Environment friendly IT Solutions for E-Receipts

Project facts

Project promoter:
AS Omniva (former AS Estonian Post)
Project Number:
EE07-0054
Target groups
Entrepreneurs,
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€905,250
Final project cost:
€732,277
From Norway Grants:
€ 466,827
The project is carried out in:
EESTI

Description

Electronic handling of documents creates an environmental benefit chiefly through saving paper. It is estimated that one single A4 size sheet of paper leaves a 100 gram carbon footprint on the environment. To prevent this, companies all over world have searched for ways to use electronic documents instead of paper. The idea of this open call project is to introduce e-Receipt to the Estonian and Norwegian market. Electronic receipt (e-receipt) is a proof of transaction from the seller, as opposed to e-invoice which is a base of transaction. In Estonia many of retail chains have their own e-receipt (Selver, Rimi) but there is no integrated approach to manage online analysis of household expenses and ensure the warranty proof for the end-user. The objective of the project is to develop the IT infrastructure and cloud based databases to run the e-Receipt system. E-Receipt is one of the most promising large-scale IT projects currently planned in Estonia in terms of different sectors engaged: logistics, ICT and retail. As an outcome, an automatic and electronic proceeding of receipts is implemented for further commercialization in target markets.

Summary of project results

There was no central system for managing purchase information. Nearly 400 million tonnes of paper receipts are omitted in Estonia each year, which requires 20 tonnes of paper. It takes approx. 15 trees, more than 9 barrels of oil, 72 tonnes of water to make one tonne of receipt paper, and a whole tonne of waste is generated. If the amount of omitted receipts could be reduced by half, it would mean significant nature conservation. In shops that have joined the E-receipt system, a paper receipt is not needed. And it is no longer necessary to collect receipts in a wallet or desk drawer, as all of these are in a digital format and accessible in the E-receipt portal. The portal offers a simple opportunity for keeping tabs on daily and long-term expenses. A custumer can place purchased goods in suitable expense categories and analyse her purchase behaviour. The e-receipt portal developed by AS Omniva will make all receipts conveniently available in an electronic form in a cloud-based environment. A software solution created during the project integrates the existing e-receipt systems, offering a chance to join the system to companies that don’t currently employ the e-receipt system and making the data available (by means of electronic identification) to other service providers. e-Receipt portal enables access to receipts from different retailers. There was no similar system in use before. Solutions that focus on single shops and chain stores usually involve very little benefits for clients. There was also no known existing concept of real time m-receipt in the world. The first step during the project was to work out e-receipt national standard, the second step was an integration of POS (point of sales) and the third step was interfacing retail software with e-receipt and m-wallet portal. The project promoter had a co-operation with all the biggest Point of sales integrators in Estonia and they have built a business software and POS companies network that covers more than 50% of the market. The concept is easily applicable both in e-trade and conventional shops. Step by step, the need for a paper receipt will disappear and the electronically handled e-receipt will become beneficial, in multiple ways, for private persons, companies and the state in general. Receipts will be automatically integrated with accounting software that would enable real-time exchange of data (e.g. expense reports) between accounting systems.

Summary of bilateral results

According to the international studies and surveys, Estonia and Norway are holding leading positions at global level in use of e-invoices. Partners from Norway and Finland were involved with their country-level expertise to develop an Estonian standard of digital receipt. Together with partners the Estonian and Finnish joint concept for digital receipt standard was put in place. It improved knowledge and understanding about possibilities to harmonize Estonian and Norway concepts as well.