Empuls supports patent filing awards where employees claim rewards by submitting proof of filing, a designated reviewer verifies the documentation, and approved submissions are paid out as points or monetary rewards.
Setting Up a Patent Filing Award
Program administrators configure the award by defining eligibility criteria — for example, first-time patent filers, co-inventors on a granted patent, or employees who file within a specific fiscal quarter. The award value can be set as redeemable points within the Empuls rewards catalogue or as a direct monetary payout, depending on how the recognition program is structured.The Claim and Approval Workflow
Once an award program is live, employees initiate a claim directly within Empuls. The claim form prompts them to upload relevant documentation — such as a patent application receipt, USPTO filing confirmation, or an internal IP disclosure form accepted by the legal team. After submission, the claim enters a review queue where a designated reviewer (typically from Legal, HR, or the employee’s direct management chain) inspects the uploaded documents and either approves or returns the claim for clarification. This document verification step ensures compliance and audit readiness, which is particularly valuable for organizations operating under frameworks like ISO 27001 or SOC 2 Type II, where documented evidence of controlled processes is required.A Real-World Example
Consider a software engineering team whose patent activity is tracked in Workday or SAP SuccessFactors. When an engineer files a provisional patent application, they open the “Patent Filing Award” program in Empuls and attach the USPTO filing receipt. The designated reviewer receives an automated notification via MS Teams or Slack and reviews the document inside Empuls. Once approved, the employee instantly receives points redeemable for gift cards, experiences, or charitable donations through the Empuls rewards catalogue.Why a Structured Workflow Matters
Ad-hoc recognition for patent activity often breaks down because it relies on managers remembering to act. Empuls formalizes this process with a repeatable, auditable workflow that removes that dependency. Every claim, document upload, and approval decision is logged, giving HR and Finance a clean record for budgeting and compliance reporting. Empuls also supports multi-stage review workflows for organizations where both a line manager and a Legal team member must sign off before a reward is disbursed. This adds an additional layer of governance without slowing down the recognition experience for the employee. Learn more: Empuls Help Centre — AwardHow do innovation award programs work in Empuls?
Learn how to configure structured award programs that reward employees for ideas, inventions, and creative contributions across your organization.
How does the points redemption catalogue work?
Explore how employees redeem earned points for gift cards, experiences, and charitable donations through the Empuls rewards catalogue.