Processing a document
The Documents Management Section (DMS) processes official documents, whenever a legislative mandate linked to a budgetary entitlement exists. A mandate is either based on an adopted decision endorsed by a competent parent organ or results from a standing mandate in line with applicable rules of procedures.
The mandate determines the document category, i.e. originating in the Secretariat, not originating in the Secretariat, contribution from Member State and other, and type, i.e. pre-, in- or post-session document. Different processing patterns and word limitations apply depending on the category and type of each document.
Pre-session documents with an existing official mandate are forecast twice a year over two cycles: forecast submissions should be completed in the first week of April for sessions taking place from 10 July to 8 January of the following year and in the first week of October for sessions taking place between 9 January and 9 July. Forecasts entered by the substantive secretariats are validated and approved by the DMS Planning Unit. The forecast should be confirmed no later than 14 weeks before the opening of the session at which the document is to be considered. No changes can be made to forecasts after this stage. Mandated documents that are not forecast are processed on an "as available" capacity basis.
Substantive secretariats prepare pre- and post-session documents, observing:
- word limits: 8,500 words for documents originating within the Secretariat, 10,700 for documents submitted by intergovernmental bodies or special rapporteur/mandate holders and
- the need to declare text taken from previously published official UN documents and
- UN editorial standards, following the directives of the United Nations Editorial Manual Online.
The substantive secretariat submits the document through gDoc.
- Pre-session documents, such as provisional agendas, programmes of work or reports of the Secretariat, are submitted 10 weeks ahead of the date of the scheduled session or consideration date of the report (except if another pattern has been adopted).
- In-session documents, for consideration during the meeting, including draft resolutions and decisions, are submitted during the session. They should be as short as possible (max. 3,300 words) and are subject to a 48- or 24-hour turnaround.
- Post-session documents which are prepared after the closing of the meeting, such as final reports of the meeting, resolutions and adopted decisions, should be submitted shortly after the closing date of the session, preferably within two weeks.
- DMS verifies the legislative mandate and budgetary entitlement, cross-checks submission timelines and staggers submissions according to consideration dates. DMS also manages late slotting arrangements in case of force majeure.
- Upon registration the document is assigned for processing by the relevant sections or units. Once translated, the documents are formatted and prepared to be issued.
- Documents are issued simultaneously in all applicable languages and posted in the Official Document System (ODS).
- In line with applicable procedures, the Printing Section produces the documents in print form. The Distribution Section then ensures the distribution of the documents according to the request made in the initial gDoc submission.
Contact the Documents Management Section
Additional information
Resources
Processing a publication
- The Documents Management Section (DMS) processes publications that result from an official mandate, which emanates from an adopted decision or from a standing mandate in line with applicable rules of procedures.
- Departments submit their biannual publications programmes through gDoc. The DMS Planning Unit reviews submissions and provides feedback to the Publications Board Secretariat. The Publications Board approves the biennial Publications Programme.
- Publications for which no official mandate exists can be produced with the publishing section directly. The costs are then borne by the submitting office. Contact the publishing team directly for more information.
- The forecasting of UN publications for translation is strongly encouraged. Author departments should reach out to the DMS Planning Unit as soon as they have relevant information available to assess length of the text, time of submission and requested time of completion.
- The DMS Planning Unit negotiates issuance dates with submitting entities, Languages Service when applicable, designers, printers and the distribution team.
- At least one month before the intended submission, the submitting entity fills in the questionnaire for the UN Sales and Marketing Section in New York using their Unite ID username and password.
- Then, a Demande d'impression (DI) form (available through the Documents Management Section) is to be completed and cleared.
- The submitting entity requests an ISSN number (for publication series) and an eISSN number (for online publications) from the ISSN International Centre at https://portal.issn.org/.
- Two weeks before submission, the submitting entity emails the cleared DI and the reply from the UN Sales and Marketing Section to DMS at dms-coordination@un.org.
- The publication is submitted through gDoc using the forecast ID when applicable.
- Before a publication can be printed, the submitting department receives a “Bon à tirer” (BAT) with a print-ready PDF version from the Printing Section for approval within one week. If any layout changes are necessary, the Printing Section will send a second BAT with the new layout.
- Once the approval is received, the publication is sent for printing.
- If translation is required, an editable version of the final print-ready text, based on the final version for which the BAT was approved, has to be submitted through gDoc. It should be labeled as “Final Text”. The submission for translation should be supported by markups of previously translated text when applicable.
- Authors will receive a copy of the translated text before final formatting to allow for discussion on language and terminology. Authors are granted five working days to complete this process. This is the only opportunity to makes changes to target languages.
- The translated text(s) will then go through the same BAT process as the original publication.
- The Distribution Section ensures the distribution of the publications according to the request made in the initial gDoc submission.
Distribution of UN official documents
UN Geneva is responsible for the distribution of official UN documents and publications, maintaining stocks of documents and providing quality, timely, efficient, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable document-related services.
Documents are distributed according to the needs of meetings/conferences, substantive offices, permanent missions, official address/mailing lists and individual clients.
Documents are distributed at the distribution counters. They can also be printed from the Official Document System at the Cyber Corner located at the Door 40 distribution counter.
Helpdesk for Delegates & Print-on-Demand
M to F: 08.30 a.m. – 12.30 pm & 1.30 – 5.30 p.m.
Counter location:
Main counter
E Building / Door 40
Contact:
+41 22 917 49 00
distribution-counters@un.org
FAQs
The Regulations for the Control and Limitation of Documentation, ST/AI/189/Add.3/Rev.2, define documents and publications: "A document is a text submitted to a principal organ or a subsidiary organ of the United Nations for consideration by it, usually in connection with item(s) on its agenda." United Nations documents are issued for or under the authority of intergovernmental bodies under a United Nations document symbol and include all official records and meeting records of organs or conferences of the United Nations. Attribution in United Nations documents is regulated according to established rules and practices under the authority of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management. United Nations documents normally bear, in addition to a title corresponding to the subject or agenda item, a subtitle indicating the entity or official responsible for submitting the document. In documents prepared for a body that does not have a sessional agenda, the main title may contain that information.
"The term 'United Nations publication' refers to any written material which is issued by the United Nations to the general public." Examples of United Nations publications include major studies and reports, monographs, edited volumes, statistical compilations, conference proceedings, journals, serial publications such as yearbooks, the United Nations Treaty Series and other international law publications. United Nations publications are generally published in response to legislative mandates or requests by intergovernmental bodies. They may be distributed free of charge or for a price. If sold, United Nations publications are assigned an International Standard Book Number (ISBN/eISBN) or, for serials and periodicals, an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN/eISSN). Publications may be published in print or electronic form, including as mobile applications, and in any other format or media as technology evolves.
If the submitter knows in advance that a document has to be submitted late, he or she can reach out to the Documents Management Section (DMS) and negotiate late slotting. If the late submission is not anticipated, the document will be processed as per capacity with no commitment on the release date. If the document is slotted, the delay will be reflected in the official submission compliance of the submitting department.
If a correction is flagged while a document is still being processed, the information can be included. A new final original file has to be submitted to the Documents Management Section (DMS). If the correction is communicated when the document has already been published, a formal correction by means of a corrigendum or revision will be required.