Current Fiscal law in Serbia is based on Fiscal Printers, and GPRS device used to send data to Tax Authority. This era will come to the end December 31st 2021. New online fiscal law will consider real-time communication with Tax Authorities, and this can be achieved by 100% software solution. In this article I will try to point out main challenges of upcoming fiscalization and how to successfully handle them.
Main challenges of new upcoming Online Fiscalization in Serbia are:
Selecting the right architecture for your environment
There are different possible scenarios for communication with Tax Authority.
Tax Authority Server can be reached directly, but in this case offline scenario is not feasible. This means in case that stores are out of internet for 10 minutes, there will be no alternative to perform sales. This is equal to catastrophe. I see this architecture feasible only for small volume business like car mechanic, hair dressing salons and similar.
Another scenario would be to use piece of software installed (middleware) on the store/POS location, and communicate with Tax Authority through it. In this case offline scenarios are feasible.
Alternative would be to use for example existing protocol with EFT (bank terminal), and use existing interface for transactions fiscalization.
E-commerce and Native Cloud solutions have their specifics to be considered as well.
Possibilities are many.
Investment to implementing new fiscal regulations
Depending on the Architecture you choose, will depend implementation costs. Be aware here that those are not only costs. Efforts in collecting and interpreting all requirements and writing specification requirement, educating teams about new store processes, changing of existing business processes, replacement of equipment, infrastructure requirements, and similar are also to be considered.
Get information on time
Probably the smartest decision about this new law (complete opposite from current fiscal law) is that only bases of it are defined as fiscal law. All additions and specifies are regulated by amendments. Much easier and faster if you want to adapt it or change it. On the other hand, this is not preferred way for Retailers, that do not have resources on hold just waiting for new requirements, first to be discovered, and second to be implemented.
Integration of Cash register software with Tax Authority
Next big challenge is Integration with Tax Authority server, considering all segments, from securing right documents, sand box environment, implementation/integration of solution, support in case of error, testing. Even more, time frame is quite challenging, since law will be mandatory from January 1st 2022. If you did not start yet, it is about time just right now.
Exchange the fiscal printer with a POS printer
All existing Retailers are using fiscal printers at the moment. From experience, Retailers do not like it at all. Replacing them with standard POS printers will be the case in most systems. However, this procedure is not just plug and play. Current fiscal printers must be defiscalized, adequate paper work must be handled, and waste management procedure fulfilled.
Perform certification process
Another important change that new online fiscal law in Serbia will bring is mandatory certification of two elements: processor of fiscal transactions and POS application itself. By using of certificated processor of fiscal transitions for communication with Tax Authority, Retailer or POS solution provider can avoid one part of certification, but POS software it self must be certificated as well.
Tu sums up, there are many elements about new online fiscal law in Serbia that will influence all Retailers in the country. The good thing is that you can start working on it as of today. Here are the steps how to smoothly avoid all of them:
- Get all the relevant data about new online fiscal law in Serbia
- Make sure that you and your team understand processes and requirements of it
- Define your preferred architecture
- Start working on the integration with Tax Authority server
- Plan your resources for certification
- Communicate plan for replacement of existing fiscal printers with authorized fiscal services
I hope that you liked reading this article. If you have questions or comments, feel free to let me know in comments below or just send me direct message, and I will be more than happy to hear your opinion or support you in this area.
Source: linkedin.com
