Electronic document management: advantages and disadvantages, the essence of the system, ways of implementation

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

More and more companies are switching to electronic document management, which involves the use of different programs for creating and storing documents. At the same time, the organization does not have an archive containing paper copies of documents. There are many advantages of electronic document management, due to which entrepreneurs are happy to refuse the use of paper documents. But to switch to it, you need to install specialized software on working computers, as well as appoint a responsible employee who will deal with this workflow.

The concept of electronic document management

It is represented by a modern method of working with various documentation. In the course of activity of any organization, a lot of different papers arise, which have to be constantly printed and stored in a separate room for a long period of time.

If an entrepreneur or company has a properly executedelectronic signature, which certifies documents in electronic form, then it is not required to print this documentation on paper.

Advantages of electronic document management

There are many advantages of switching to electronic documentation certified by EDS. It is due to the presence of numerous positive parameters that more and more entrepreneurs are switching to this method of documentation. But first you should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of electronic document management. Key benefits include:

• promptly searches for the necessary documentation due to competent structuring and reliability of storage;
• workflow structure is centralized;
• all documents can be stored electronically on different media and even on remote servers, so even if a fire breaks out in the office, you don't have to worry that any important documentation will be destroyed;
• all documents are easily registered and approved;
• all papers are signed on the basis of their sending via electronic communication channels, which saves a significant amount of time and effort for employees of any enterprise;
• if necessary, you can make a copy of the desired document in a few seconds;
• the audit is greatly simplified, since it is carried out in electronic form, and you can also invite hired specialists for these purposes who receive documentation via electronic channels.

Benefitselectronic document management systems are significant and undeniable, but before switching to them, you should evaluate the negative aspects of each system.

System flaws

The benefits of implementing an electronic document management system are undeniable, but this process has some disadvantages. These include:

• necessarily required to register an electronic digital signature, for the creation of which a large amount of funds is paid;
• there is no opportunity to use electronic documents if partners have not switched to electronic document management;
• a lot of money and time is spent installing additional software and hiring a reliable employee who maintains all electronic records;
• no strictly unified formats of such workflow have been fixed yet;
• many contractors and buyers are suspicious of the use of electronic documents signed with EDS.

Therefore, every entrepreneur must first study the advantages and disadvantages of electronic document management in order to make the right and relevant decision.

Reason for development

The benefits of electronic document management are numerous and significant. This leads to the fact that it is constantly developing and being introduced into the work of various enterprises, which are not onlycommercial, but also public. The main prerequisites for its effective and continuous development include:

• The possibility of its application in tax legislation is envisaged. Certain types of tax returns can only be submitted electronically. This applies to reports on insurance premiums listed in the PF for employees, as well as to the 3-NDFL declaration submitted to the Federal Tax Service for each employee of the enterprise. Even the SZV-M report for all employees of the company is submitted electronically if the organization employs more than 25 people. Therefore, some companies are simply forced to switch to electronic documentation, since they have to issue an EDS anyway.
• The main advantages of electronic document management include the possibility of fixing it in accounting. Based on Federal Law No. 402, primary accounting documentation can be generated not only in paper form, but also in electronic form, if it is possible to endorse it with an electronic signature.
• Since 2017, the effective development of this document flow in legal proceedings has begun. Now every court decision must be published in open sources. In addition, all firms and individuals have the opportunity to file a claim or complaint electronically, which requires an EDS. Therefore, an electronic signature is issued not only by large companies, but even by individuals.
• The development of electronic technologies is happening rapidly, so now almost everyone has access to the Internet, which greatly simplifies the process of communicating with otherspeople and government officials.

Therefore, it can be argued that the use of such workflow is becoming more and more in demand.

Another significant benefit

Additionally, many companies cooperate with enterprises located in other regions or countries, so it is much easier to exchange different documents when conducting electronic document management. This allows you to significantly increase sales markets and establish contacts with direct manufacturers.

This is an additional significant advantage of electronic document management. Improvement in the quality of management has been observed from the first day of the introduction of a suitable system.

How to enter?

Initially, the head of the enterprise evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the electronic document management system. If a decision is made to introduce it in the company, then the following steps are implemented for this:

• A meeting of shareholders is held, where voting is carried out for the implementation of this system.
• If the decision is positive, then the corresponding order is issued by the director of the company.
• It is advisable to develop an internal regulation governing the rules for the use of electronic documentation.
• Select the signature that will be used in the process of signing various documents.
• If a simple signature is chosen, then it is affixed on the basis of codes and passwords, as well as other means, and access to itis limited, therefore, a specific person is appointed who will be responsible for the approval of electronic documentation.
• Certifying authority is selected. It is represented by a specialized organization that deals with electronic document management. It is important to choose a company with which it will be profitable and comfortable to cooperate. You should evaluate in advance the cost of the services offered, as well as the various functions that can be used during cooperation. It is determined what responsibility the selected center bears for various errors that may arise in the process of maintaining electronic document management.
• Documents are being prepared on the basis of which an agreement is concluded with the selected center.
• The contract with the selected organization is being explained. After that, the center creates and issues an EDS key certificate to its client.
• There is a direct introduction of electronic document management in the work of the organization. To do this, all paper documents are converted into electronic form, and a procedure for the exchange of electronic documentation is being established.

Invoices can be drawn up electronically, but you should first make sure that the use of such documentation will be convenient for the counterparty. This is due to the fact that the company must have the technical means to process these documents.

Choice of EDS

Included even in the benefits of electronic document management is reduced preparation costsnumerous paper documents. But in any case, you will have to incur certain costs. They are related to the design of an electronic signature used in the process of approving electronic documentation.

ETS can be presented in unqualified or qualified form.

Unqualified

It is issued using cryptographic data transformation, for which a special key is used, which is available to the owner of the EDS. It is important to decide in advance who exactly in the company will sign electronic papers.

With the help of such a signature, you can detect various changes made to the documentation after it was signed.

Qualified

To do this, the company receives a special certificate containing the EDS verification key. To create such a signature, the requirements listed in Federal Law No. 63 are taken into account.

Usually such an EDS is used in large companies that seek to keep a trade secret, therefore, due to the enhanced qualified EDS, the security of electronic documents is ensured.

After choosing a specific type of electronic signature, an agreement is concluded with the selected certification center.

Rules for introducing the system into the work of the company

The advantages of electronic document management compared to paper are considered undeniable, but often in the process of its implementation into the work of an organization, certain difficulties arise. Therefore, the rules of this process include:

• initially a specialist is appointed by order of the head, who will be engaged in the translation of paper documents into electronic form;
• special software is installed on each working computer, which allows you to sign documents with a previously issued EDS;
• when compiling, processing and agreeing on various documentation, the basic rules of office work are taken into account, which also apply to paper documents;
• electronic documents must have all the necessary details, seals and EDS;
• information may be entered into company regulations regarding what methods of confirming actions with these documents will be applied.

The process is not considered too difficult if it is well understood.

Rules of cooperation with other companies

Each company that implements such a system in its work wants to use electronic documentation in cooperation with its main counterparties. To do this, when drawing up an agreement with another company, a clause should be included in the text of the document stating that all papers will be transmitted via electronic communication channels. After that, the necessary documentation is compiled and signed by a previously issued EDS. All EDS tools must be certified, otherwise they cannot be used during the operation of the company.

It is much easier to establish such a workflow with various government agencies, for example, with the Federal Tax Service or the Pension Fund. This is due to the fact that such organizations already have the necessary software forwork with electronic documentation.

How are documents stored?

The main advantage of electronic document management is that it is not required in the organization to allocate a separate room for creating an archive, since all papers are stored on computers, servers or various electronic media. But still, every company must pay proper storage of documentation so that it is not accessed by unauthorized persons or organizations.

During the storage of electronic documents, the following rules are taken into account:

• a nomenclature of cases is necessarily compiled for the entire company, and its appearance and content depend on the field of activity in which the company operates;
• examination of the value of documents is being carried out;
• each documentation is marked with the use of electronic document management;
• all documents must be archived.

When these rules are taken into account, it will not be difficult to correctly store documentation in electronic form.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of electronic document management. Improving the quality of the company's work is a consequence of its implementation. To do this, it is important to make an appropriate decision for the management of the enterprise, select a certification center and issue an EDS. Special software is installed on computers, and the necessary changes are made to the regulatory local acts of the company.

With the help of electronic documentation, it is greatly simplifiedthe operation of the company, as well as the ease of cooperation with other firms and government organizations.