Guidelines for manuscript authors

Preparation and submission of regular papers

  1. Use the CPES 2027 copies of the official IFAC A4 (NOT Letter) templates: Microsoft Word template and LaTeX template. Use these copies rather than downloading another template copy from the IFAC website, so that all CPES 2027 submissions use the same template version. See also the official IFAC Author Guide for general manuscript-preparation and publication requirements. Do not change the prescribed layout, and do not add page numbers, headers, footers, or publishing identifiers.
    Template version and integrity.

    The CPES 2027 Word and LaTeX template packages are unchanged copies of the official IFAC packages downloaded from the IFAC Author Guide on October 19, 2026, at 02:20:55 Romanian local time. They are hosted locally so that all CPES 2027 authors use the same template version.

    If IFAC updates its general template downloads during the CPES 2027 submission cycle, continue using the CPES 2027 copies unless the organizers formally announce a replacement.

    Some tips for capitalization in BibTeX references.

    When using LaTeX/BibTeX/Overleaf, reference titles are usually converted to sentence case. BibTeX may also lowercase acronyms and proper names unless they are protected in the .bib file. This may cause terms such as “Romania”, “AI”, “PID”, “GPS”, or “EV” to become “romania”, “ai”, “pid”, “gps”, or “ev”.

    Check the References list in the generated PDF for incorrectly lowercased acronyms or proper names.

    To preserve capitalization, enclose such terms in curly braces in the .bib file: {Romania}, {AI}, {PID}, {GPS}, {EV}, etc.

  2. For a regular contribution, submit a complete draft paper written in English. Abstract registration alone is not sufficient for paper submission.
  3. Regular papers must contain 4-6 pages, including references. Additional pages are not permitted, and no extra-page charge is available.
  4. Paper title and title-page details: use Title Case for the paper title, do not write it in all capital letters, and keep it concise, preferably no more than 10 words. Verify the complete author names and affiliations, the 50-100-word abstract, and the 5-10 keywords.
    Some tips for capitalization of the paper title.

    Follow the Title Case style demonstrated by the official IFAC template. Use an online tool such as Capitalize My Title as an initial aid, then check and correct the result to preserve acronyms, technical terms, product names and proper names, and to comply with the IFAC sample.

  5. Prepare readable, high-quality graphics. Use vector graphics if the source application supports them. They remain clear when readers zoom in on fine details in the PDF. Use PNG for screenshots and high-quality JPEG only for photographs or when the source material is available in no other format. Ensure that all text, symbols, axes, legends and annotations remain readable at final column width.
    Some tips for best image quality.

    Vector diagrams remain sharp when readers zoom in, while bitmap diagrams may become blurred or pixelated.

    • Microsoft Word: SVG, EMF and WMF work well.
    • LaTeX/Overleaf: TikZ, EPS and PDF are suitable vector formats; PNG is suitable for screenshots and other raster images.

    If the source application supports vector export, export the graphic as SVG or another suitable vector format. Otherwise, use PNG, TIF or BMP at the highest available quality. Do not convert an existing JPEG to another format and expect its quality to improve.

    Creating simple diagrams

    • Microsoft Word: the built-in drawing tools can produce clean vector diagrams directly in the manuscript. For better organization, create and retain each diagram as a separate source file, then insert or export the finished graphic into the manuscript.
    • Mermaid: diagrams can be written or assembled from templates and exported as SVG or PNG. Examples include Mermaid Chart, Mermaid Live Editor and Mermaid Flow. Export the diagram as SVG. Use a transparent background when needed.
    • TikZ: LaTeX and Overleaf support TikZ for structured vector graphics without conversion to lossy bitmaps. Useful tools include TikzMaker, CircuiTikZ Designer for circuits, TikZ Diagram Generator, a TikZ online editor, a TikZ AI Generator, and the Overleaf TikZ guide.

    Creating more complex diagrams

    • Lucid: use a suitable template and export SVG when available, or a high-resolution PNG.
    • Draw.io / diagrams.net: templates are available through File > New; export through File > Export as, preferably to SVG.

    Advanced vector graphics

    These applications and services are examples only. CPES 2027 and IFAC do not require or endorse a particular third-party application.

    If a vector format is unavailable

    • Save screenshots and diagrams as PNG, TIF or BMP rather than JPEG.
    • Keep the original resolution and avoid enlarging low-resolution images.
    • Avoid repeated format conversion and repeated editing and resaving of lossy images.
    • When creating the PDF, avoid unnecessary image downsampling. If compression is unavoidable, use a lossless method or the highest suitable quality.

    Screenshots: before taking a screenshot, zoom in as much as possible on the relevant content and display it at the highest available screen resolution. Capture only the required area. Do not take a small screenshot and enlarge it afterward, because enlargement cannot recover missing detail. Save screenshots as PNG, TIF or BMP, not JPEG.

    In Microsoft Word, before inserting images, enable the menu item File > Options > Advanced > Image Size and Quality > Do not compress images in file.

    After inserting an image into Word, use Picture Format > Size > Crop to hide unwanted areas without repeatedly editing and resaving the source image.

    Some tips for aligning author details.

    Use the structure supplied by the IFAC template. If the supplied layout is difficult to maintain, use a no-border (invisible) table to align author names and affiliations without changing the visible appearance. While editing, the menu item Layout > View Gridlines can show the cells.

    Some tips for balancing the final-page columns.

    Balance the two text columns at the end of the document, usually in the References list, so that they take less space and are easier to read.

    Word: click at the end of the columns to be balanced, then choose the menu item Layout > Breaks > Section Breaks > Continuous.

    LaTeX/Overleaf: add \usepackage{balance} among the imported packages, then add \balance immediately before the existing \bibliography{...} command: 

    \balance
\bibliography{ifacconf}
  6. Submit only a compliant PDF, no larger than 2 MB.
    Required PDF properties.
    • A4 page size;
    • PDF 1.4 or PDF/A;
    • all fonts embedded and scalable;
    • no Type 3 bitmap fonts;
    • searchable text, not a scanned paper;
    • no password protection, links, or bookmarks.
  7. Submit original work that is not published or under review elsewhere.
  8. Follow the IFAC rules for AI and AI-assisted technologies.
    Declaration of AI-assisted writing.

    If applicable, include the declaration supplied in the official IFAC template immediately above the References section. Identify the tool or service and its purpose. Authors remain responsible for the manuscript.

  9. Full draft papers will be submitted and reviewed through IFAC PaperCept. The direct CPES 2027 submission link will be added soon.
  10. Copyright remains with the authors. Detailed licensing instructions will be provided later in the Camera-Ready Guide.
  11. Final draft-paper checklist.

    This checklist is for your convenience. Selections are not stored; they are reset when the page is reloaded.