XBRL International Dimensions Specification released as Candidate Recommendation 3
2 May 2006
XBRL International has updated its Dimensions 1.0 Specification, releasing Candidate Recommendation 3. This contains two updates, described below, to the previous Candidate Recommendation. Feedback on this new version is requested. It is expected to be approved soon as a formal XBRL International Recommendation, after which its content will remain stable.
The Dimensions Specification is a modular, optional extension to the XBRL 2.1 Specification allowing XBRL taxonomy authors to define and restrict dimensional information for instance authors to use in the segment and scenario elements of the context element of XBRL instance documents.
A typical example of its use is the ability to define regional and product dimensions for basic fact elements such as sales – although its potential uses go far beyond this simple case. The specification provides an important extension of the ability of XBRL to represent easily and efficiently the dimensional information which exists in business reporting. It offers a generalised mechanism to define dimensional metadata and to reference it in XBRL instances.
The architecture of the Dimensions Specification is such that any XBRL artefacts (instances and their Discoverable Taxonomy Sets) that conform to this specification also conform to the XBRL 2.1 Specification. They may thus be processed without error by any processor that is capable of correctly processing XBRL artefacts, even if those processors are unaware of this modular extension. It is also designed in such a way that it makes maximum use of components of the XBRL 2.1 Specification [XBRL] so as to require a minimum amount of retooling of applications for implementation.
It satisfies XBRL International’s dimensional taxonomy requirements, which are available on Specification Requirements.
The two updates to the Specification in this new Candidate Recommendation are:
1. Addition of a requirement that schemas which are necessary for typed dimensions be included in the DTS of any instance or taxonomy that wishes to make use of this feature. This is to make discovery of such schemas more robust and to make interoperability of tools more likely. The Specification Working Group would in particular like input from interested parties on the suitability of this requirement.
2. Removal of references to the Link Role Registry (since having roles registered there is not necessary if they are defined in a module such as this).
See the FAQ for more information on the Dimensions Specification and Specifications – Recommendations for the full Specification and supporting information.
XBRL members may provide comments direct to the International Specification Working Group. Non-members should send comments to spec@xbrl.org.
Announced by:
Peter Calvert
XBRL International
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