Electronic procedures publication guide

This guide aims to improve the quality and efficiency in the publication of electronic procedures on municipal portals and electronic offices. In the digital age, electronic processing is a fundamental tool to ensure a more efficient, accessible and people-centered public administration. However, there are still practices that make it difficult to manage it optimally.

Analysis of service use Etram highlights a excessive dependence on the generic instance and little use of specific forms that the platform offers.

During the first half of 2025:

• El 88% of procedures they were made using the generic instance.
• Only the 12 % were processed through specific forms.
• In a sample of 73 town councils users ofEtram, almost one 43 % they still publish forms in PDF or Word on their website, requesting that they be attached to the generic instance.

These practices entail several problems, such as difficulties in internal management, an increase in the administrative burden, the risk of errors or regulatory breaches and a less satisfactory experience for citizens. For this reason, this guide establishes clear recommendations and specific actions to correct these dysfunctions and make the most of the potential it offers. Etram, with the aim of moving towards more structured, secure and efficient electronic processing.

1. Problems and risks

The exclusive use of the generic instance or in combination with forms in PDF or Word It entails several risks that affect both internal management and public trust:

• Unstructured data entry: data is entered into the entity's information systems in an unstructured format, making it difficult to manage and analyze.
• Increased administrative burdens: the staff responsible for opening and processing electronic files experience a high impact on their administrative burdens.
• Broken links: the links linked to the procedures in PDF or Word format are often unavailable, since they are not maintained, which generates distrust among citizens.
• Legal uncertainty: Forms in Word or PDF format are often not updated according to current regulations, which implies a high cost for administrations to carry out periodic reviews. In addition, they are published outside the entity's electronic headquarters, putting at risk the security, veracity and integrity of their contents.
• Risk of the principle of technological neutrality: the fact of conditioning the citizen to use a form in Word or PDF format attached to the generic instance, forces them to download, edit and attach the form with specific software (PDF editors or commercial word processors).

2. Cases to Correct

Below are the most common practices that should be avoided when publishing electronic procedures, with real examples and the correct way to correct them.

A) Duplication of procedures

Publication of procedures in Word or PDF format that are already available on the procedures portal Etram

Examples:

• Tax domiciliation

• Request for use of municipal facilities

• Extension of works license

How to correct it?

1. Review the catalog of procedures available at Etram
2. Remove forms in Word or PDF format from the entity's website for those procedures that are already available on Etram with HTML form
3. Activate the default procedures of the procedures catalogEtram

B) Customized procedure forms in PDF or Word format

Publication of procedural forms in Word or PDF format to be submitted via generic instance or personalized procedures that can be created directly in Etram.

Examples:

How to correct it?

The organizations that use the service Etram can create custom forms using the custom forms module.

This module allows you to complement the generic forms available by default with specific forms adapted to the needs of each entity. With this functionality you can replace the current PDF or Word forms custom-defined by the entities, in order to have forms entirely designed and managed by the organizations themselves within the platform.

In this way, the processing service is improved, both for citizens, who access more agile and adapted forms, and for management entities, who receive the information in a structured way and directly integrated into their entry record.

C) Procedure forms in PDF or Word format for in-person presentation

Publication of forms in Word or PDF format for presentation on paper in person, although Etram It now allows you to download the Word version of the online procedure, for your in-person presentation.

3. Recommendations

• Review the catalog of proceduresEtram:
  • Activate procedures that are useful for the entity or that correspond to its area of ​​competence.
  • Prioritize the activation of urban planning procedures, Single Business Window (Local FUE) and the formalities of the family Population Register.
• Delete your own PDF or Word forms:
  • Replace them with the equivalent procedures available in EtAries in order to guarantee regulatory compliance and maintenance of procedures.
• Using the new functionality ofEtram:
  • Creation and customization of your own procedures, in the event that the specific procedure does not exist in the catalog of procedures.Etram
• Subscribe to Blog of the AOC:
  • To stay up to date with the updates and additions of new procedures specific to the catalog of proceduresEtram.
• Make electronic processing visible beyond the generic instance:
  • Display the procedures catalog in a prominent and easy-to-identify location.
• Request activation of the custom form creation module the support form forEtram indicating in the subject “Etram Activation of the own procedures module.

4. Advice and support

For any queries related to the implementation of these recommendations, local entities can contact the AOC Consortium Territorial Dynamization and Advice Unit through the mail dinamitzacio@aoc.cat, or with your regional representative of the Regional Council, who can offer you advice and direct guidance.