How to Add Foreign Patent Applications in the TIP Tool™?

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A user recently asked why PCT-style numbers weren’t accepted, prompting this quick guide on the correct way to add foreign applications in the TIP Tool™.

Before we get into the steps, it’s helpful to understand why adding foreign filings is essential.

Why Add Foreign Applications in the TIP Tool™?

Many organizations file patents in multiple jurisdictions (e.g., EP, CN, JP, IN) as part of their global IP strategy. To support this, the TIP Tool™ allows you to bring foreign applications into your portfolio so that all filings — U.S. and international — can be tracked in one unified workspace.

Adding foreign filings helps you:

Maintain a complete global patent family for each invention
Track prosecution statuses across jurisdictions
Use centralized analytics, tagging, and workflow management
Avoid missing critical foreign deadlines or losing visibility

There are two ways to add foreign applications, depending on whether a U.S. counterpart exists.

How to Add Foreign Patent Applications (Step-by-Step)

Below is a clear breakdown of both methods so you can follow the one that matches whether your foreign filing is linked to a U.S. case or needs to be added manually.

If your foreign case belongs to a U.S. patent family:

Step 1: Add the U.S. application in the TIP Tool™ by entering it through the Portfolio Manager.

Step 2: Once the U.S. case is added, the TIP Tool™ automatically pulls in the related PCT and foreign family members from Espacenet.

This is the fastest method because the system automatically imports the foreign cases, with no extra steps on your part.

Option 2: Add Foreign Applications Using Bulk Import

If the foreign filing is not linked to any U.S. application, or you want manual control, use the Bulk Import feature. Here’s how:

Step 1: First, select the portfolio where the foreign applications should be added. Then, from the navigation bar, click on Portfolio Manager.

Step 2: Then click the blue “Add Applications” button in the top-right corner.

A pop-up will appear with options for adding new applications.

Step 3: Select “Bulk Import”

Step 4: There, you will see a blue “Excel File” text. Click and download the Excel file Template.

You’ll get a standardized Excel sheet with columns like:.

Application Number
Title
Summary
Filing Date
Publication Number
Status
Patent Number
Tags
Inventor
Foreign Case (Yes/No)
Hard Tags

Step 5: Enter all details for your applications.

Mandatory fields will be highlighted in red. If it’s a foreign case, you can put ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Fill in all required information carefully.

Step 6: Save and upload this filled Excel file. And to do so, you need to return to the same pop-up and upload the filled template.

Step 7: Once uploaded:

The system will process all entries
Foreign applications will appear under the “Foreign Applications” tab in your Portfolio Manager

Note: It may take a few minutes for the applications to reflect.

What Happens After Adding Foreign Applications?

Once added, foreign filings:

Appear in your Foreign Applications tab and become fully searchable and filterable
Can be tagged, scored, grouped, and analyzed
Participate in family-tree visualization
Can be included in portfolio exports or strategy reviews

This ensures your global IP assets stay organized and visible across teams and portfolios.

Common Use Cases

1. Managing Large Foreign Patent Families

When a single invention results in multiple foreign filings, capturing all those national-phase entries can become tedious if done one by one. Bulk Import allows you to load all foreign counterparts in a single upload, ensuring the entire family is captured accurately and quickly.

Benefit: Saves significant time and reduces manual effort when managing multi-country patent families.

2. Global Patent Strategy Reviews

Having all foreign filings displayed together enables teams to review prosecution progress across different regions. This broader visibility supports informed decisions around continuation filings, resource allocation, and whether certain jurisdictions should be prioritized or deprioritized.

Benefit: Helps managers make strategic decisions about continuation, renewal, budget allocation, and abandonment across jurisdictions.

3. Unified Portfolio Reporting

Foreign applications automatically become part of your overall portfolio data. Whenever you export your portfolio for reporting or analysis, U.S. and foreign filings are included together without needing to merge multiple sources.

Benefit: Ensures complete, consistent, and comprehensive reporting across all jurisdictions in a single export.

Updated on November 19, 2025