I wish to maintain my company’s statutory registers in electronic form using tools like Excel or Google Sheets, as they provide ease of use and accessibility. However, I am facing a challenge with respect to attaching a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) to these formats, particularly Google Sheets, as I could not find any straightforward method to do so.
As per Rule 27 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules, 2014, it is mandatory to ensure that entries made in the electronic registers are authenticated with the DSC of the authorized person. Given this, I seek your guidance on the following:
- Is there any method or tool available to attach or integrate a DSC directly with Google Sheets or Excel?
- If direct integration is not possible, what alternative methods can I adopt to comply with the legal requirements?
- Would maintaining the records in a specialized software or a system designed for compliance purposes be a better option? If so, could you suggest some reliable platforms?
Your expertise and assistance in helping me comply with the requirements of the Companies Act, 2013, would be highly appreciated.
Looking forward to your valuable advice.
CAclubindia
