How to Transition Your Organization to New IP Management Software 

From training your team to migrating your data and minimizing disruption for employees and clients, there’s a lot to think about when transitioning to a new IP management system (IPMS). Luckily, this is a process we’ve followed many times for our suite of Equinox IP management software, as Grace Mallinson explains.

Migrating to a new IP management system can feel daunting but it might be easier than you think. With users across Australia, Europe, North America, the UK, and beyond, we have supported hundreds of law firms and companies to transition to our IP management platforms—and we’ve found the best way to make the transition as simple as possible. 

Our Secret to Simplifying Complexity

Implementing a software change across your organization can be complex, whether you have five employees or 50. You may be worried about how your team will adapt to working on a new IPMS, and how long it will take to get used to it.

Naturally, there will be a little time needed for adjustment, but we’ll produce a tailored onboarding plan that aims to minimize this period, so you feel confident using the system by the time you go live. 

Right at the start of your implementation, we’ll gather your requirements to understand the scale and complexity of the project and then agree on a go-live date with you. From here, we’ll provide a step-by-step plan to help you with your internal planning, including a transition period if required.  

While we can customize our onboarding process to meet your exact timings and requirements, it typically covers four key phases: configuration, training, data migration, onboarding, and ongoing support. Typically, we’ll configure your system first, run a test migration, train your users, and perform your final migration, all the while supporting you to implement the new tool. To ensure we meet your go-live date, we’ll regularly track progress against the agreed schedule. 

• Onboarding 

Our dedicated onboarding team supports new clients during the implementation phase. 

Their role is to make it as simple as possible to implement our IPMS into your organization. We do this by customizing the system (so your team can hit the ground running) and helping you format and migrate your data from your old system into your chosen Equinox IPMS. 

Every organization’s needs differ but our adaptable approach enables us to onboard you quickly and with minimal hassle to your day-to-day processes. 

• System configuration 

You’ve spent your career perfecting your approach to IP management, so we’ll adapt your new IPMS to fit how you want to work while advising you on ways to optimize your processes and workflows. 

Everything from the language you use in your system to what appears on your dashboard can be controlled, so you can make your system look familiar to your team and make the transition easier. We’ll help you hand-pick any tools and features you want to include in your system; there are purpose-built tools and API connectors for renewals, document management, correspondence, and much more. 

One of the main features you control is your catalog of pre-set processes. These help you manage your portfolio by providing deadlines, task reminders, and even prompting built-in automation. We maintain a comprehensive set of official office processes from over 40 jurisdictions that you can import into your system at the click of a button. Plus, we can help set up your unique administrative processes for tasks such as new project client onboarding. Our goal is to set you up with precisely what you need to succeed.

• Training  

When getting started, you can count on our experts to show your team the ropes! Our comprehensive introduction to our IP management systems includes training sessions, recorded training videos, and a devoted Help Center full of documentation. We’ll support your team as they learn to use the system and show you how to get the most from your chosen platform. 

Once you’re live, the support continues. After using the system for a few months, you may want to adapt your system configuration slightly or tweak the odd preference. Our Help Center is full of articles and training videos to help, and our support team is on hand to empower you to get the most from your powerful system. You can contact us at any time for a refresher or guidance on something new.  

• Data Migration 

Our dedicated Data Services team handles all kinds of data migrations. They can help you whether you’re transferring data from another system or setting up from scratch. They handle every migration case-by-case and adapt to your organization's specific needs. 

Make the Transition to Added Efficiency

We’ve helped hundreds of organizations, from lone attorneys to major international companies implement our Equinox IP management software, so we know what to expect and will help you all the way. 

Our clients have noted a significant boost in efficiency once they start using their new IPMS. Our tools are designed to make it as easy as possible to manage your IP portfolio by providing a suite of powerful and intuitive tools, handy integrations, and advanced automation.

What Are You Waiting for? Start the Process Today  

If your current IP portfolio management software isn’t working, it’s time to make the change. Contact our subject matter experts today to learn more about our Equinox IPMS tools and onboarding process, as well as how we can help boost the efficiency of your team.  

Grace Mallinson is the Sales and Onboarding Manager at Equinox, a Questel company.