User guide

Welcome to the IRIS user help wiki. This guide centralises all the resources, procedures and information you need to use the IRIS platform effectively. Whether you are a new user or an experienced member, here you will find clear explanations of features, best practices, useful contacts and answers to frequently asked questions.

This wiki is structured to guide you through the entire process, from the initial login to advanced use of the tools offered by IRIS. It is regularly updated to reflect developments on the platform.

Faculty contacts

This page lists the faculty contacts for IRIS.

Introduction, search and navigation

This section guides you through your first steps on IRIS, introducing you to the general interface, the main menus and the navigation tools. You will learn how to carry out an effective search, filter the results and quickly access relevant content.

Introduction, search and navigation

Overview

Introduction, search and navigation

Access your researcher profile

Accessing your researcher profile

Your researcher profile gives you an overview of your personal and academic information. From this space, you can:

  1. View and edit publications you’ve created, as well as those you’re linked to.
  2. Access your ORCID settings page.

There are two ways to access your researcher profile in IRIS:

Accessing Your Profile via the Login Menu

  1. From the IRIS homepage, click on the login menu.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select “My account and profile.”
  3. You’ll be redirected to a page titled “Update Profile”. Click on “View” to open the full version of your profile.
  4. You will then be directed to your researcher profile.

Accessing Your Profile via Search

  1. From the IRIS homepage, click on “People.”
  2. In the search bar that appears, enter your name (a), then click “Search” (b).
  3. Once the search is complete, your profile will appear in the results. Click on your name (c).
  4. You will then be directed to your researcher profile.
Introduction, search and navigation

Searching IRIS

From the IRIS homepage, you can begin a search in two ways:

  1. By clicking the search icon: type your keyword and press the Enter key on your keyboard. Note: This option is available from any page within IRIS.
  2. By clicking directly into the search field: enter your keyword, then click “Search.”

Both methods allow you to search across the entire repository, covering all entities (people, publications, units, and journals).

Filters and settings

Once your search is launched, you'll automatically be redirected to the search results page. A series of filters allows you to narrow down the results, including:

  1. Entity: people, publications, units, or journals
  2. Linked person: a person associated with the publication (not necessarily the author)
  3. Author
  4. Publication date
  5. Type of publication
  6. Journal or magazine name
  7. File presence: with or without 
  8. Language of the publication
  9. Keywords
  10. Linked unit
  11. Institution: UNIL/CHUV/Unisanté + partner institutions or external

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To reset the filters, simply click “Reset filters.”

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You can also choose to limit your search to a specific collection. To do so, click into the search bar and select the desired collection.

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Sorting settings are available to help organize your results as you prefer.

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You can sort by:

  1. Relevance
  2. Title
  3. Publication date
  4. Date of creation

Each of these can be sorted in ascending or descending order.

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You can also adjust the number of results displayed per page.

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Search by collection

Another way to refine your search is to start directly from a specific collection. From the homepage, click on the collection you’re interested in.

You’ll then be redirected to the collection-specific search page, where you can enter your keyword in the search field.

The search results page will look similar, but the filters displayed will vary depending on the selected collection.

Introduction, search and navigation

Advanced search

Introduction, search and navigation

Search and filter faculty publications

There are two main ways to view a faculty’s publications in the repository.

From the "Units" tab

  1. From the homepage, click on “Units.”
  2. Type the name of the faculty into the search bar, then click “Search.” The results will display the faculty itself, along with its associated organizations.
  3. To show only the relevant faculty, click on the “Type” filter and select “Faculty.”

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  4. Click on the faculty’s name.

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  5. Once on the faculty’s page, click on the “Publications” tab.
  6. You will now see all publications from the faculty and its organizations.
  7. You can use the available filters and settings to refine the results (by date, publication type, etc.).

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From the "Publications" tab

Unlike a search performed through the “Units” section, a search in the “Publications” section targets only the publications of the faculty itself, without including those of its associated organizations.

  1. From the homepage, click on “Publications.”
  2. To display publications specific to the relevant faculty, click on the “Unit” filter. You can either type the name of the faculty directly into the search bar, or scroll through the list by clicking “Show more” and selecting it manually.

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  3. The page will automatically refresh and display only the publications of the selected faculty, excluding those from its associated units, unlike the results shown when searching through the “Units” tab.
  4. You can further refine the results using the other available filters and settings.

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Data entry and editing

Learn here how to create, modify and structure content on IRIS. This section details the data entry steps, the fields to fill in, the formatting options and the rules to follow to ensure the consistency and quality of the information.

Data entry and editing

Entering a publication manually

Enter a new publication

  1. Click on “My workspace.”
  2. Click on “Enter.”
  3. Search for the collection where you want to create the record, then select it.
  4. Click on “Publication” to access the entry form.

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Fill in the required fields

In the form, enter the publication’s information, especially the required fields (marked with an asterisk *), which include:

  1. Type of publication
  2. Institution where the research was conducted
  3. Title
  4. Date of issue
  5. Editorial state

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These 5 fields are mandatory to create the record. The remaining fields are highly recommended.

This step allows you to associate the publication with your researcher profile, your co-authors, and the relevant research unit.

To correctly attribute publications to authors and their units, ensuring they appear in their respective profiles, please follow these guidelines:

  1. In the corresponding section, click on “Add.”

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  2. Type the name of the person or unit, then select it.

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Add full text and/or secondary documents

  1. You can add full-text files and/or secondary documents by clicking on “Browse” and selecting the desired file from your library.

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  2. Alternatively, you can scroll down to the “Documents” section and simply drag and drop your file onto the page.

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  3. Once uploaded, you can edit the document’s metadata by clicking the corresponding icon.

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  4. You can edit the following fields:

(a) File name

(b) Manuscript version

(c) License

(d) Document accessibility (open access / embargo / UNIL restricted)

(e) If you select “embargo”, set the embargo end date, after which your document will become publicly accessible.

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Check for duplicates

The system will display a list of potential duplicates. For each item, click on “It's a duplicate” or “It's not a duplicate” as appropriate.

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Finalize the submission

  1. If you’re uploading a full-text document, you will need to approve the user license.
  2. Once your publication entry is complete, choose “Save” or “Save and quit” to save the record, or click “Publish” to immediately publish it.

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Data entry and editing

Entering a publication by DOI/PMID

Data entry and editing

Adding full text and/or secondary documents

Access your researcher profile

Accessing Your Profile via the Login Menu

  1. From the IRIS homepage, click on the login menu.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select “My account and profile.”
  3. You’ll be redirected to a page titled “Update Profile”. Click on “View” to open the full version of your profile.

Accessing Your Profile via Search

  1. From the IRIS homepage, click on “People.”
  2. In the search bar that appears, enter your name (a), then click “Search” (b).
  3. Once the search is complete, your profile will appear in the results. Click on your name (c).

Access the relevant record

  1. You are now on your researcher profile page. Under the “Publications” section, you’ll find both the records you have created and those you are linked to.
  2. Identify the desired record and click on its title.image.png
  3. You are now on the record detail page. Click on the three dots icon, then select “Edit.”

Add full text and/or secondary documents

  1. You are now in the publication entry form.
  2. If no file has been added yet, you can upload one by clicking on “Browse” and selecting the desired file from your library.image.png
  3. Alternatively, you can scroll down to the “Documents” section and simply drag and drop your file onto the page.image.png
  4. If a document is already present, you can edit its metadata by clicking on the corresponding icon.image.png
  5. You can edit the following fields:

(a) File name

(b) Manuscript version

(c) License

(d) Document accessibility (open access / embargo / UNIL restricted)

(e) If you select “embargo”, set the embargo end date, after which your document will become publicly accessible.image.png

Finalize the submission

  1. To complete your submission, you will need to approve the user license.
  2. Then, you can choose to click “Save” or “Save and quit” to save the record, or click “Publish” to archive the publication immediately.image.png


Data entry and editing

Adding and/or correcting links in a record

Data entry and editing

Publish a record I have created that is in the « submission in progress » status

Accessing Your Workspace

Once you're logged into IRIS:

  1. Click on “My workspace.”
  2. You’ll be redirected to the page “Records I created.”

Review/Edit the Record

  1. Find the record you wish to publish in the list.
  2. You can edit it by clicking on “Edit.”

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Publish the Record

  1. Make sure all required fields are completed and that the record is properly linked to the corresponding people and units.
  2. Once the changes have been made, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Publish.”

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Note: As the author, your record is automatically validated and will therefore be archived immediately, except for theses and dissertations.


Data entry and editing

Delete a record I have created that is in the « submission in progress » status

Access Your Workspace

  1. Click on “My workspace.”
  2. You will be redirected to the “Records I created” page, where you will find the record you saved as “Submission in progress.”

Delete the Record

Confirm Deletion

If you are sure you want to delete the record, click “Yes, I’m sure.”

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Confirmation

The record will then be permanently deleted and will no longer appear in your workspace.

Data entry and editing

Edit a record in "archived" status

1. Find the Record You Want to Edit

As the author, you can edit a record if:

Find Your Records in Your Researcher Profile

Accessing Your Profile via the Login Menu

  1. From the IRIS homepage, click on the login menu.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select “My account and profile.”
  3. You’ll be redirected to a page titled “Update Profile”. Click on “View” to open the full version of your profile.

Accessing Your Profile via Search

  1. From the IRIS homepage, click on “People.”
  2. In the search bar that appears, enter your name (a), then click “Search” (b).
  3. Once the search is complete, your profile will appear in the results. Click on your name (c).
Locate the Record You Want to Edit
  1. Your profile will be displayed. Under “Publications,” you will find all the records you have created, as well as those you are linked to.
  2. Find the record you are interested in, then click on its title. This will take you to the page displaying the details of the record.

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2. Access the record editing page

  1. On the record detail page, click on the three-dot icon to open the options menu.
  2. Select “Edit.”

3. Edit the content

  1. You’ll be redirected to the entry form, identical to the one used when the record was first created.
  2. You can now update any necessary fields.

4. Save Your Changes

  1. Once you’ve finished editing, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Save and quit.”
  2. Your changes will be saved, and you’ll automatically be redirected back to the record’s detail page.

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Data entry and editing

Entering your thesis in IRIS

1. Introduction

Entering the thesis into IRIS is a compulsory step in obtaining the doctorate degree. This process helps to preserve and enhance the value of doctoral students' research work. You will find all the information you need to obtain a doctorate in Directive 3.10 issued by the UNIL Direction.

You can also review the thesis distribution conditions.

This guide will take you through the various stages of submission, from creating an account to the final submission of your thesis for validation.

If you have any questions, you can contact theses@bcu.unil.ch

2. Entering your thesis

  1. Click on “My workspace.”
  2. Click on “Enter.”
  3. Click on “Publication” to access the entry form.

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Fill in the required fields

  1. Type of publication: in this case, select Doctoral thesis

  2. Institution where the research was conducted: choose UNIL/CHUV/Unisanté + partner institutions

  3. Your affiliated faculty

  4. Title

  5. Date of issue: enter the date of the public dissertation defense

  6. Editorial state (Accepted)

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These 6 fields are required in order to create the record. The remaining fields are strongly recommended. It is also important to fill in the following:

  1. Language ;

  2. Thesis abstract (recommended to improve the indexing of your thesis) ;

  3. Keywords ;

This step allows you to link the publication to your researcher profile, your co-authors, and the relevant research unit. Make sure to properly link all individuals involved in the thesis (author, thesis supervisor, etc.) and their respective units.

  1. In the corresponding section, click on "Add".image.png
  2. Type the name of the person or unit, then select it from the list.image.png

Upload PDF of your thesis

To finalize the deposit, you must add the full text of the thesis in PDF format. UNIL's Directive 3.10 requires that the cover page and imprimatur be added to the PDF. Please ensure that these documents are added to the PDF of your thesis before submission.

Please ensure with your supervisor that the file you are about to submit is acceptable (image resolution, corrections, etc.).

  1. You can add the full text of your thesis by clicking on “Browse” and selecting the desired file from your library.image.png
  2. Alternatively, you can scroll down to the “Documents” section and simply drag and drop your file onto the page.image.png
  3. Once the file is uploaded, you can edit its metadata by clicking on the corresponding icon.image.png
  4. You can edit the following fields:

(a) File name

(b) Manuscript version : it must always be the version after the imprimatur.

(c) License : select the appropriate license for the distribution of the document, depending on any potential third-party rights (see below).

(d) Document accessibility :

(e) If you select “embargo”, set the embargo end date, after which your document will become publicly accessible.image.png

Check for duplicates

IRIS automatically detects potential duplicates.

Before you can save your entry, a list of potentially similar publications will be displayed : if a publication derived from your thesis (article, book, etc.) has a similar title and has already been entered into the repository, it may appear as a duplicate, even though it is not. Please review each suggestion carefully and indicate whether it is indeed a duplicate (by clicking “It's a duplicate”) or not (by clicking “It's not a duplicate”).image.png

Licenses

In general, the thesis is uploaded to Serval under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) or another Creative Commons license of the author's choice, so that any interested user can access it.

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If third-party rights, such as those of publishers or co-authors, prevent distribution under a Creative Commons license, the author may grant UNIL a simple (non-exclusive) and free license to put the thesis online in the institutional repository after the end of any embargo (choose “all rights reserved”).

3. Finalize the submission

  1. Before you can submit your thesis for validation, you must accept IRIS’s user licence.
  2. Once your publication entry is complete, choose “Save” or “Save and quit” to save the record, or click “Publish” to immediately publish it.image.png
  3. After publishing your entry, it will move into processing and be pending validation. While awaiting validation, you can find your thesis under “My workspace.” You will receive an automatic email confirming the validation once your submission has been processed.

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4. Finalize the degree order

You can now return to your degree order and finalize it.

Data entry and editing

Validating a record

Importing et exporting

This section explains how to import data into IRIS from external files, and how to export content in different formats. It also includes accepted formats, constraints to be respected and advice on how to avoid common errors.

Importing et exporting

Exporting items from IRIS

Exporting Items from IRIS

Introduction

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to exporting items from the IRIS platform.
Several types of items can be exported: your personal profile, your own publications, as well as external entities such as other researcher profiles, publications, organizational units, or periodicals (academic journals that group several publications).

Depending on your needs, you can:

In the following sections, you'll find detailed procedures for each export type.


Exporting a Specific Entity

From the homepage, you can search for an entity either by selecting its type (1) and launching the search (2), or simply by entering keywords directly in the main search bar.


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Once you have selected the desired entity, click on it to open its page, then click the "Export" button in the top-right corner.

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You will then be prompted to choose the output file format (1), and click the "Export" button.

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A download message will appear in the bottom-left corner of your screen. Once the download is complete, click on the file name (in blue) to open it, as shown below.

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You will then access a file generated in the selected format, as illustrated here:

 

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Using Filters to Export a Set of Entities

 

As with exporting specific entities, you should first select the desired entity type from the homepage. Then, you can apply the filters relevant to your needs.
In the following example, we are exporting all publications from 1890 to 1919.

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Once your search is filtered, simply click the "Export" button.
Multiple entity types may be proposed. In this case, since we’re already in the "Publications" category, you just need to select it. However, if your search is more general and returns multiple types of entities (profiles, units, periodicals, etc.), you will first need to select the specific type you want to export.

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You will then access the "Item Export Process Launcher". You must:

  1. Choose the output file format

  2. Select the export mode – either export all results or only a selection

    • If you wish to export only selected items, you will need to check them manually one by one

Once these steps are completed, click the "Export" button in the bottom-right corner.
Just like with targeted entity export, a downloadable file will be generated.

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    N.B : You can also export your own publications or the ones you're affiliated with by accessing your personal workspace. 

    Exporting Your Profile

    Accessing Your Associated Researcher Profile

    You can either search for your profile in the same way as any other entity, or follow the steps below:

    1. Click on the profile menu

    2. Click on "My account and profile"

    3. Then click on "View"


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    Once you have access to your profile page, click the "Export" button (1).

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    In the Item Export Process Launcher, proceed as follows:


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    After clicking the "Export" button, a loading message will appear at the bottom-right of your screen. Once it completes, you will see the following confirmation:

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    To download the corresponding file, simply click on the file name.

    Importing et exporting

    Importing individual items into IRIS (DOI/PMID/ORCID)

    Advanced functionalities

    Aimed at more experienced users, this section explores the powerful tools offered by IRIS to get the most out of the platform.

    Advanced functionalities

    Linking your ORCID account with IRIS

    Create an ORCID Account (if you haven't already)

    1. Go to the official website: https://orcid.org
    2. This will allow you to obtain a unique identifier through which your research contributions can be reliably tracked.

    Access your researcher profile

    Accessing Your Profile via the Login Menu

    1. From the IRIS homepage, click on the login menu.
    2. In the dropdown menu, select “My account and profile.”
    3. You’ll be redirected to a page titled “Update Profile”. Click on “View” to open the full version of your profile.

    Accessing Your Profile via Search

    1. From the IRIS homepage, click on “People.”
    2. In the search bar that appears, enter your name (a), then click “Search” (b).
    3. Once the search is complete, your profile will appear in the results. Click on your name (c).

    Open ORCID Settings

    1. You are now on your researcher profile page.
    2. Click on the three-dot icon to open the options menu.
    3. Select “Open ORCID setting page.”

    Connect Your ORCID ID

    1. On the “ORCID Authorizations” page, click on “Connect to ORCID ID.”
    2. A new ORCID page will open, asking you to enter your ORCID login information to authorize the link with IRIS.

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    3. Once access is granted, your ORCID and IRIS profiles will be synchronized.