Digitisation and digitalisation are two terms that are often used interchangeably – but in reality, they differ from each other significantly. In the broadest and shortest sense, digitisation refers to the conversion of analogue resources into digital ones, such as scanning documents and storing them in electronic form. Digitalisation, on the other hand, is the process of implementing and using digital technologies, including digitisation and many other activities.
If you are still unsure about the difference between these terms, please read the following article to clarify your doubts.
Table of contents
1. What is digitalisation?
2. What is digitisation?
3. Digitalisation and digitisation – differences
4. More than digitisation – the significance of electronic signature and remote identification in digitalisation
5. Summary
What is digitalisation?
The digitalisation process makes it possible to move traditional paper-based documents and processes to modern electronic platforms, enabling many tasks to be automated and increasing the effectiveness and speed of work. Digitalisation is the process of introducing digital technologies into business and social activities. The difference between this process and digitisation, which involves converting data on paper into electronic form so that it can be more easily digitally archived and processed, is very evident here.
Modern companies are increasingly choosing to digitise their processes and documents. Digitalisation of processes enables many activities to be automated, making them quicker and easier. This reduces the time and costs involved in performing business activities, resulting in a more competitive company in the market. Digitalisation allows traditional documents, such as invoices or contracts, to be transferred to digital platforms. Thanks to that, documents can be accessed from any place at any time, and processing them is faster and easier. In addition, digitalisation reduces the number of documents on paper (paperless), which positively impacts the environment. To sum up, the digitalisation of processes in many dimensions is an indispensable tool of the present day, enabling companies and institutions to achieve greater efficiency, speed and improvement in the quality of their activities.
Digitalisation is a process that encompasses a wide range of activities, including:
- automation of business processes;
- implementation of new technologies;
- development of IT systems;
- training of employees in the use of new technologies;
- building digital relations with customers.
The aim of digitalisation is to increase the company's competitiveness in the market through the use of modern technologies and skills.
What is digitisation?
Digitisation is essentially a narrower concept than digitalisation. For example, document digitisation is the process of transferring information from paper documents to digital media. It is worth noting that the digitisation of documents is one of the key tools in records management, which contributes to improving information storage security. The digitisation of documents makes them easier to find and share.
Document digitisation is particularly important for companies that store a large number of documents. Transferring them to digital media makes it possible to manage documents more easily and protect them from loss or damage. The digital document database also facilitates access to information and enables faster processing. Nowadays, when most information is transmitted electronically, document digitisation is an increasingly common practice. Documents are more accessible and easier to share electronically, greatly improving business processes and enabling employees to work remotely.
It is worth noting that digitising documents is not just about transferring the content of paper documents to a digital medium. Digitisation also requires appropriate quality standards to ensure that digitised documents are readable and reliable. Therefore, when digitising documents, it is important to use the right tools and technology to securely and reliably transfer documents.
It is important to understand that digitisation is only one element of digitalisation and does not guarantee success. A company that invests only in digitisation without considering the wider context of digitalisation may miss many opportunities and fail to achieve the expected results. It is, therefore, important to approach this process comprehensively and implement various solutions to improve the company's efficiency and competitiveness in the market.
Digitalisation and digitisation – differences
The above definitions indicate the most important differences between these two terms. In summary, digitalisation is a global transformation process that touches upon various aspects of organisations and society, while digitisation is a more technical data conversion process. However, the two are closely linked and form the basis for the functioning of the modern digital world.
More than digitisation – the significance of electronic signature and remote identification in digitalisation
Digitalisation is not only the process of digitisation, but also the implementation of other technologies and tools that enable efficient and secure digital data management. These include, for example, electronic signatures and remote identity ascertainment, which are becoming increasingly common these days. They allow confident and efficient management of digital processes and documents and facilitate access to various digital services.
Electronic signatures add authenticity and security to digital processes and documents. This is crucial – especially for business and legal documents, where authenticity and security are crucial.
Remote identity ascertainment, in turn, enables fast and secure access to digital services, eliminating the need for physical proof of identity. Both these elements increase efficiency and improve the user experience as processes become faster and more intuitive.
Take the first step towards digitalisation and test how an electronic signature works
Summary
Both digitalisation and digitisation play an important role in shaping the digital world we now live in. Introducing digital technologies into various aspects of the business can bring many benefits such as increased efficiency, improved quality, reduced costs and improved competitiveness. However, the key to successful digitalisation is a holistic approach that considers different aspects (e.g., the digitisation of documents, remote identity ascertainment and electronic signatures). All of this will enable companies and institutions to effectively take advantage of the potential of digital technologies and achieve the expected results.
