Reporting Using US GAAP

A new era of financial reporting is about to begin within the US and throughout the world.  XBRL is about to make its way into the mainstream.  This web site is intended to help business users (particularly CPAs)understand and make use of XBRL for financial reporting.  This section of the web site focuses on XBRL as used in the US for reporting under US GAAP.

This includes for reporting by public companies and private companies.

If you want to understand XBRL a good place to start is a white paper "Introduction to XBRL for CPAs" written by Wayne Harding, CPA and Charles Hoffman, CPA.  The white paper is about 50 pages and explains, in business terms what XBRL, how it works, why it is important, and other key information all business users need to understand.  There is also a two hour CPE course by the same name offered by the Colorado Society of CPAs.  If you would like more information about the white paper or course, please contact:  Charles.Hoffman@UBmatrix.com.

Other information which is useful in understanding the US GAAP Taxonomy will be posted to this site as it becomes available.  This information will help the business user understand the taxonomy, help them provide useful feedback during the taxonomy's public review period, make use of the taxonomy for filings, etc.  Come back and see what information becomes available which may help you understand this new part of business and financial reporting. 

Location of US GAAP Taxonomy:  A copy of the US GAAP Taxonomy can be downloaded at the following location:  http://xbrl.us/Pages/US-GAAP.aspx.

 

 

Various Ways to View US GAAP Taxonomy:

Here are several things which help a business user take a look at the US GAAP Taxonomy on the taxonomy's web site.  But here are a few additional ways.  These views are for the CI (commercial and industrial companies) entry point:

  • Matrix of extended links (networks). This is an Excel file which has each of the extended links (networks) which are contained in the US GAAP Taxonomy.  This is used to see all the financial reporting components, it does not include the non-gaap taxonomies.
  • CI - Excel spreadsheet.  This is an Excel spreadsheet which has information from the presentation linkbase for the CI entry point.  This is great for using Excel to search, sort, filter, and otherwise slice and dice the taxonomy.
  • CI - PDF printout without references (makes it shorter).  This is a PDF printout of the CI entry point.  This lets you print the presentation view and see the taxonomy line-by-line rather than having to navigate a tree view control in an application.  This is shorter as it does not print the references.
  • CI - PDF printout with references (makes it longer).  This is the same as the PDF above, except for it contains references for each line item.

If you have ideas on how you might like to see the taxonomy, please send me an email and I will try and see if I can create that view.  Or, if you have a view of the taxonomy, send me a link and I will hook it to this page.

Again, my personal focus and the focus of probably 85% of financial statement users will be the CI entry point.  Personally, I don't have a high level of interest in the other entry points.  If I get enough people requesting this, then I will perhaps take the time to generate reports for other entry points.