April 19, 2010 at 22:08Features of the Belarusian introduction of electronic document management in customs
In 2009, the Government of Belarus preoccupied with the introduction of electronic declaration (hereinafter ED) at customs. And the customs clearance department puzzled our IT and prepared it for the introduction of ED in the enterprise. We delved into the study of the information presented and the analysis of what should we do with all this, when suddenly from the next piece of information we had a bright prospect of emergency ED implementation. But this process turned out to be swift, costly and spontaneous.
So, let's start with the fact that we have already purchased a software package and paid for updating for six months in advance, everyone is happy and working. And here, after the next seminar, customs illuminates the sales department with a plan for the implementation of ED, which in turn transmit a hand-written instruction and an official one saying that “tomorrow” it should work. It turns out that our company suddenly turned out to be a conscientious participant in foreign economic activity. The whole process of introducing ED in the country since the beginning of the year, although we were puzzled a week before the planned introduction of ED in the enterprise.
Everything would be fine, but it turns out to be necessary ...
One of the conditions for participation in ED is the need to conclude an agreement and buy software with an annual update of ~ $ 300 in 2010 (in 2009 it was about $ 900) from a certain supplier, for old software we also pay ~ $ 300 a year, because we don’t everything can be cooked in a new one. And it turns out that the company with which we worked before was not able to obtain permission to develop software for maintaining ED, although it’s enough to add data uploading in xml and add a complex for creating digital signatures (although this seems to be third-party software) and sending data through the Internet to customs.
Also, to ensure the functioning of the whole scheme, it is necessary to buy electronic keys for forming an electronic digital signature, and here we were waiting for an exciting game “find me”, almost a detective story with the search for contacts of an organization selling keys. Obtaining keys and paying for them was also an adventure.
But this is not all what software makers earn, for sending a document (transaction) via the Internet to customs, the company pays $ 0.9, $ 200-300 a month, the amount is not large but there is too much to maintain servers and infrastructure.
Compared to software giants (and not only giants), it’s a trifle, of course, but some things are annoying in all of this:
But no one is going to stop there, and the company continues to pay for its own “good faith”, according to the new rules, it is necessary to drop another form in xml to customs via the Internet. And all would be fine, but again, new software for $ 400 and additional deductions for data transfer. At the same time, although at a discount, a software package of 2 parts is offered, of which only one part will be used, but annual maintenance will then be charged for both parts. It is impossible to split software or transfer using existing software independently generated xml file, i.e. The software is also purchased for the possibility of transferring an additional form.
There are also positive aspects, unlike client banks, it is pleasing that the software is multi-platform and can be saved on the operating system without feeding Mirosoft, but even this did not dispense with a fly in the ointment that crossed out all the advantages - the new additional software “is based on the use of development tools Delphi, the high-performance FireBird database server and the FastReport report generation system, and Internet-based information transfer software also run on Windows.
These are the features of the introduction of electronic document management in some areas of the Belarusian economy. I understand that customs activity is a complex and responsible process, but now complexes for electronic document management via the Internet are being introduced everywhere and there are no such fees, although they may not have adopted the best practices. Although companies working for other government agencies also like to sell access to the web form as separate software, the prices are divine and are already being fixed, providing new functionality for free.
It is interesting how things are in the open spaces of the former USSR and not only with such a “progress”. For example, much has been written about tenders with website development in Russia, but what about the workflow software with government agencies?
PS: Moved from the sandbox with additions and changes.
year 2009
So, let's start with the fact that we have already purchased a software package and paid for updating for six months in advance, everyone is happy and working. And here, after the next seminar, customs illuminates the sales department with a plan for the implementation of ED, which in turn transmit a hand-written instruction and an official one saying that “tomorrow” it should work. It turns out that our company suddenly turned out to be a conscientious participant in foreign economic activity. The whole process of introducing ED in the country since the beginning of the year, although we were puzzled a week before the planned introduction of ED in the enterprise.
Everything would be fine, but it turns out to be necessary ...
New software
One of the conditions for participation in ED is the need to conclude an agreement and buy software with an annual update of ~ $ 300 in 2010 (in 2009 it was about $ 900) from a certain supplier, for old software we also pay ~ $ 300 a year, because we don’t everything can be cooked in a new one. And it turns out that the company with which we worked before was not able to obtain permission to develop software for maintaining ED, although it’s enough to add data uploading in xml and add a complex for creating digital signatures (although this seems to be third-party software) and sending data through the Internet to customs.
Electronic keys
Also, to ensure the functioning of the whole scheme, it is necessary to buy electronic keys for forming an electronic digital signature, and here we were waiting for an exciting game “find me”, almost a detective story with the search for contacts of an organization selling keys. Obtaining keys and paying for them was also an adventure.
Transactions
But this is not all what software makers earn, for sending a document (transaction) via the Internet to customs, the company pays $ 0.9, $ 200-300 a month, the amount is not large but there is too much to maintain servers and infrastructure.
Summary
Compared to software giants (and not only giants), it’s a trifle, of course, but some things are annoying in all of this:
- The explicit promotion of one office and essentially the killing of competitors and the subsequent monopolization of the software market in the customs sector.
- The process of implementation is not set up in order to centrally prepare enterprises and transparently show what they will need to do for implementation, since all the information reaches the final contractors at the very last moment and through third parties with distortions. Indeed, in many areas of economic activity, EDS and centralized data collection have long been used, could study the possible rake ...
- Cost: Yes, for the enterprise, in fact, the amount is insignificant, but in conditions when even because of small payments it is necessary to find an alternative and confirm that you did not overpay, it looks like a mockery
2010 has come
But no one is going to stop there, and the company continues to pay for its own “good faith”, according to the new rules, it is necessary to drop another form in xml to customs via the Internet. And all would be fine, but again, new software for $ 400 and additional deductions for data transfer. At the same time, although at a discount, a software package of 2 parts is offered, of which only one part will be used, but annual maintenance will then be charged for both parts. It is impossible to split software or transfer using existing software independently generated xml file, i.e. The software is also purchased for the possibility of transferring an additional form.
There are also positive aspects, unlike client banks, it is pleasing that the software is multi-platform and can be saved on the operating system without feeding Mirosoft, but even this did not dispense with a fly in the ointment that crossed out all the advantages - the new additional software “is based on the use of development tools Delphi, the high-performance FireBird database server and the FastReport report generation system, and Internet-based information transfer software also run on Windows.
These are the features of the introduction of electronic document management in some areas of the Belarusian economy. I understand that customs activity is a complex and responsible process, but now complexes for electronic document management via the Internet are being introduced everywhere and there are no such fees, although they may not have adopted the best practices. Although companies working for other government agencies also like to sell access to the web form as separate software, the prices are divine and are already being fixed, providing new functionality for free.
It is interesting how things are in the open spaces of the former USSR and not only with such a “progress”. For example, much has been written about tenders with website development in Russia, but what about the workflow software with government agencies?
PS: Moved from the sandbox with additions and changes.