Patent Docketing System in easy terms is defined to mean a process that effectively and efficiently supervises the patent application procedure. It is believed to be a trustworthy process on which several law firms depend upon.

There are various kinds of complexities involved in filing an application for the grant of Patent. Hence, the applicants are required to manage their application in an adequate manner. With the filing of the application comes an enormous amount of documents that also have to be submitted along with. This kind of work requires specialists who would make the work of filing seamless and hassle-free.

Also, because law firms possess foreign clients that make the work cumbersome, Docketing plays a vital role here. In such cases, clients might have to face huge losses and financial debts, and they may also start losing clients and work. Hence, it is recommended to use an excellent and dependable patent docketing system.

The Procedure of Patent Docketing System

The patent docketing specialist at the firm is always available for the client and remains in direct contact with him/her. Documents that are required by the firm are made available to systemize the portfolio of the client digitally. The collection of the client is regulated in a proper way through several modernized tools and techniques. This helps the clients to see their patent application status at any given time. Managing the client’s portfolio electronically entails benefits compared to the manual entering of the client’s records or data, which may lead to errors or mistakes. Hence, in the current scenario, the law firms must possess the updated versions of the technology in order to make their docketing user friendly and easy to comprehend.

Also, the Patent Docketing System will prompt the clients to remember their dates, deadlines, and submission of documents on time (if any).

The need for the system

A unified system of Docketing is required for a specific law firm as they have to cater to the needs of several clients across the globe. In a single application of Patent, there are various kinds of essential documents involved; hence, patent law firms must ensure that they have a protected and dependable record system to store the client’s data. A successful docketing system provides for a robust database and user-friendly software that can generate optimal results.

The essentials of sound Patent Docketing System are as follows:

1. It reduces the manual and clerical work of the law firms to say companies need not manually enter the client’s information pertaining to the patent application.
2. As the software is quite handy and user friendly, the client can see the status of their patent application at any given time and the docketer.
3. The patent docketing software creates a report and informs the client about the present status of the patent application.
4. It possesses an adequate amount of space for the safekeeping of the documents of the clients.
5. An added advantage of the patent docketing system is that it is available in different languages.
6. Also, the software automatically creates an invoice after the Patent has been granted to the applicant.
7. The Patent Docketing System reminds the clients and the docketer of the several due dates and deadlines, which have to be followed during the processing of the patent application.

Rules to follow � Maintaining Patent Docketing System (The Essentials)

The system of Patent Docketing encompasses the storing of every document related to the filing of Patent into the records of the docketer, i.e., the database. This further aids the patent firms to recover the data at any point in time.

The essentials or ingredients that apply in the case of the patent docketing system must be followed. These are:

1. Generating and keeping a distinct portfolio for every client is of extreme importance.
2. The database-so maintained must be accurate and particular. It should include the below:
3. The name of the client
4. The contact details of the applicant
5. Kind of invention
6. Nature of the industry
7. Electronic records of the application, illustrations forms, etc.
8. Application status
9. Due dates and deadlines
10. The patent docketing software must certify that each and every legal fee and their payment status is up to date in its database.
11. The software must also provide for the unification in order to keep a harmonious advancement of the work and permit up-gradation of the patent applications whenever relevant.
12. The adaptability of the patent docketing software is by itself is significant. The system should be such which permits the accounting of the notes in every portfolio of the clients, which is required to show the stage at which the application is in progress.

Role of Docketers in Patent Docketing System

When a law firm receives a patent application, it also leads to a massive amount of documents being involved with the same. During this stage, the role of IP Docketers come into play, and their responsibilities are as follows:

1. Ensure that all the documents which are received are tagged individually with a file number.
2. Safekeeping of the documents in the correct part of the digital or manual folder in the patent file.
3. It is the duty of the docketer to enter each and every document into the records in the software so that the attorneys and the applicant can have easy access to the same as and when necessary.
4. Docketers also make sure that the due dates and deadlines shown in the system are accurate so that there are no chances of being misled. These dates are shown by way of reminders to the attorneys, and the applicant does not miss them.
5. Docketers must also preserve the scanned copies of the documents in their records and establish templates.

Patent Docketing Software

There are several customs made IP docketing systems that exist in order to operate the system of Docketing. They generally include features such as:

1. Calculating due dates or deadlines
2. Maintaining the database of the applications of the clients
3. Keeping a track of the actions from the Patent and Trademark Office
4. Safeguarding the documents related to the IP applications.