Everything you need to know about the dematerialisation of administrative documents
The dematerialisation of administrative documents is an important part of the digital transition for businesses and public organisations. Changes in French and European legislation, coupled with the proliferation of tools available on the market, make this no easy task.
The most dematerialised administrative document to date is the invoice. What if you no longer had to create, print, sign, send and then digitise your documents? Electronic signatures are the key to successful document dematerialisation: they simplify the document lifecycle while ensuring their legal value. This is a key issue for businesses, but also for public bodies, which have a considerable volume of documents to manage.
Dematerialisation reduces document processing costs by 91%.
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Would you like to understand more about the dematerialisation of documents and electronic signatures? appvizer tells you all about it.
Definition: what is the dematerialisation of administrative documents?
The dematerialisation of administrative documents involves replacing physical documents and information media with digital files. This involves :
- digitising paper documents to obtain digital documents for existing administrative documents ;
- using dedicated tools to create, edit, store, share and sign documents.
What tools should you use?
- Office automation software,
- electronic document management (EDM) software,
- file-sharing software,
- electronic signature software,
The dematerialisation of administrative documents is one of the main challenges in the digital transformation of businesses.
Which documents should be dematerialised?
Paperless accounting and paperless invoicing are the two main challenges for VSEs, SMEs and public organisations. Other types of document are also concerned
- commercial documents: quotes, order forms, contracts, etc;
- HR documents: pay slips, employment contracts, amendments, etc;
- mandates : sales, management, SEPA, etc.
Going paperless: the challenges of dematerialisation
Why go paperless? The advantages of dematerialising documents [infographic]: - saves time
- saves time;
- makes it easier to share information within the company, or between the company and its customers, partners, etc. ;
- encourages collaborative working through shared access to documents;
- centralises document archiving;
- records the history of documents, where applicable, and improves traceability;
- eliminates the cost of paper, printing and even postage;
- Clears up your office space;
- secures your data, from electronic document signing to archiving.
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What is the legal value of a dematerialised document?
What does the law say about the dematerialisation of administrative documents? According to article 1316-1 of the French Civil Code :
Electronic documents are admissible as evidence in the same way as paper documents, provided that the person from whom they originate can be duly identified and that they are drawn up and stored in conditions that guarantee their integrity.
The legal value differs depending on whether a document is initially produced on a digital medium, or whether it is a digitised paper document.
Digitally produced document
In the first case, the document is generated directly by software: it is unique and is considered to be original.
Digitised document
The digitised document is not considered an original document, but a copy of the paper document: its authenticity cannot be proven, so it has no legal value. Only the paper document can be used as proof ; in this case, you must keep the paper document.
👉 For an electronic document to have legal value, you must be able to :
- identify the issuer of the document,
- keep the document as it was issued (this raises the question of archiving),
- guarantee that it cannot be altered.
To reap the benefits of dematerialisation, it's easy to see why software for creating, archiving, sharing and signing documents is so useful.
How can you manage your dematerialised documents simply and securely?
You've taken this step in the digital transition, and now you edit, share and archive your administrative documents. That's all very well, but is opting for online or SaaS software safe? Is your data secure?
Signing documents electronically
Electronic signature is an important stage in the dematerialised process, before documents are stored and archived. This stage, even more than the others, requires you to set aside your old reflexes. Everything is done online: don't even think about printing out a document, signing it and then scanning it! It would lose its legal value.
The eIDAS standard defines several levels of electronic signature. This standard has been applicable since 1 July 2014, but mandatory since 1 July 2017. Its aim is to increase confidence in electronic transactions; it concerns businesses as well as public organisations and citizens.
The electronic signature guarantee levels are as follows:
- The "simple" electronic signature: the data is in electronic format and attached to or associated with other electronic data. It enables :
- the identity of the signatory is reliably verified ;
- to indicate the signatory's consent to sign the document.
- The advanced electronic signature:
- is uniquely linked to the signatory ;
- enables the signatory to be identified
- makes it possible to detect any changes to the document after signing;
- is created using a tool that guarantees the unique use of the signatory.
- The qualified electronic signature is created using a tool that guarantees the unique use of the signatory and is based on a qualified electronic signature certificate.
More information on the eIDAS standard.
The benefits of electronic signatures
An electronic signature :
- is forgery-proof, tamper-proof and non-reusable;
- reduces document processing times by 30% by enabling online signing;
- facilitates international exchanges: everything can be done online;
- gives documents legal value;
- speeds up the production and management of each file, thereby reducing inherent costs.
Archiving dematerialised documents
Documents are archived once they have been signed electronically. The legal framework requires certain administrative documents to be kept for a given period of time.
Archiving is more than simply storing documents:
- it ensures that documents such as contracts and invoices are legally required to be kept;
- It guarantees the integrity of the dematerialised document throughout its storage period;
- it enables evidence to be associated with the document, such as time stamps or the name of the person who modified the document;
- it secures the document: loss, involuntary deletion (or not) or a hardware problem on your disk are no longer synonymous with the disappearance of the document.
The digital safe, or e-safe, is a secure solution from every point of view, guaranteeing that dematerialised documents can be stored and kept unaltered, thanks to a third party called a trusted third party.
The best tools for signing and archiving your documents
oodrive_sign, ensuring the probative value of your documents
Who is it for? All companies
oodrive_sign speeds up the life cycle of your documents thanks to e-signature, eliminating the need for manual signatures. Sign your documents online and have them signed, while guaranteeing legal compliance. oodrive_sign relies on the trusted third party CertEurope to offer you a signature level tailored to your needs.
The strengths of oodrive_sign :
- secure digital exchanges,
- simplified document processing,
- a French solution.
Docusign accelerates your growth
Who can benefit? All companies
Docusign is designed for companies of all sizes to sign their administrative documents electronically. Signature management is simplified: you can sign a document electronically on any touch-sensitive device (smartphone, tablet, computer).
The strengths of Docusign :
- a dashboard for monitoring the status of documents (signed, pending),
- centralisation of signed documents in a single secure environment,
- a notification system to let users know that a document needs to be signed.
Green GED, a new way of thinking about EDM
Who is it for? VSEs, SMEs, ETIs, large groups and local authorities
An unconventional document management solution, Green GED adapts to the working habits of its users (rather than the other way round!). Your employees will no longer be reluctant to use a new tool that is deemed too complex. Green EDM integrates seamlessly into your Windows tree structure, so you can implement it in record time.
The strengths of Green GED :
- efficient EDM thanks to the use of high-performance technologies: search engine, OCR, RAD LAD, video coding, PDF file processing and conversion, workflow, automatic filing plan, etc. ;
- respect for your data: it remains on your infrastructure and user rights are automatically transferred to Green GED;
- a licence that is unlimited in terms of the number of users and the volume of data processed, to optimise costs.
Universign, the electronic signature for simplicity and compliance
Who should use it? Companies of all sizes and in all business sectors
Universign is a SaaS platform of electronic signature, electronic seal and time-stamping services for businesses making the digital transition.
As a Trusted Service Provider qualified under the European eIDAS regulation, Universign helps you to digitise and simplify your processes (such as invoicing or contractualisation). You can control the legal risks and reduce the costs and time associated with your digital transactions.
Available from its web portal or integrated via its API directly into a business application or online subscription path, Universign's electronic signature guarantees security, while remaining ergonomic and easy to use .
Universign's strengths :
- 3 signature levels: simple, advanced and advanced with qualified certificate,
- a no-obligation offer, with no limit on the number of users, and pricing based on packs or usage,
- Universign is a member of the Adobe Approved Trust List, whose signatures are automatically approved in Adobe® Acrobat® or Reader®.
Youdoc, a modular, agile solution
Who should use it? SMEs with over 100 employees, ETIs and large groups
Youdoc is an intuitive, reliable and versatile solution designed to optimise your document management. It offers 3 modules, to be activated on request:
- the first is dedicated to intelligent acquisition : file server scanning, spool cutting, scanning with RAD and LAD technologies, quality control, etc. ;
- the second for dynamic document management : storage, filing, searching, indexing, versioning management, retention schedules, etc. ;
- thirdly, circulation: publication to extranets, electronic signature and sharing of your documents, etc.
Youdoc's solutions guarantee compliance with legislation and are integrated with your entire information system.
Youdoc's strengths :
- solutions tailored to your business sector and functional requirements,
- Accessible in integrated mode with your ERP or in standalone mode via a web portal,
- solid support: a team of specialists, technical support and a quality method to help you manage your projects.
Yousign, the French benchmark for electronic signatures
Who should use it? VSEs, SMEs, ETIs, large groups and public organisations
Secure, simple and legal electronic signature solutions: that's Yousign's simple yet effective promise. Integrate electronic signatures into your administrative document processing with Yousign, ensuring the compliance and legal value of your documents.
Yousign also provides archiving with evidential value, can be used as an electronic safe, and is also a trusted third party. The Yousign API integrates easily with your existing tools to increase efficiency.
Yousign's strengths :
- a simple, clear and user-friendly interface,
- eIDAS, ETSI and LSTI certifications,
- secure data hosting in France.
Zeendoc, the intelligent EDM for VSEs and SMEs
Who should use it? VSEs, SMEs and local authorities.
Zeendoc is an intelligent EDM solution that dematerialises your documents and automates a maximum number of administrative tasks and processes. Capable of recognising the nature of a document and filing it without intervention, it can also restore certain data such as a date or an amount. Real estate, healthcare, chartered accountancy or construction and public works: whatever your sector of activity, you'll save time and boost efficiency.
The strengths of Zeendoc :
- digitisation of documents using a scanner, smartphone or tablet,
- secure, regulatory-compliant dematerialisation of invoices, thanks to archiving with probative value and an RGS**-certified electronic signature,
- enhancing the value of information, with the ability to find it in just a few clicks using keywords or a multi-criteria search.
Document dematerialisation as a competitive advantage
To remain competitive, businesses have every interest in successfully completing their digital transformation, and dematerialisation is a fundamental step in a wider digital transformation project.
After reviewing the challenges and benefits of dematerialisation, we have seen how an electronic document management or electronic signature system can best support you in this process: in particular, it facilitates the organisation and management of documents within your information system and optimises the lifecycle of your digitised and digital documents.
Have you thought about equipping your organisation with this kind of software? What could be the obstacles to its implementation?
Updated article, originally published in December 2018.
Article translated from French