Do you perhaps not recognize the benefits of the cloud clearly enough? If so, what are the benefits of the cloud and, in particular, of digital IP processing in the cloud?

Old world meets new world.

The old world of patent management programs or trademark management programs or invention disclosure programs or idea management programs is not in itself an old world. It is still widespread, especially in law firms, smaller companies and SMEs, and many do not recognize the benefits of the cloud for their own applications and working methods. Meanwhile, the scope of requirements for contributors is growing noticeably and in many workplaces, the daily work routine is turning into a veritable hunt for information or exchange with know-how carriers.

Never touch a running system (?)

There are various reasons for the frequently observed fundamental approach to the selection of new programs or, better still, the decision to use traditional programs and the associated decision not to introduce a new product and thus not to use a more modern cloud application.

At first glance, relying on tried and tested products seems to be the golden principle. And that is often true. However, people do not take sufficient account of the changing times and the associated risks and may stick to outdated standards that simply no longer meet modern requirements.

The benefits of turning to new software in the cloud do not appear to be great enough to accept the hardships and risks of a new decision. In fact, many cloud application manufacturers do not manage to adequately convey the true benefits of cloud applications or to sufficiently exploit the technological possibilities of providing extensive benefits for companies and law firms in line with the state of the art.

So what are the benefits of the cloud when you break it down to the essentials?

Perhaps simply in advance: The benefits are manifold, one benefit can be that all participants work on the same data source (but do not have to) and each group of participants (roles) only sees or is allowed to see the information relevant to them.

In multi-tenant cloud software, this concept can also be perfected with different data sources, but you can find out more about this in another blog post in our blog articles.

Cloud applications are very flexible in determining individual user groups, in restricting and also in allowing certain user groups access to certain content. Collaboration on processes, such as an idea that becomes an invention, resulting in a patent or a utility model, which in turn has to be assessed, processed and used by different user groups, is much easier to set up and manage than with conventional software.

Modern, certified GDPR-compliant cloud applications use completely different security standards, especially when it comes to communication. Email technology, which has recently become a risk factor, can even be reduced to pure messaging services (without the transmission of files by email) by an appropriately high-quality cloud application. An entire chapter would have to be devoted to this advantage in order to present it adequately...

In the IP world in particular, many independent departments are dependent on a timely exchange with each other. Not only internally, but also external service providers such as the patent law firm as a service provider for companies or a search company work very closely together on an invention, conduct joint assessments and invention reviews, patent reviews, trademark reviews (note: review = assessment), check the benefits and use of industrial property rights across departments and usually do so under time pressure.

Cloud applications can be used from anywhere with any device and regardless of the operating systems or databases used.

With cloud applications, you can digitally transform the way you work and derive such significant benefits from the resulting transparency that the resulting time savings, data security and stringency in the way you work are unparalleled.

We can provide you with one of our presentations on this topic (this blog article reflects content from this presentation). You can contact us if you wish. In this case, we would invite you to our next webinar, where we often take up this topic and look at it together with customers and interested parties (m/f/d).

We are not yet at the end of this article. This is just the first installment. Stay tuned if you are interested in this topic, more facts are coming soon!

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