Certified scanning concept
The term “Digitalización certificada” is independent of the kind of document, being invoices or not. But in fact, it is a term originally defined in the spanish law “Order EHA 962/2003” for invoices. Equivalent legal concept is appearing in other countries (such as “Conservazione Sostitutiva” in Italy).
Certified scanning is carried out by digitising documents using approved software and complying with the contractual “Quality Plan”. The process involves using qualified electronic signatures and time-stamping systems, for which appropriate electronic certificates are needed..
Certified scanning (also Certified Digitizing or Certified Digitization) is a process in which an electronic signature is applied to an image file while it is scanned from a document paper. This image is stored in a secured database (where it cannot be tampered with) and the main concepts and terms of the paper document are added as metadata to the contextual fields of the image file in the database.
Once a paper document is “certifiedly scanned” the digital copy becomes equivalent to an original paper, and the paper source can be destroyed.
Translation from Spanish to English
Although the most common translation is “Certified Scanning“, it can also be accepted as a valid translation the term “Certified Imaging“. Other translations for “Digitalizacion Certificada“, are “Certified Digitisation“, “Certified Digitalisation“, ” Certified digitising“, ” Certified digitalizing” or “Certified digitalization”. Often the term “Substitutive Conservation” is used to reflect the same idea. The term is a translation of the concept “Conservazione Sostitutiva” defined by the Italian law.
As an example, the phrase in Spanish,
- La digitalización certificada de facturas permite destruir el papel.
will be translated as,
- The certified scanning of invoices allows to destroy the paper copy.
- The certified digitization of invoices allows to destroy the paper copy.
There is a collection of the Spanish Regulation regarding electronic invoice, electronic signature and certified scanning in the Legislación (Regulation) section.
Regarding electronic signature, the translation “qualified” aplies to “reconocido” only in digital certificates, so qualified certificate becomes “certificado reconocido” after a bad translation of the european directive 93/1999. However, “Certificado cualificado” is a more accurate translation of “qualified certificate”.
For more information, contact EADTrust at +34 91 716 0555
Note: Thanks to Catimage for the drawings