There are several steps to preparing a Cochrane Review, some for the authors and some for the editorial team.

Authors submit the protocol/review to Editorial Manager, which is the editorial management system used by Cochrane Central Editorial Service. Between receipt and publication (if approved), authors can expect the following steps, each of which can take several weeks depending on the complexity of the review (eg number of trials, complexity of study designs), availability of peer referees and the Editor, level of technical edit required, and availability of authors to respond to peer review and editorial comments.

• A Manager Editor will read the protocol/review and may request amendments before peer review.
• Each protocol/review will be refereed by at least five people, including a clinical/content specialists, methodologist/statistician, information specialist, and consumer peer reviewer in an open peer referee process (ie names of authors and peer referees not concealed).
• Authors make revisions in response to the Editors' and peer reviewers' feedback.
• Approval for publicaton by the Sign-off Editor.
• The protocol/review has a technical edit (authors may need to respond to copy edit queries that arise).
• Authors sign the license for publication form.

Cochrane reviews are published under a continuous publishing model where reviews and protocols are published as they are made ready. The publication date may be amended, depending on an individual protocol's or review's circumstances.