EFR Workflow Management Module
While today’s docketing systems help store dockets, calendars and bibliographic data associated with your patents, they don’t do much to manage or automate the complex steps needed to create, edit and process patent related forms and documents.
And since the processes associated with patent documents have typically been paper-based, it’s often difficult gaining perspective to see how slow, inefficient and error prone they may be.
Of course, most organizations have replaced paper inboxes with email. But more often than not, email simply speeds up the inefficiencies with duplicate, hard to find, digital documents that either get lost, or saved and printed in ten different places. Identifying or reporting on the status of one process (let alone more) either burns outside counsel time and money, or wastes your own.
To bring order to this chaos, First To File ® has worked with our customer’s to develop the ideal solution:
Introducing the EFR Workflow Management Module (WMM) – finally, patent teams can automate and manage the workflows needed to create the multitude of documents and forms associated with the lifecycle of a patent.
Create custom, multi-step, multi-participant workflows, including invention disclosure statements, office actions, among many others…
Ensure complex, time-sensitive patent prosecution processes are handled efficiently and on time
Gain visibility and control over your patent documents which are ‘in-process’
Avoid missed deadlines
Eliminate paper and associated costs
Increase efficiency, save time, ….and save money
It’s easy - We’ll work with you to set up even the most complex workflow. Whether it’s one process or twenty; three steps or thirty; two people or twenty; inside or outside your organization, our service can manage just about any workflow process. And, either we can create the workflows for you, or you can do it yourself with our easy-to-use admin tools.
Once the workflow is created, simply activate it while you are working on the case or from within WMM’s ‘pick-list’. The First To File service automates the work to be done, ensuring that each step in the process is managed according to your company’s specifications and deadlines.
It’s powerful – WMM is fully integrated with FTF’s EFR service. Workflow processes are now totally transparent since all the tasks can all be seen from within the Tri-Fold ® view of each case. Alternatively, you can easily pull reports and get an organization wide view of the workflows in process by case, owner, due date, step or other user-definable attributes.
During each step of the workflow the document being processed and all other case related documents are just a mouse-click away. Notes and comments are easily added and viewed, just as you would in the ‘paper’ world.
All EFR-related tasks can be assigned to individuals, groups, or ‘work’ pools inside and outside an organization, including outside counsel. Sub-tasks or routines can be embedded within major steps to mirror any process you currently have in place.
Each workflow participant has a task inbox as part of a personalized dashboard. And if the owner is out sick, tasks can be easily re-assigned when necessary or rejected and sent back to the previous owner.
It’s available today. To find our more either call or email us at: 650.292.2968 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
