On May 22, 2026, the Ministry of Finance's Department of Expenditure released Version 3.0 of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for processing end-to-end e-claims and e-bills via the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). The digital e-bill system has now been successfully rolled out across various Civil Ministries, Pay and Accounts Offices (PAOs), and Cheque Drawing and Disbursing Officers (CDDOs).

Key Features & Technological Upgrades

• Enhanced Reporting Filters: To simplify verification, users can now easily filter records using "Normal bill" and "e-bill" radio buttons within standard CAM reports.
• New Monitoring Tools: Several new tracking reports have been integrated into the system, including a Claim Tracking Report, Bill Register, Sanction Vendor Payment Details, and a FIFO Bypass Report.
• Automated Document Tagging: The system now automatically imprints a unique e-Claim Reference Number (CRN) directly onto supporting documents during the creation of a claim.
• Flexible Sanction Rules: For Sanction Makers, uploading a physical copy of an approval note is now optional for standard claims, although it remains strictly mandatory for e-IGAA transactions.

Compliance & Procedural Guidelines

• Avoiding Duplication: Authorities must closely monitor workflows to ensure that identical claims are not processed simultaneously through both the standard normal bill module and the new e-bill module.
• Register Maintenance: Even with the shift to digital platforms, Disbursing Officers must continue to maintain a physical Bill Register as mandated by Rule 57 (5) of GFR 2017, and carry out strict monthly reconciliations.
• Seamless Transition: The overarching principles of payment, accounting, and reconciliation remain exactly the same. The only difference is the transition to a paperless environment where electronic records are subjected to the same document retention periods as physical files.