Test environments for XBRL reporting success
Tom Wacha, Director of XBRL Product Management at Workiva and a member of XBRL International’s Best Practices Board, has contributed a guest blog emphasising the importance of secure and robust test environments in XBRL reporting. His piece offers practical guidance as part of XBRL International’s wider recommendations for designing effective XBRL data collection and processing platforms.
Wacha outlines a dual-component approach: a Software Testing Platform for vendors to validate report creation tools, and a Test Collection Processing Platform for preparers to trial filings before live submission. The former ensures compliance with technical standards and can support certification schemes, while the latter allows “dry run” filing to verify completeness, authentication and appearance using live data – all without the risk of contaminating production systems.
Test environments are a frequently under-appreciated aspect of XBRL implementations, yet they play a vital role in enhancing accuracy, consistency and confidence across all stakeholders. Wacha makes clear that these platforms should be architecturally identical to production systems but isolated, secured, and designed not to store any data. This includes cybersecurity safeguards such as access controls, traffic monitoring, and potential use of digital signatures.
This guidance is helpful for anyone focused on the quality, security, and practical implementation of robust reporting frameworks. We encourage all regulators and system designers to incorporate test environments into their platforms.
Read the blog here.
