⛎ 👿 ♍️ Do not rush to switch to EDI and EDS today: pitfalls you might not know about 🤧 👨🏼‍🤝‍👨🏻 🌂

The situation for business in Russia before quarantine was not ideal. But in the spring of 2020, external circumstances crossed out previously drawn up plans and forced companies to adapt sharply to new realities. The transition of employees to a remote mode of operation posed issues that had not previously been resolved. For example, how to organize the printing and transfer of documents?

Many thought about the transition to electronic document management (hereinafter EDI) and the use of electronic digital signatures (hereinafter EDS). Companies that provide these services have quickly prepared stocks and implemented the positioning of EDI and EDS as a profitable alternative to remote printing and scanning documents. But is this so in practice?

Let us consider separately two components, - print volume and printing costs - on real examples of companies that have tried EDI and EDS before 2020. Add legal information and analyze the technical side of the issue.

Reduced print volume: mixed results

Companies that introduced EDI and EDS several years ago have already managed to collect statistics on the impact of new technologies on print volumes. The results were mixed.

For some, the total print volume has decreased, but not enough for the return on investment, for someone it has fallen in one department, but has grown in another. Let's see why this happened.

Inadequate print volume reduction

EDO covers only a small fraction of the print that is produced in the office. Research results show that the average office document "lives" from a few hours to 1 business day. When implementing EDI and EDS, one of the employees gets the right to sign the document in electronic form and upload it to the online archive. But where does the data come from to compile this document?

For example, a manager signs an agreement with an electronic digital signature and uploads it to an EDI. But he received the data for drawing up the contract in paper form: from contractors or from employees who do not have EDS. The same story with accounting reports. Even if the final document is uploaded to the EDI and digital signature is signed, the accountant draws it up on the basis of printed and signed documents from employees who do not have an electronic signature. If all employees are obliged to send documents to the person who draws up the contract or report electronically, they will also print and sign the document by hand, and then scan it. Thus, the introduction of EDS and EDI will not affect most of the print volume in the company.

Print volume fell in one department but grew in another

The company introduced EDS and EDI in order not to print documents on transactions with counterparties. The print volume in the sales or purchasing department has declined. But he grew up in accounting. Why?
Firstly, because accounting (rightly) does not trust the security of documents in EDI. While it is impossible to exclude a system crash, loss or corruption of data, each electronic document must have a hard copy.

Secondly, because the accounting department knows that during a tax audit to confirm transactions, the Federal Tax Service asks for paper documents: originals, primary documentation. Therefore, accountants will print and go to the appropriate folder closing documents for each transaction. The print volume of one department simply transfers to another department.

And even saving on copies for the counterparty is not always unambiguous. Because each counterparty with EDS and EDI likewise transfers the obligations of the press to those with whom it interacts.

It happens that the introduction of EDI increases (!) The volume of printing. One company has introduced electronic transfer of intermediate versions of documents in preparation for the final. Previously, 6 employees read and signed the printed approval sheet: each made corrections, and then transferred them to the other. The final version of the document was scanned. Now, signatories received an electronic version of the document. However, the habit of working with paper remained: each of 6 employees printed a document, made corrections with a pen, copied them electronically and sent them to the next one in the chain. Conclusion: instead of 1 document they began to print 6. The print volume increased 6 times!

Reduced print volume: conclusions

Before introducing EDI and EDS, carefully study the business processes within the company. These technologies are effective only when their implementation will significantly reduce print volumes and costs. And remember that you will still not get away from printing reports for the regulatory authorities and as insurance in case of archive failure and data loss or distortion.

Cost reduction: opposite results

The introduction of EDI and EDS can give some savings in printed sheets. But what about the money?

Suppose the company prints a lot and wants to get rid of the cost of printers, supplies and service. One EDS costs from 1,000 to 6,000 rubles per year, depending on the scope of the company. The implementation of EDI costs about 3,000 rubles per month (1C system, sending 100 sets is included in the price, each additional 10 rubles).

If you place an EDS for 1 employee, then with the proper amount of documents, he will not be able to solve any other tasks. Only check and sign invoices, contracts, invoices, acts and so on. Therefore, the annual salary of the signatory will be added to the cost of EDS and EDI. And it is unlikely that the signing of any documents, including financial statements, will be entrusted to a person in a low position with a small salary. It is simply unsafe. There is another problem: what will happen if the only employee with EDS gets sick, goes on vacation or quits?

You can issue an EDS for 10 employees, but it costs from 10 to 60 thousand rubles a year. And at least 36 thousand rubles to the EDI operator.

If you implement the software, the annual API license for using EDI (Diadoc computer) will cost 18 thousand rubles. The same company offers intermediary services: from 4200 rubles per month for the transfer of 600 documents to 68.4 thousand rubles per month for the transfer of 12 thousand documents.

And it is necessary to add the cost of printing documents to any expenses for EDS and EDI, because the company cannot completely exclude it.

Cost reduction: temporary transition to EDS and EDI

Some firms are aware of the pitfalls listed above, so they do not consider the constant transition to EDI and EDS. But in quarantine, they are in a hurry to temporarily introduce these technologies in order to save on remote printing organization.

The minimum package for 1 employee costs from 3 thousand to 5 thousand rubles per month. At the same time, the same employee prints approximately 300-500 sheets a month. The cost of printing 300-500 sheets, including equipment, service and supplies, costs the company from 500 to 2 thousand rubles (the final figure depends on the format and print settings, as well as equipment). Therefore, before temporarily introducing EDI and EDS, compare the costs of maintaining an office infrastructure in a remote location with the cost of switching to other technologies. And remember the hidden costs.

Cost Reduction: Conclusions

Temporary or permanent implementation of EDS and EDI is optimal only when the cost of the transition and residual printing costs do not exceed current printing costs. Therefore, at the initial stage, clearly define the print volume that you cannot refuse.

The experience of companies that have tried EDS and EDI shows that in most cases the results do not match expectations. For example, the process of signing, transmitting and receiving documents in accounting has accelerated significantly, but total costs have increased.

To reduce quarantine costs, explore all available ways to optimize your printing costs. Perhaps you will save on remote equipment diagnostics or find consumables at the old rate. And if you are firmly convinced that it is necessary to switch to EDS and EDI, then draw up an implementation plan and clear criteria for choosing a provider. And pre-calculate the print volume, which can not be abandoned.

Legal notice

There are several legal aspects to using EDI and EDS. According to legal experts, the courts are skeptical of electronic documents and are reluctant to accept data in this form.

The second question: the shelf life of documents. Unlike paper, in EDI data cannot be disposed of after 3-5 years. And in some situations this is helpful. However, last year, the Supreme Court nearly lifted the statute of limitations for tax violations. Different situations happen in the life of the company, therefore it is worth consulting with lawyers regarding the impact of EDI and EDS on the nature of requests from regulatory authorities.

The technical side of the issue

Let's start with security. If the supplier of EDI is a third-party company, then the safety of documents depends on their security system. What will happen to the archives if the customer stops using EDI or decides to change the operator?

There is also the issue of dependence on the outsourcer. One company did not manage to submit documents on the renewal of the EDS in time to Sberbank and could not use Sberbank online for two weeks. Because the connection was made by someone else’s IT specialist, and it is impossible to influence the speed of his work.

Simple technical failures also occur: an accountant or manager cannot sign and send documents because the program does not work. An IT specialist from the company is connected and enters into negotiations with a third-party IT specialist. They are looking for the cause of the failure and a way to fix it. And at this time, the organization’s activities are frozen. Partners do not receive signed contracts and invoices for payment or paid bills, employees do not receive salaries, government agencies do not require documents.

If the company implements EDI and EDS in a comprehensive manner, then who is responsible for maintaining the archive inside? Either the IT service will have additional obligations, or they will hire a special employee. Perhaps retraining someone from the state. These are additional expenses, but the main questions are: which company will get access to the archives, and what should be the structure of security protocols to prevent information leakage or deliberate data corruption?

An additional problem: what if none of the organizations with which the company interacts uses EDI? Accountants of one company said that they are forced to conduct two workflows: paper for partners and electronic for internal use. According to them, in areas of maximum responsibility, they also print internal documentation. Because not all employees are equally savvy in handling EDI. And if experts for one reason or another are not in the office, it is easier for them to ask their colleagues to pick up a paper archive than to explain by telephone how the system works. The risks of data loss are too high.

findings

There are companies for which the introduction of EDI and EDS is the best optimization of internal processes and interaction with contractors. But for other organizations, electronic signature and electronic document management will not bring tangible benefits. To understand what type your company belongs to, compare printing costs with optimized printing costs and the cost of temporary / permanent transition to EDS and EDI.

Do not rush to switch to EDI and EDS today: pitfalls you might not know about