Electronic document management
Nisi tempus! Tempus est numerus! (лат.)
In the era of the rapidly growing need for dynamics in business and the emergence of modern tools for electronic interaction with partners, it became obvious that it is impossible to build an effective management process for any enterprise, regardless of its field of activity, using routine procedures for working with documents. So, hard-copy document workflow is gradually dying out and becoming an archaism.
Electronic document workflow makes the work of the entire team easier, and implementing innovations in the company’s activities is always a step forward, especially those caused by a progress, what will turn the working process from routine to simpler one and more interesting.
Back in the early twentieth century, Henry Ford expressed the opinion: “For any one to be required to use more force than is absolutely necessary for the job in hand is waste. Waste and greed block the delivery of true service. “
Nowadays, this statement has gained impressive relevance, and progressive businessmen realize that in order to create a high-quality product, one should maximally optimize their internal business processes in order to free up resources and avoid delays and errors.
That’s why, dear partners, LLC "Venta LTD" offers not to waste time and use provided technical capabilities in order to improve cooperation and increase productivity.
Advantages of electronic document workflow?
1. Saving money: to sign one contract, it is necessary to print it, sign it, send it by mail, receive by mail the copy, signed by the partner. Logistics and delivery costs are reduced, as a result the document costs cheaper.
2. Accelerating sales: signing a contract is one of the stages of selling goods and services. The exchange of documents in electronic form reduces the preparation time for launching sales by at least 2-3 days.
3. Reduction of time for preparation and approval of documents and release of staff, as the agreement cannot print itself, cannot sign or go to the post office.
4. Reduction of time for searching for documents: searching for a contract and accompanying documents in an electronic form takes much less time, provided that their accounting and storage is well organized.
5. Reduction of number of participants in the document workflow: only those persons who are directly related to the work with this document – responsible specialists and signers – participate in electronic document workflow.
6. Reducing the probability of losing a document and the necessity to re-prepare and send it, provided that their accounting and storage is well organized.
7. Convenience of working with electronic documents: documents are not duplicated in electronic document workflow system. There is one up-to-date original copy that follows a predetermined route.
8. Mobility when working with electronic documents: you can work with electronic documents remotely, without being tied to a specific place of work.
9. Convenience of archiving documents: archiving electronic documents can significantly reduce the space for their storage, and timely creation of a backup copy of the archive on different carriers minimizes the loss of information and allows you to restore it in a short time.
What is necessary when switching to electronic document workflow with partners?
1. To determine the list of documentation (accounting, contractual or other documentation) that will be provided to the partner in electronic form.
2. If the signer of E-documents is not a head of a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur: identify authorized persons, execute power of attorney for them and provide a copy of such power of attorney to the partner.
3. To create a qualified electronic signature for the signers of E-documents and, if available, a qualified electronic seal.
4. To select software and its configuration. The Party sending primary accounting documentation should have a modern document workflow service that provided the possibility to integrate with the accounting system, download or create documents, support for various formats of electronic documents.
5. To test the exchange of electronic documents: create templates of primary documents (delivery note or bill of lading, that require other documents upon the return of goods) in XML format and send them to the partner. Document templates are created by the Sending Party that previously executed the paper document.
6. As for some electronic documents, it is more appropriate to exchange with a partner in a form that cannot be edited, for example, an Agreement or a Power of Attorney in PDF format. In this case, there is no need to create document templates.
7. To receive from the partner the confirmation that the data are sent and displayed in the received documents correctly.
8. To form a legal partnership through electronic document workflow (signing of the Supplementary Agreement to the main Partnership Agreement or Agreement on the recognition of electronic documents).
Where can I receive an electronic signature?
According to the Law “On Electronic Fiduciary Services”, the issuance of a qualified electronic signature is a fiduciary service and is carried out by qualified providers of electronic fiduciary services, the list of which is provided in the “Trusted List” (https://czo.gov.ua/trustedlist).
For example, you can receive a qualified electronic signature at:
- Accredited Key Certification Centers of the justice departments of Ukraine (https://ca.informjust.ua/government_agencies);
- Accredited Key Certification Centers of the Information and Reference Department of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine (https://acskidd.gov.ua/r_kor);
- at another qualified provider of electronic trust services, the list of which is provided in the "Trusted List" (https://czo.gov.ua/trustedlist).
If a qualified electronic signature is received for the first time, the personal identification of a person takes place; therefore it must be received personally. However, if a person already has an electronic signature and its validity period has not expired, the law allows to re-generate (remotely) the qualified public key certificates by electronic request, without the need for the person's personal presence. This can be done, for example, by following the [link.](https://acskidd.gov.ua/cer_elektr_zap)
Reorganization of internal processes in connection with the switching to electronic document workflow
For a less complex transition to external EDI at the enterprise, we recommend the following algorithm:
• Adapt business processes in the company for the introduction of electronic document workflow for the work with partners.
• Develop and approve the procedure for electronic document workflow.
• Appoint responsible people for its introduction.
• Organize an electronic archive of documents. Your e-archive should be organized in such a way that, if necessary, for example, at the request of the tax office, you could quickly provide documents and send them to the office in electronic form.
• Write down the rules for creating, receiving and storing electronic documents, appoint responsible employees for their formation and signing.
• In the case of generating and sending electronic documents directly from the accounting system of the company – organize the integration with the program, which will be used to transport electronic documents.
• Provide employees who are authorized to sign electronic documents with Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES), as you cannot transfer your signature to others
• Prepare employees and partners for the switching; sign with them an agreement on electronic document exchange.
The most popular myths about electronic document workflow
"Is this legal?"
For the most part, there are doubts about the legality and safety of using EDS, and in vain. Electronic document management has been allowed by Ukrainian legislation for 16 years and is regulated by "On electronic trust services" and "On electronic documents and electronic document management".
Electronic document circulation on the territory of Ukraine is regulated by a large number of normative legal acts:
"What should I show to the tax office?"
In case of any inspection by government agencies, an electronic document can be submitted. It does not lose legal force only because it is electronic (Art. 8 of the Law of Ukraine "On electronic documents and electronic document workflow "). In addition, if you want, you can always print the documents you need.
"All the same, it will be printed later"
Electronic document workflow is just created in order not to print these documents. The legislation does not require the printing of electronic documents. The legislation does not require storage of electronic documents in printed form. However, if you really need to print electronic documents, most services support this possibility.
"What if I lose my electronic signature or qualified electronic signature?"
Similar to losing a credit card. If you forgot a key, you can go through a certain procedure at the body where it was issued. Your qualified electronic signature will be blocked and nobody will use it in the future. However, it’s not necessary to re-sign all previously signed documents, because at the time of their signing the qualified electronic signature was valid. Subsequently, you receive a new qualified electronic signature and continue to use electronic document workflow.
"Electronic form makes impossible to put a mark about the performed incoming control"
According to the clarification of the State Drugs and Medications Control Service dated April 10, 2019 (https://www.apteka.ua/article/501447 and https://www.apteka.ua/article/497663), taking into account the provisions of the law, business entities can make a conclusion on the incoming quality control of medicines in electronic form, taking into account the requirements of the legislation regarding electronic document workflow. At the same time, the entity can use the qualified electronic signature to make this conclusion in electronic form.
Also, the mark about the results of the incoming quality control of medicines in the receipts note, made by the enterprise in the information automated system and provided for by the order (or other administrative document) on the accounting policy of the enterprise, does not contradict the provisions of Order No. 677.