all capital letters

• Abstract : A structured summary that addresses the problem, methodology, results, and interpretation.

• Authors : Add emails of the primary author and co-authors, and you can change the order.

• Subject Areas : Select up to 1 primary area and 3 secondary areas of specialization

• File Upload : Upload the document in PDF or Word format according to requirements

4. Answer Additional Questions
Complete the custom questions set up by the organizers:

• Main author's contact number

• Role of authors (teacher, researcher, student)

• Declarations of originality, conflicts of interest, and commitment to submission

• Specific questions about the type of participation

5. Submit the Proposal.
Click "Submit" and review the submission summary that appears. From this screen, you can email the summary to co-authors or return to the Author Console.

Post-Submission Management for Authors

After submitting your proposal, CMT allows you to perform the following actions from the Author Console:

• Edit proposal : Modify fields while the submission period is open

• Check status : Verify if it is under review, accepted, rejected, or pending changes

• Delete proposal : Only the main author can delete submissions

• Contact organizers : Send direct messages to the committee (chairs)

How to Set Up a Conference as an Organizer

Create the Conference

Organizers must request conference creation from Microsoft CMT through the official website. Once approved, you will receive full access to the Chair Console to configure all aspects.

Track Setup

Define the different participation categories (papers, posters, workshops, thematic sessions) with their own deadlines, custom fields, and review processes. Each track can have independent configurations for the number of reviewers, review type, and evaluation criteria.

Configure Fields and Questions

Customize the submission form fields by adding additional questions, required fields, and optional fields. Configure the templates that authors must use and the accepted file formats (PDF, Word, LaTeX).

Establish Subject Areas

Create the subject areas that will be used to classify assignments and assign specialized reviewers. Subject areas are fundamental to the TPMS automated assignment system.

Review System: How to Invite and Assign Reviewers

Invite Reviewers to the System

Method 1: Individual Invitation
From the "Chair Console", click on "Users > Reviewer > Invite". Select the relevant track, enter the reviewer's email address, and click "Search". If the user already exists in CMT, they will be added as a reviewer; if not, they will receive an email invitation.

Method 2: Mass Invitation
You can import a list of reviewers using an Excel or CSV file with their data (name, email, organization, areas of expertise).

Assign Papers to Reviewers

Automatic assignment with TPMS
CMT uses the Toronto Paper Matching System, which analyzes the subject areas of papers and reviewers to suggest optimal assignments. This system minimizes conflicts of interest and maximizes the match of expertise.

Manual Assignment by Paper
: From the "Chair Console", locate the paper and click on "More > Edit Assignments > Reviewer". Select the appropriate reviewers by checking the boxes under the "Assign" column.

Manual Assignment by Reviewer:
From "Users > Reviewers", click on "More > Edit Assignments" in the row of the desired reviewer. Select the papers you want to assign to that specific reviewer.

Evaluation Process and Criteria

Revision Levels

CMT allows for two levels of review:

• Reviewers : Evaluate proposals using predefined rubrics, providing scores and comments

• Meta-Reviewers : They review the reviewers' evaluations and make the final decision on acceptance or rejection.

Types of Decisions

Reviewers and meta-reviewers can assign the following ratings:

• Accepted : Proposal approved without changes for inclusion in Congress

• Accepted with changes : Requires minor modifications before submission

• Rejected : Does not meet the established quality criteria

• Desk Reject : Rejected due to formal errors without peer review

Evaluation Criteria

The proposals are typically evaluated using rubrics that consider:

• Problem/theme: Clarity and relevance of the problem addressed (20%)

• Methodology: Suitability and coherence of the methodological approach (20%)

• Results: Clear presentation and coherence with the problem (20%)

• Conclusions: Soundness of interpretations and logical derivations (20%)

• Relevance: Importance to the specific academic field (10%)

• Formal aspects: Quality of writing and presentation (10%)

Notifications and Communication with Authors

CMT automatically sends email notifications at the following times:

• Confirmation of successful submission with ID number

• Changes in the status of the proposal

• Request for revisions or changes

• Final decision of acceptance or rejection

• Important deadline reminders

Organizers can customize all email templates and send additional communications from the Chair Console.

Exporting Data and Statistics

Export Submission Data

CMT allows you to export complete information to Excel, XML or CSV, including:

• List of authors and co-authors with affiliations

• Titles, abstracts, and subject areas

• Review status and scores received

• Reviewer assignments and final decisions

Analyze Statistics with CMTStat

The CMTStat tool allows you to analyze the review process by generating statistics on:

• Distribution of submissions by subject area

• Reviewer response times

• Acceptance rates by category

• Workload per reviewer

Mobile Applications and Remote Access

CMT offers basic applications for iPhone and Android that allow:

• Receive notifications about status changes

• Review assigned submissions

• Consult basic information about the congress

• Access the Author Console in mobile mode

Full administrative functionalities require web access via a browser.

Tips and Best Practices

For Authors

• Prepare your proposal in advance using the provided templates

• Do not use all capital letters in any text field.

• Ensure all co-authors have activated accounts before submitting.

• Carefully review the summary as it will be the basis for the evaluation.

• Save the ID number you receive by email for future reference.

For Organizers

• Configure all options before opening the submission period.

• Establish clear and specific thematic areas to facilitate assignments.

• Use TPMS for automatic assignments and manually review special cases.

• Customize email templates to reflect the congress's identity.

• Regularly monitor the progress of reviews and send reminders if necessary.

For Reviewers

• Update your profile with specific areas of expertise.

• Declare conflicts of interest before reviewing submissions.

• Follow the established rubric by providing constructive feedback.

• Respect the review deadlines to avoid delaying the process.

Limitations and Considerations

Some users have reported occasional technical issues with the CMT3 interface, particularly related to loading times and stability during peak usage. The platform is only available in English, which may pose a barrier for Spanish-speaking organizers and participants. While it offers great flexibility, the initial setup can be complex for inexperienced organizers.

Alternatives and Comparisons

Although Microsoft CMT is the de facto standard for many international academic conferences, alternatives such as EasyChair, OpenConf, and HotCRP exist. However, CMT stands out for being completely free, hosted on robust Azure infrastructure, and offering an automatic TPMS system that few other platforms provide.

Microsoft CMT has established itself as the preferred tool for managing academic conferences thanks to its scalability, advanced features, and zero cost. Whether for organizers seeking to professionalize their conferences or authors wanting to submit proposals efficiently, this platform offers a complete and accessible solution.