Implementation of the Electronic Document Management System at JSC “Airports of Kyrgyzstan”

The main goal of implementing the Electronic Document Management System at JSC “Airports of Kyrgyzstan” was to initiate the company’s comprehensive automation in the field of document management. Comprehensive automation involved the participation of all structural divisions of the organization. The purpose of this automation — both at the time of implementation and continuing now (as the second stage of system development is being prepared) — is to move away from paper-based documents, accelerate document approval and signing processes, ensure instant access to the document archive, and maintain dynamic execution discipline.

During the first three months of using the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS), the following documents were processed:

• Reports — over 2,000

• Leave Notes — 841

• Contracts — 268

• Payment Reports — 148

• Purchase Requests — 50

To evaluate the efficiency of document workflows, Reports and Leave Notes are particularly illustrative, as they are used by all employees across the organization.

Reports. Previously, the time from creation to execution ranged from 3–4 days to two weeks. After implementing the EDMS, approvals now take under 1 hour, and some Reports are executed automatically via notification workflows. Dynamic document tracking also speeds up processing and execution control.

Leave Notes. This category shows digitalization most clearly. Before the EDMS, employees filled out paper forms and physically collected approvals, which could take from one day to a week. Any error restarted the process. Now, approval takes just 40 minutes to 2 hours. Paper versions are eliminated — all documents are electronic, structured, and accessible in two clicks.

Overall, the implementation of the EDMS has dramatically accelerated document approval and execution, increased transparency and usability for all employees, and ensured full digitalization of key organizational processes.

The project was implemented using the DocsVision 5.5.5 platform — a powerful low-code solution designed for flexible automation of business processes. DocsVision served as the core system for electronic document management, providing a convenient, user-friendly interface and extensive customization capabilities.

To enhance functionality and user experience, JavaScript was used for client-side customization and interface improvements, ensuring intuitive and dynamic interaction with the system. For deeper automation of business logic, integrations, and workflow mechanisms, C# was utilized, enabling the development of reliable backend components and seamless interaction with external systems.

This combination of low-code flexibility and custom programming allowed to create a system precisely tailored to the organization’s structure, while maintaining scalability and ease of maintenance.

The main challenge of the project was employee training. Initially, the plan was to train no more than 20 advanced users, who would then train the rest of the staff. During implementation, it became clear that this approach would not ensure the project’s success. Therefore, it was decided to engage the entire implementation team to reach the maximum number of users in a short period of time.

During the training phase, there were numerous questions, misunderstandings, and even resistance to the new system, with occasional cases of open sabotage. However, our team’s prior experience with similar implementations and the management’s strong commitment to the EDMS were key to overcoming these challenges. The non-negotiable management order prohibiting the acceptance of paper documents proved decisive: all employees were required to use the system, ensuring a rapid and successful transition to electronic document management.

Project Implementation Stages

The project for implementing the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) at JSC “Airports of Kyrgyzstan” was carried out in stages with the goal of creating a fully automated and integrated solution for the entire organization. At the outset, a working group was formed, including employees from key departments: Legal Department, General Affairs, Procurement, Human Resources, and Finance. This cross-functional team allowed coverage of all aspects of document management and ensured participation from all structural divisions from the very beginning of the project.

In the first stage, each department selected one type of document that was most frequently used. This approach allowed the team to focus on the most significant processes and create a foundation for further automation. Over the course of one month, interviews were conducted with employees and functional requirements were collected. Each department provided information about current processes, challenges, and automation needs. This made it possible to accurately identify key document handling scenarios, required routing rules, and security requirements.

The second month of the project was dedicated to reviewing and refining the technical specification (TS). All collected requirements were analyzed, systematized, and documented in detail, and then submitted for approval by management and all departments. Special attention was given to detailing business processes and preparing them for implementation in the system.

In the third month, system development on the customer’s servers began based on the approved and signed technical specification. The team configured the system, developed the necessary approval workflows, integrated with the organization’s internal services, and adapted the interface to user needs. All development work was carried out with a focus on security and ease of use, ensuring that end users could work in the system intuitively and without errors.

The fourth month was fully dedicated to system testing and functionality refinement. Test scenarios for document handling were executed, routing correctness was checked, notifications were configured, and execution control was verified. Any identified errors or issues were promptly addressed to ensure the system’s stability and reliability for industrial deployment.

During the fifth month, a comprehensive training program for organization employees was conducted. For many participants, this was their first electronic document management system, so the training included not only technical aspects of system operation but also explanations of new document handling rules, electronic signature functionality, and execution control. Both group workshops and individual consultations were conducted to ensure that every employee could confidently use the system in daily operations.

The sixth month was dedicated to the system’s industrial launch. Before going live, our team, in collaboration with management, prepared an official order specifying that, starting from a certain date, the following types of documents would no longer be accepted in paper form and would be processed exclusively electronically: Leave Notes, Contracts, Purchase Requests, Reports, and Payment Orders. Throughout the month, our team was on-site at the customer’s premises, assisting employees with document processing, providing guidance, and monitoring the correct execution of all processes.

The result of the six-month project was the creation of an electronic document management system from scratch and its successful deployment in industrial operation. As a result, the organization achieved a fully automated, transparent, and secure document workflow, reduced the use of paper documents, accelerated document approval and signing, and gained instant access to the document archive. Furthermore, the implementation of the EDMS established a dynamic execution discipline and created a foundation for further system scaling to new processes and departments.

The project covers approximately 3,000 users, over 100 departments and units, 6 subsidiary enterprises, and 4 regions of the country, providing a unified and efficient document management system across all levels of the organization.