23 SaaS Automation Tools and Technology for Modern Publishers

Book publishing is no longer what it used to be when processes meant drowning in a sea of paper manuscripts and crossing your fingers that your print run estimates were on point.

Those days are gone – as you’re well aware – because there are plenty of SaaS automation tools and software to help you as a publisher.

So whether you're a publishing veteran looking to automate your publishing processes or a newbie trying to save time and money, stick around.

What Is SaaS, and How Can It Help Publishers?

SaaS, or software as a service, is a suite of cloud-based tools you can access anytime, anywhere—no installation, no maintenance headaches. Just what you need, when you need it.

Adopting SaaS in publishing is a game-changer. It’s not just about upgrading tech; it’s about transforming how you create, distribute, and manage content.

SaaS is cost-effective, letting you pay only for what you use without hefty upfront costs. It’s scalable, too, so you can easily expand as needed without worrying about software updates—those are handled for you. Plus, your team can collaborate from anywhere, and your data stays secure.

Now, let’s see a few useful SaaS automation tools you can use for your publishing company.

23 SaaS Automation Tools for Publishers

There is a comprehensive suite of SaaS automation tools transforming each stage of the publishing process. Below are some of our favorites.

A. Project management

For managing multiple projects, tracking deadlines, and assigning tasks to team members.

1. Asana

Asana is a Saas automation tool that allows book publishers to create projects for individual books, assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track progress. Asana's visual interface makes it easy to see the status of each task and identify potential bottlenecks.

2. Basecamp

Basecamp is another popular project management tool. It offers a clean, intuitive interface with features like to-do lists, calendar, and messaging. Basecamp is known for its simplicity and ease of use.

💡If you are not happy with these solutions, you can also check out SmartTask, Teamwork, Jira & Trello.

B. Manuscript submission & management

These platforms allow authors to submit manuscripts directly, often with built-in review and tracking features.

3. Submittable

Submittable provides a centralized platform to manage submissions, track deadlines, and communicate with authors effectively. The platform offers features like customizable submission forms, automated notifications, and analytics to help presses evaluate submissions.

4. Scholar One Manuscripts

ScholarOne Manuscripts is a SaaS automation tool designed for academic publishing. While it's primarily used for peer review and manuscript management in academic journals, it can also be adapted to serve the needs of publishing houses. It helps manage the editorial workflow, including tracking submissions, scheduling reviews, and making decisions on manuscripts.

C. Editorial review

For identifying and correcting errors in grammar, spelling, and style.

5. Grammarly

Grammarly is a real-time writing assistant that provides instant feedback on provided texts, helping you catch errors early on. It can be customized to adhere to specific style guides and offers suggestions for improving clarity, engagement, and overall writing style. Premium features include plagiarism detection, vocabulary enhancement, and goal-setting.

6. Paper True

PaperTrue is a combination of AI-powered tools and human proofreading services. It offers customizable features to meet your specific needs and preferences and can be integrated with other writing tools and platforms.

7. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a comprehensive writing assistant that offers a deep analysis of the text, checking for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style issues. It provides suggestions for improving clarity, conciseness, and readability, as well as a thesaurus and word choice tool.

D. Design & layout

For creating book covers, interior layouts, and other visual elements.

8. Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is the industry standard for professional book design and layout. It offers unparalleled control over typography, layout, and print preparation. For publishing houses, InDesign excels in creating complex book layouts with precise control over every element.

Adobe Creative Cloud is still considered SaaS despite being locally installed due to its subscription model, cloud-based features, and online authentication. It combines locally installed software with cloud services, regular updates, and centralized management, aligning with key SaaS principles.

9. Canva

Canva is a user-friendly, web-based design tool ideal for creating marketing materials, social media graphics, and simple book covers. Canva's strengths lie in its intuitive interface, extensive template library, and collaboration features.

While it is a strong resource for less complex designs, Canva may fall short when it comes to complex book layouts or highly customized designs.

E. Book production

After the editorial phase, manuscripts undergo formatting and conversion to transform documents into various ebook formats such as EPUB and MOBI.

10. PublishDrive Free Ebook Converter

The PublishDrive Free Ebook Converter is a truly free tool. Unlike other free converters, it produces ebook files specifically for commercial purposes, which means it’ll provide the highest quality reading experience and be free of formatting errors.

After uploading your manuscript in DOCX format, you’ll be prompted to answer a few questions. Based on the information you input, the converter can instantly create high-quality EPUB and MOBI files that contain the following: table of contents, copyright page, title page, and cover image.

11. Calibre

Calibre is an open-source ebook management tool that has become indispensable for many in the publishing industry. It offers a comprehensive suite of features, including ebook conversion between various formats (such as EPUB, MOBI, and PDF), metadata editing, and library organization.

12. PublishDrive Book Metadata Generator

Publishers need to help each book’s discoverability with metadata, which includes information such as subtitles, blurbs, BISAC codes, and keywords.

PublishDrive’s Book Metadata Generator is part of the Publishing Assistant, an umbrella tool that will encompass several functions.

The AI-powered Book Metadata Generator analyzes content and provides suggestions for title, blurb, and categorization based on industry standards.

13. PublishDrive POD Converter

When it comes to print books, advanced print-on-demand (POD) services like IngramSpark, Repro India, or Amazon KDP have revolutionized the industry, allowing publishers to print books as needed, reducing inventory costs and risk.

These POD services easily integrate with global distribution networks, enabling books to reach a worldwide audience with minimal upfront investment and you can reach them all and others within the PublishDrive book network.

PublishDrive's POD Converter offers a straightforward process for converting books to print-on-demand (POD) format. Once your file is ready, you can choose whom to print with.

1. First, you start with the regular book upload process on your dashboard by selecting My books > Upload book > Print format. You can upload your files in PDF, epub, or docx formats.
2. Next provide specifications like trim size, binding type, and additional elements like a copyright page or table of contents.
3. Review a preview of the print version and accept it or make changes.
4. Upload or create a cover file: Upload your cover file or use the POD converter to create one. For further details, follow this step-by-step guide to create one of your own.

F. Book distribution

Publishers can use their local distribution networks and take advantage of SaaS technologies and capabilities to publish wide and make the most of the global market.

Two options are available. Publishers can sign individual deals with major retailers such as Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, subscription services like Scribd or Kobo Plus, and audiobook distributors or can reach all in a go, at the click of a button, with an aggregator like PublishDrive.

14. PublishDrive

PublishDrive is a comprehensive cloud-based software solution for the publishing industry designed to streamline global book distribution processes.

It caters to both self-published authors and established publishers, and it offers a subscription-based platform with a simple yet effective service for managing and distributing all book formats – print books, ebooks, and audiobooks.

15. Lulu

Lulu provides end-to-end services for producing, managing, and distributing printed and digital materials. Its user-friendly interface guides clients through the entire publishing process, from manuscript formatting to cover design, while providing options for both print-on-demand and digital distribution globally.

💡If you want to check out more aggregators, we have a list of top book aggregators compared.

G. Marketing

Once a book is published, it is important to keep the momentum to drive up sales. Here are some of the tools to help you achieve this.

16. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a versatile email marketing platform that excels in creating and managing email campaigns to promote new releases and nurture author brands.

17. Constant Contact

Constant Contact provides users with a straightforward email marketing solution focused on building relationships. It offers customizable templates for creating professional newsletters, book announcements, and author updates.

18. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a comprehensive social media management platform with a centralized dashboard for managing multiple author accounts and book promotions across various social networks.

19. Publishrive Promotions

For publishers, book promotions are a powerful tool to amplify the reach of their titles, attract new readers, and revitalize interest in older publications.

Look in the PublishDrive Dashboard for the most appropriate ways to spotlight your publishing offer.

H. Royalty management

Say goodbye to the headache of complex spreadsheets for royalty calculations and focus your efforts on what you do best, publishing.

20. PublishDrive Abacus

PublishDrive's Abacus helps you manage co-author payments. With its transparent and collaborative approach, Abacus simplifies the process of splitting publishing royalties.

Abacus is a standalone service, you do not have to distribute through PublishDrive to use it. Import data from your Amazon KDP account (Kindle Unlimited), IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, Kobo Publishing / Subscription / Plus, Google, and Apple Books (iTunes), and have a clear understanding and management of your royalties.

I. Analytics

Data-driven decisions require knowledge of your users and sales.

For tracking website traffic, user behavior, and sales performance

21. Google Analytics

Google Analytics, a free service, offers comprehensive insights into website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates, helping publishers understand their audience and optimize their online presence.

22. Adobe Analytics

Adobe Analytics, a premium solution, provides features like predictive analytics and customer segmentation, allowing for deeper analysis of reader engagement and content performance.

For analyzing sales data to identify trends and make informed marketing decisions

23. Publishdrive Sales

In the PublishDrive Sales Analytics Dashboard, you can filter results by date, sales type (free or paid), book, series, countries, stores, and formats. You can see data for both sales and preorders.

You can filter earnings by stores or by series and display those results daily, weekly, or monthly. You can even look at your best-selling titles and series and see the countries where you’re making sales and connecting with readers.

SaaS Trends Beyond 2024

The world of software is evolving rapidly, and SaaS automation tools are at the forefront of this transformation.

When it comes to publishing, standing out requires more than great content. It's time to use technology to drive growth and success by thoroughly understanding and targeting your audience, making informed decisions, and streamlining operations to give you time to look for the next literary gem.