As you submit information, it is recorded in a central database, building step by step to a complete abstract. You may interrupt the submission process at any time, and you can resume later. You can, for example, submit only the title of the abstract and then spend several hours pondering which author should be listed first. You can enter all of the author information and then spend a day thinking about the text of the abstract. To see what you have submitted, and to resume or alter a submission, all you need to do is remember the abstract ID number and password that will be issued to you when you start.

If you are working with a co-author, you might not need to do all the work yourself. You can, for example, enter the abstract title and your name; and then you can pass the abstract ID number and password along to your colleague, allowing him or her to enter the rest of the abstract. By sharing the ID and password with all of your co-authors, you can have them double-check what you have entered.

If you were submitting a real abstract, then a program organizer or staff person could see your work while it is in progress -- if they cared to look. This can be very helpful if you encounter a problem or question while preparing your abstract and you need some help or advice. Partial and completed entries are also counted automatically, giving organizers some advance notice of the volume they will see when they do sit down to review abstracts. But generally no one else will be looking at your work in progress unless you call for help.

Whether you submit a test abstract or a real abstract, an email message will be sent to you part-way through the process (as soon as you submit your email address). This message will remind you of your abstract ID and password, and of the location on the web where you can see what you have submitted. But you should write down your ID and password as soon as you see them anyway, just in case the email message gets lost or delayed on its way to you.