What is dematerialisation?

Dematerialisation is the process of replacing physical documents (paper documents) with electronic versions of the same documents. This can include processes such as document scanning, manual data entry, the use of online forms, electronic signatures, and other methods of creating and storing digital documents.

Dematerialisation is used in many fields, such as finance, accounting, document management, public administration, healthcare…

How to dematerialise a document?

Digitisation

Digitisation is a common method of dematerialisation that involves scanning a document with a scanner, mobile phone or tablet using a scanning software or application to create a digital copy of the document.

Manual data entry

Manual data entry is a technique that involves manually entering information from a paper document into a computer system.

Use of online forms

Online forms are used to collect information from users. Users can complete online forms and submit the information directly into a computer system.

Importing files

It is perfectly possible to dematerialise a document by importing files into a computer system or document management software. It should be noted that for dematerialised documents to be considered valid and enforceable against documents in paper format, they must comply with certain quality and security standards: these standards are laid down by law.

Advantages of dematerialisation

Time saver

Document dematerialisation makes the document processing process faster and more efficient. Digital documents are easily stored, shared and processed. What’s more, these steps are carried out much more quickly than for paper documents, which considerably reduces the time taken to process and complete tasks.

Save money

Going paperless saves money, particularly on printing costs, the price of paper and the storage of paper documents.

Improving accessibility

Dematerialised documents are more easily accessible because they can be consulted at any time, in any place and on a wide range of devices with an internet connection. This also facilitates collaboration between different employees in the same company.

Security

Dematerialisation ensures that documents are stored digitally, which is more secure than physical storage where the risks of loss, theft or damage are multiplied. Access to these documents is more difficult: access to documents may be restricted depending on the status of the person concerned. In addition, access to certain documents requires the entry of one or more passwords.

Traceability

The traceability of dematerialised documents enables them to be searched and consulted quickly and accurately. With paper documents, on the other hand, the task is more complex because it is not always easy to find the document you want, particularly given the size of the storage room and the right place for the document.

Environment

Dematerialisation considerably reduces the use of paper, thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions linked to paper production.

Regulations

Dematerialisation encourages compliance with certain standards and restrictions relating to the archiving and retention of documents, such as the Chorus Pro standard.

The Chorus Pro standard is a French standard for the dematerialisation of invoices and administrative documents. It was introduced to standardise the exchange of invoices and administrative documents between companies and the public administration.

It is based on the use of a standardised electronic invoice format that enables invoicing and administrative data to be grouped together in a single file.

The risks associated with dematerialisation

Data security and vulnerability to viruses

Stored data can be vulnerable to hacking. In addition, computers and other connected devices are targeted by viruses and malware, which could potentially cause serious damage to a company’s data and systems.

Losing data

Dematerialised documents can be lost very quickly in a number of situations: a device breakdown, accidental deletion or a computer attack could result in the irreversible loss of these documents. To avoid these problems, companies and/or individuals need to make regular back-ups of all electronic files.

Dependence on technology

Some companies are less equipped than others when it comes to technology. This can make certain tasks difficult, including dematerialisation. This can cause problems, particularly when it comes to complying with certain standards and exchanging documents with other companies, such as invoices.