An act of completed works (or rendered services) is the document that closes settlements between a sole trader and a client every month. Printing it, signing by hand and mailing or couriering it is a waste of time — especially when the client is in another city or abroad. An electronic act with a QES solves this in minutes and has full legal force. Here is how to prepare one.
An electronic act is a primary document
The act of completed works is a primary accounting document. The law allows primary documents to be created in electronic form, and a QES gives them the same legal force as a handwritten signature on paper. So an electronic act signed with the QES of both parties is a full-fledged basis for recording income and expenses. Read more in electronic primary documents.
For a sole trader this is especially convenient: no need to keep a printer, store stacks of paper or carry originals around — everything is prepared and stored in your account.
What you need to sign an act electronically
- The sole trader's QES — a file key, Diia.Signature or another medium.
- The act itself — a ready file (Word/PDF) or one composed in the service.
- The client, who will add their signature — even if they have no account in the service.
No plugins, extensions or separate signing programs are needed — everything works in the browser.
How to prepare an act of completed works online: step by step
- Create or upload the act in your eObig account. A standard act is convenient to save as a template and just change the amount and period each month; the AI assistant will help produce the text.
- Sign with your QES right in the browser. How it works is in how to sign a document online without plugins.
- Send it to the client for signature. If they do not use the service, use a link without registration: the client opens the act and signs with their QES without creating an account.
- Receive the two-way signed act. A signed copy stays with both parties, and you see the status in real time.
A client abroad: an important nuance
Sole-trader freelancers often work with clients from the EU or other countries. A foreign counterparty usually does not have a Ukrainian QES. In such cases it is worth agreeing in advance which signature is acceptable: a Ukrainian QES, a qualified signature under the European eIDAS regulation (QES), or another format agreed in the contract itself. For settlements within Ukraine between a sole trader and Ukrainian companies, the QES of both parties is enough.
Why it pays off for sole traders
| Paper act | Electronic act with a QES |
|---|---|
| Print, sign, courier/mail | A few minutes in the browser |
| The original may get lost in transit | A signed copy is instantly with both parties |
| Hard to find an act from a past period | Search in the archive in seconds |
| Tied to geography | The client signs from anywhere |
For other scenarios for micro-business, see EDM for small business and sole traders.
Storage and the tax authority
An electronic act signed with a QES is accepted by the tax and supervisory authorities on par with a paper one. Each signature is recorded with the time and the signer's data, and the document's event history remains as an audit trail. Keep signed acts in a secure archive; on retention periods, see how long to keep electronic documents.
In brief
- An electronic act of completed works is a full-fledged primary document; a QES gives it legal force on par with a paper one.
- A sole trader signs the act in the browser in minutes, without plugins or a printer.
- The client signs via a link without registration; for foreign clients, the signature format should be agreed in the contract.
- Signed acts are kept with an audit trail and fast search in the archive.
Start for free at portal.eobig.com or book a demo — and close your first act with a client online, without paper or mail.