Patent Management Tips: How to Organize Patents & Projects

There was a time when my method for organizing clothes involved simply tossing everything into a closet. Whenever I needed to find a particular outfit, I would rummage hopelessly, hoping the desired garment would somehow emerge. This chaotic method extended to how I managed patent documents on my computer—buried in folders once logically named but long since convoluted. Predictably, this disarray led to countless hours lost searching for misnamed and poorly filed documents.

Over time, I’ve perfected my organizational skills, from color-coordinated wardrobes to efficient patent management systems, enhancing both my personal efficiency and professional performance, notably during my tenure at ABB. Inspired by successful companies like Sartorius, Lufthansa Technik, Valmet, and HIAB, I’ve zeroed in on their key strategies: a relentless pursuit of innovation and adaptability to market changes. Now, armed with these insights, I’m poised to excel further and inspire others to embrace innovation.

For those seeking to bring order to the chaos of digital patent storage, here are five highly effective steps to organize patents and folders. But before we delve into the steps, let’s go through the basics.

What is a folder structure?

A folder structure is a hierarchical system you use to organize patent documents. The goal is to have every patent family neatly stored in a designated folder with an assigned portfolio.

Let’s say you are a patent lawyer, and you need a systematic way to organize your clients’ files. A basic folder hierarchy might look like this:

If the contents of each of the nested subfolders (Legal Watch and Monitoring 1) warrant further grouping, you could take it one step further.

Nested folders generally make it easier to find specific files later because you don’t have to sift through all your files at once.

Tip: Folders are great for organization, but having too many nested folders can make finding files cumbersome. If you regularly find yourself clicking through four or five layers of folders to access what you need, that’s a sign you may need to simplify your structure.

How to organize patents and folders on your system

Browsing through folders should be an intuitive process. Continuing with our lawyer example, let’s say you need to find out the legal status of a specific patent document. The obvious folder to look in would be Legal Watch.

If you find yourself doing mental gymnastics to figure out where you stored something, update your organization system with four patent file management tips:

1. Establish a Clear Hierarchical Folder Structure

Start organizing your patent documents by creating a logical, hierarchical folder structure. The best folder structure will mimic the way you work.

For example, if you’re a patent coordinator, your top-level folder may be a business unit, and within that folder, you have subfolders for the business unit you work for, like BU Converter, BU Cables, and so on.

2. Use a consistent naming convention

Give your folders and projects logical names—and be consistent. The goal is to use names that clearly indicate what’s inside without having to open it. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to naming conventions, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Include keywords. Consider what terms you might search for to retrieve the folder/project. For example, project_2404 or prior_art_2401. And if you’re sharing the folder/project with a client, consider using words that make it clear what’s inside.
• Add a date. By putting a date (e.g., yymmdd) at the beginning of your folder/project name, it’ll automatically be listed in chronological order.
• Add “AA.” By adding “AA” at the beginning of your folder/project name, it’ll automatically stack it at the top of your list, making it easily accessible.

Tip: To keep naming conventions consistent across your organization, create a naming convention cheat sheet that everyone can reference as needed. 

3. Add tags

Depending on the number of patent documents you need to organize, you can use a tagging system instead of, or in addition to, folder structures. For example, if you’re categorizing a patent document in a different technology field, you might tag your patent based on technology (e.g., converter, chassis, topology). Then, whether you’ve grouped all your patents into one main folder with respective portfolio or multiple subfolders and respective portfolios, you can quickly pull up every “converter” simply by searching for the Converter tag.

4. Add ranking

While tagging systems have long been championed for their organizational prowess, another strategy that often flies under the radar is ranking. Rather than solely relying on folders or tags, ranking introduces a structure based on relevance or importance. This method not only facilitates easy retrieval of documents but also provides valuable insights into the significance of each patent within a portfolio.

From Chaos to Clarity: Mastering Patent Evaluation with Structure, Tags, and Ranking

Ready to get organized, but not sure how to start? Let’s take it from the top: Establish a clear hierarchical folder structure. To lay the foundation for efficient patent evaluation, begin by establishing a structured folder system, workflow and actions. This initial organization provides a broad framework for categorizing patents according to technology domains and specific applications.

1. Initial Organization with Folders:

• Start by creating a hierarchical folder structure based on broad categories relevant to your organization’s technology landscape. For example, you might have folders for different technology domains such as electronics, software, mechanical engineering, etc.
• Within each broad category folder, create subfolders to further refine the organization based on specific technology areas or applications. For instance, within the electronics folder, you could have subfolders for power electronics, integrated circuits, sensors, etc.

Enhance the granularity of your patent organization by implementing a robust tagging system. Tags serve as versatile markers, allowing for detailed categorization based on specific attributes, keywords, or characteristics.

2. Tagging for Detailed Categorization:

• Once the initial folder structure is in place, use tags to add granular details and attributes to each patent document.
• Tags can represent various aspects such as technology type, industry relevance, patent status, etc. For instance, you could tag patents with keywords like “power converter,” “semiconductor,” “automotive,” or “pending approval.”
• Apply tags consistently to ensure uniform categorization across the entire patent repository.

Prioritize your patent portfolio by implementing a systematic ranking system. By assigning numerical values or categorizing patents into tiers based on predefined criteria, you can effectively identify and focus on patents with the highest strategic value.

3. Ranking for Prioritization:

• Implement a ranking system to prioritize patents based on their strategic importance, technological significance, or commercial potential.
• Define ranking criteria that align with your organization’s objectives and priorities. This could include factors such as novelty, market potential, competitive advantage, etc.
• Assign numerical rankings or categorize patents into tiers (e.g., high, medium, low) based on their evaluation against the predefined criteria.

By incorporating folders, tags, and ranking into your organization, you can effectively manage large volumes of patent documents, prioritize resources, and make well-informed decisions that drive innovation and competitive advantage.

From the meticulous arrangement of folders to the strategic implementation of tags and ranking systems, mastering patent evaluation is not just about organizing documents—it’s about unlocking the full potential of intellectual property portfolios. By embracing structure, tags, and ranking, you can streamline workflows, prioritize resources, and make informed decisions that drive innovation and competitive advantage. With the right tools and strategies, such as those offered by IamIP, you can automate and elevate your patent file management, ensuring that your organization remains at the forefront of innovation in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Revolutionize Your Patent Management with IamIP

Say goodbye to manual patent file management and hello to effortless organization with IamIP. Our platform allows you to seamlessly store an infinite number of patent publications, automatically updating your database whenever a new patent family emerges or legal changes occur. From opposition updates to legal amendments, we ensure your patent information is always current and accessible.

But that’s just the beginning. With IamIP, you have the power to create custom workflows tailored to your specific needs, streamlining the evaluation process of patent documents. Whether you’re conducting research, analyzing competitors, or seeking opportunities for innovation, our intuitive workflows help you navigate through patent data with ease.

Experience the future of patent management with IamIP and unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity in your organization.