Site Guide
Finding information about XBRL and XII on the XBRL website
This section will help you find the information you require on the XBRL website. The top menus of the site should help you locate most information, while Site Search gives further aid, but if you are still searching or not sure where to look, try some of the routes below.
Basic explanation of XBRL
The Getting Started section provides a basic introduction to XBRL, covering the fundamental concept, its benefits and a non-technical explanation of how it works. It includes a Frequently Asked Questions page.
The benefits of XBRL
The section XBRL and Business explains the benefits which XBRL offers to different types of businesses, industry sectors and government organisations. Jurisdiction and XII members can also refer to the Knowledge Centre for articles, white papers and other resources.
How do I start putting XBRL to use in my organisation?
The first step is normally to contact your local XBRL organisation or "jurisdiction" -- contact information can be found on the Jurisdictions page. Programmes for the use of XBRL are already under way in many countries and you will find information on most of these in our Project Listing Database or jurisdiction websites. XII does not provide a single "starter pack" for implementing XBRL because uses and circumstances vary greatly around the world, but plenty of support is available for adopters.
XBRL also runs open discussion groups on LinkedIn and Yahoo where non-members can ask for specific help. Members can gain support from a range of internal groups.
How is XBRL being used today around the world?
XII maintains a Project Listing Database of XBRL projects around the world. You can search for projects by geography, including specific countries or regions, as well as by several other attributes. A jurisdictional or XII Direct membership is required to view all information, but registered users of our site can access a list of projects.
- For information on a specific region or country, you may also contact XBRL Jurisdictions directly.
- For information on EU-level activities, please contact XBRL Europe.
- The Latin America Task Force is responsible for promoting adoption and membership in Central and South America.
- Consult our Events Listing to see a calendar of XBRL-related events around the world.
Where can I find further technical explanation of XBRL?
Following on from the basic explanation in How XBRL Works, the Knowledge Centre contains articles covering in more detail how XBRL functions. There are a variety of sections covering the technical detail of XBRL. The Specifications section contains the basic technical specifications which define XBRL, while the Taxonomies section contains the taxonomies, or classification systems, which define how particular international or national accounting regulations are represented in XBRL. The Technical Support section provides a range of guidance documents and explanatory material, as well as describing XBRL International's development plans.
How do I learn more about XBRL or get help with its use?
If you have questions which are not answered on this website, consider contacting your local jurisdiction. If there is no jurisdiction covering your country, then please contact XBRL International at info@xbrl.org. If you have questions which you are happy to share in the public domain, then you can post them via our various social media platforms.
How do I get started with creating XBRL instances and taxonomies?
Review the technical explanations about XBRL in the Knowledge Centre as well as the guidance documents on taxonomies and instances in the Taxonomy section. Contact your local jurisdiction if you have not already done so or info@xbrl.org if your country is not covered by an existing jurisdiction. Consider contacting the vendors of software for the creation of taxonomies and instances which are listed in our Tools and Service Directory. You can also raise questions on the public discussion groups run by XBRL. See Community for more information. Members can gain support from a range of internal working groups.
