Unlock the Potential of your IP

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Intellectual property is than ever being identified at the highest corporate level as a strategic asset to be exploited. By deploying an IP management system to enhance and support your existing IP strategy, you can manage your portfolio, track and forecast costs, generate comprehensive reports and monitor your competitors with ease, as Mark Cordy from CPA Software Solutions explains to Emma Jones.

Mark Cordy spends much of his working year visiting clients to discuss their IP management practices and potential software needs. As business development manager at CPA Software Solutions he understands how important the proactive management of IP is both to his clients and to the IP industry in general: ‘Previously, the focus has been primarily on the filing, and where necessary, the defence of IP rights. The companies I speak to are increasingly acknowledging that IP is a critical business asset, often central to corporate strategy. This has produced changes in the way clients develop and manage their IP portfolios, and it has also led to the creation of new standards and challenges for IP software systems.’

A complete IP management solution
Mark looks after the North European sales of CPA Memotech 2004, a complete IP management solution designed specifically for corporations, which he believes is well placed to help clients make the jump from maintaining IP to fully exploiting it: ‘Today’s IP professionals are no longer satisfied by using Excel spreadsheets or traditional docketing-focused databases to manage their IP. IP departments – and with increasing frequency, senior management – are requesting information and reports related to litigation, cost tracking and forecasting, surveillance, licensing and more. If a company wants to make the most out of its IP, it needs to invest not only in R&D, but also in the management of this critical asset.’ For Mark, one of the key innovations in IP data management is the development of a central repository of IP information accessible via a web browser. ‘CPA Memotech 2004 consolidates client patent, trademark, design and domain name portfolios in one central database. This has the potential to allow employees working in various departments such as R&D, marketing and legal departments, to each access information, using a common interface. But this also means that the data generated throughout the life cycle of their IP assets, be it documents, comments from outside counsel, or licensing agreements can be kept in one location, accessible to all.’

Today’s IP professionals are no longer satisfied by using Excel spreadsheets or traditional docketing-focused databases to manage their IP. IP departments – and with increasing frequency, senior management – are requesting information and reports related to litigation, cost tracking and forecasting, surveillance, licensing and more

The consolidation of IP data has potential further benefits. As Mark explains: ‘CPA Memotech 2004 can be used as a tool to facilitate corporate IP audit maps and patent planning. It is a platform by which businesses or companies can begin to systematically and efficiently assess and quantify their portfolios based on, for example, geographic coverage, costs and the competitive landscape.’

But installing new IP software is not simply a matter of setting systems in place that facilitate the management of IP. It also offers clients the opportunity to step back and reassess their existing practices and identify where potential improvements can be made: ‘When visiting clients we often spend a significant amount of time discussing their existing workflow and data management needs. Our goal with CPA Memotech 2004 is to deliver a flexible system that can be configured to meet our clients’ needs. Most clients, however, are also keen to see how they can improve their existing practices through the use of technology. This is where we are able to add considerable value. By collaborating closely with our clients, and then applying our extensive industry experience, we are able to deliver systems that not only address the needs of today, but also provide a platform that can evolve with the ever developing needs of the corporate IP department.’

For more information on CPA Memotech 2004, please contact Elodie Brice at ebrice@cpaglobal.com

This article first appeared in IP Review, issue 10

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