To better stay on top of a company’s intellectual property management, SAP
Wednesday announced the launched of its expanded, more comprehensive
intellectual property management tool for its SAP for Media software
suite.
Previously, it was a module in the software company’s new mySAP
Customer Relationship Management suite, before getting the makeover and
enhancements.
According to SAP officials, the new module delivers an end-to-end solution
“to better manage contracts and contract compliance, settle and report
incoming and outgoing royalties, and track IP right inventories and
performance efficiently and profitably.”
But mainly, it’s all about the money. Namely, the money that can be
derived from the incoming royalties, and as such, SAP officials are looking
to give its customers another revenue stream.
“In these trying economic times it becomes essential for companies to take
advantage of any source of revenue they have,” said Barry Wilderman, META
Group senior vice president and director of technology research
services. “Intellectual assets are probably the fastest way that companies
in the entertainment and media industry can increase shareholder value.”
For its new package, SAP developers went to one of its older customers for
ideas. Building on the intellectual property management module found in
its CRM product, SAP developed a product that lets media companies track
their artists’ songs, movies or other type of media property throughout the
property’s life cycle.
Given the ascendance of the Internet, media
companies can offer up and keep tabs on any files they disseminate over the
Internet or over the phone.
“With intellectual property management, SAP is adding key functionality to
the SAP for Media portfolio that simplifies the spiraling technical
complexity of managing intellectual property in a time of increasing media
and delivery channels,” said Manfred Gaertner, SAP vice president of
industry business unit media. “(Our software) allows companies to manage
their entire (intellectual property management) processes efficiently,
consistently, and profitably, with powerful analytics components to better
forecast financial return and guide the development of new products.”
