Solution: Archive your documents

Digital archiving – what it offers

Audit-proof with evidential value

An electronic archive does not need shelf space: Systems for digital archiving optimize the processes in your company and save time and money. The right archiving software offers you a variety of advantages.

You and your employees …

  • have quick access to documents and information.
  • can archive e-mails and have permanent access.
  • have digital long-term archiving.
  • achieve an uncomplicated information capability for internal and external use.
  • control access authorizations for employees.
  • receive audit security through complete traceability and documentation.

Electronic archiving is thus the basis of your workflows. Centralized storage allows team members to access documents at any time and from any location. This simplifies workflows across teams.

A comprehensive diagram showcasing the Digital Archiving process for document management.

Records management and archiving from a single source
enaio® always keeps your document stock clean, thus enabling meaningful archiving

For digital archiving, the GoBD guidelines, the German Commercial Code (Sections 239, 257) and the German Fiscal Code (Sections 146, 147) are applied.

They regulate the principles of the archiving obligation as well as of retention periods and ensure audit-proof storage for:

  • Books and records
  • Receipts
  • Incoming and outgoing invoices
  • Business and commercial letters
  • E-mails

With the GoBD (principles for the proper management and storage of books, records and documents in electronic form as well as for data access), the legislator ensures that similar high standards apply to digital archiving as to paper archiving. They are published by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Company audits by the tax authorities require compliance with the guidelines. A professional archiving software fulfills all requirements in terms of the tax authorities.

Audit-proof with the GoBD

Revision security is the basis for the electronic storage of information. The GoBD regulates this storage obligation and establishes certain criteria. They apply without restriction to all entrepreneurs.

Audit-proof archiving – the criteria

Audit-proof archiving means that documents are stored in a manner that prevents forgery. They cannot be changed or adapted afterwards. This ensures that the information is always correct and complete. Access to the document is transparently traceable and verifiable. Further aspects of revision security include protection against loss and compliance with retention periods.

  • Traceability and verifiability
    Every access and change to a document must be completely and transparently traceable. This also applies to access by third parties, such as auditors.

  • Protection against loss
    The archive system must ensure that no document is lost in your storage system.

  • Unchangeability and accuracy
    Every electronically archived document must match its original. If this is not the case, any changes made must be documented. Documents must also reflect the actual state of affairs. Deviations are considered document forgery.

  • Compliance with retention periods
    All relevant documents must be stored in accordance with legal requirements. In this context, it is particularly important to take into account the retention periods.

  • Security of the overall process
    In order to guarantee security in document archiving, procedural documentation must exist. This describes all technical and organizational processes for digital archiving. The procedural documentation refers to each software used. In addition, compliance must be proven.

  • Restricted access
    The archive system must have access rights control. Digitally archived documents must not be freely accessible.

  • Obligation to retain documents
    Legally compliant accounting requires the storage of all business-relevant documents. The basis for this is storage systems that make it possible to comply with this retention obligation.

Archiving software – a good investment

The many regulations can make you feel that digital archiving involves a lot of effort. The opposite is the case. Professional archiving software takes over most of the work automatically. The advantages are the fast and transparent availability of information and audit-proof accounting. This simplifies and accelerates work processes, both internally and in contact with the tax authorities. The time thus gained can be invested where it creates real added value.

The reduction of administrative work and the smooth transfer of documents lays the foundation for more efficient work. OPTIMAL SYSTEMS offers you this basis. Our software solution enaio® ensures that all criteria for audit-proof, digital archiving are met.

More than 2,000 enaio® customers – that’s one of them

BT Berlin Transport

BT Berlin Transport GmbH, a company in the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe Group (BVG), is continuing to expand its ECM solution into a company-wide information hub.

Read more

Do you have any further questions?