Building a company IP register: start with the works and rights you use
An internal register shows what the business is using
Marketing may hold images, IT may hold software and production may hold product designs, with rights information scattered between them. An internal intellectual property register links works to records and responsible staff. It is not a registration application to a government agency and does not automatically make the company a rights owner. Start with works actually in use and those about to be introduced, without waiting to collect every file in the organization.
Separate the asset list from conclusions about rights
WIPO explains that an IP audit covers assets a business owns as well as those it uses, supporting a survey of items alongside rights evidence. In the proposed register, give each item an internal name, work type, version or date and place of use, such as a set of website images. Keep the creator, commissioning party, documented rights holder and document reviewer in separate fields. If the rights holder is unconfirmed, mark it for review rather than entering the company name because the file is on its computer.
Link evidence to the particular work
Assign an item ID and link it to actual source files, handover records, agreements or permissions, noting versions and storage locations. For example, product photographs might come from a contractor while decorative images are purchased elsewhere. Record them separately with evidence for each source; do not treat them as one bundle of rights just because they share a campaign folder. A receipt or high-resolution file alone is insufficient for the team to decide the scope of rights.
Record reviewed uses and unresolved questions
Add the intended use, reference document, identified conditions and pending questions. Is use intended only on the website or also in advertising? May a new contractor edit the work? Have the responsible reviewer answer from the item-specific documents before relying on a conclusion. If unknown, record it as unconfirmed. Do not assume that one purchase covers every channel, every period and every company in a group.
Assign a custodian and reasons to review
Each item should have a data custodian, contact details and an internally chosen review date. Distinguish that internal date from expiry or action dates under the documents, which require separate confirmation. A brand rename, new producer, additional publication channel or new rights document may trigger another review. Retain change history and restrict access to confidential evidence by role rather than placing all documents at a public link.
Use the register for planning, not as a rights certificate
When consulting Chawinnix, bring the active asset list, available evidence and unresolved fields to support IP planning and registration within the company's services. Start with upcoming launches or important continuing uses so that advance checks are visible. The register helps prevent information gaps; it does not replace assessment of rights or registration eligibility in a particular case. Disputes require separate consideration with the relevant adviser.
