My XBRL Reading List, Take Three

Written by Bob Schneider     Posted on March 16, 2010

In 2007, I wrote a post titled My XBRL Reading List. Take out my window dressing, and you had a pretty short list. Two years ago I did a post that added more materials, but it was still relatively scanty.

Since then, as XBRL adoption has expanded, resources both on and off the Internet have increased substantially. I wouldn’t call it an embarrassment of riches -- for example, there are still few XBRL books -- but certainly there is a healthy flow of information and commentary on interactive data developments from numerous sources. 

As I noted in my post on social media, monitoring Twitter Search results for XBRL will keep you up-to-date on most XBRL-related blog posts, articles, and events -- an objective that can be aided by creating a Google Alert for XBRL or a search on that term at Google Blogs.

One resource these searches may easily miss, however, is the Yahoo Group XBRL-Public.This is one of the the oldest XBRL resources on the Internet, and it still offers the best forum for debating XBRL issues. The recent thread on Building an Inhouse XBRL Viewer is a vigorous clash of opinion among the best minds in the field. The thread’s title doesn’t do any sort of justice to the robustness of a debate that centers on Inline XBRL, but ranges from the potential of the Semantic Web to the perverse utility of white fonts for information camouflage.

At the same time, XBRL novices can expect courteous assistance from this group. Just yesterday, Charlie Hoffman provided a list of sources for someone who does not know “the first thing about it.”

I’ve provided Internet and print resources below that offer the latest XBRL news and commentary, as well as more permanent content such as taxonomies and primers. Relative newcomers will probably find it most useful, but I hope long-time practitioners also discover one or more entries worthy of subscription or bookmark.  I’m sure I have omitted useful resources through oversight or ignorance; readers should feel free to suggest their favorites in a Comment.

Blogs
The writers at these blogs are passionate about XBRL and do a great job of exploring news, ideas, and trends.

CPASuccess This blog from the Maryland Association of CPAs often has stories on recent XBRL developments.

Financial Reporting Using XBRL Probably better known as Charlie Hoffman’s blog, the Father of XBRL writes prolifically and provocatively on both technical and nontechnical interactive data issues.

CoreFiling’s Insight Blog CEO John Turner doesn’t blog often, but whenever he does, it’s must reading. Recently, he and his staff have been doing a series on Inline XBRL.

FEI Financial Reporting Blog often has posts about XBRL-related news and events.

PaulWilkinson.com The senior adviser to former SEC Chairman Chris Cox writes on big-picture financial issues, often from an XBRL perspective.

Random Thoughts Dan Roberts, former National Director of Assurance Innovation at Grant Thornton, provides his thought-provoking take on XBRL issues.  

Rivet Software Blog Stuart McKie and others offer interesting commentary from this leading software vendor.  

The XBRL Canada Blog Gerald Trites’s focus is XBRL use in Canada, but he covers other interactive data topics as well.

Trintech Chethan Gorur (Director, Interactive Data at the firm) has begun posting technical but clearly-written XBRL articles at this new blog.  

Out of the Clouds and Into Reality: XBRL for the Business User Rob Blake of Bowne & Co. (slated to be acquired by RR Donnelley) doesn’t post often; but whenever he does, his remarks on the XBRL filing process are revealing.

Aggregator Sites
These sites collect and publish materials from various Internet resources; to varying degrees, they also include original content from the webmaster.

XBRL Blog Magazine  Ilija Šuša aggregates XBRL commentary, announcements, and tweets; he also writes posts and conducts interviews.    

XBRL Network Among other content, Miles Jennings, Jr. provides loads of links to XBRL companies, blogs, organizations, etc.

XBRLSpy Articles and announcements from XBRL Evangelist Dianne Mueller, as well as other articles from XBRL resources.  

Books
As I mentioned, books on XBRL are still few and far between, and the economics of publishing computing books these days doesn’t augur well for many more. The Hoffman/Watson XBRL for Dummies listed below is certainly a welcome addition to the list.

Building XBRL Into Accounting Information Systems As I stated in my review, this book provides readers “…with an outstanding introduction to XBRL — one they can finish on an airplane ride from New York to Atlanta.” 

Financial Reporting Using XBRL: IFRS and US GAAP Edition This reference work by Charlie Hoffman is for the technically minded.

XBRL for Dummies Charlie Hoffman and Liv Watson, two XBRL pioneers, provide an excellent, wide-ranging introduction in easy-to-digest language.

XBRL for Interactive Data: Engineering the Information Value Chain This book is not a comprehensive primer but it does provide useful information.

Websites
The sites listed below have important resources and archives, such as taxonomies, speeches, specifications, etc.  For sites of XBRL providers, see the XBRL Products and Services page at XBRL.org. and the vendors page at XBRL-US. All of the big accounting firms also have XBRL pages: PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, EY,and GT.

AICPA XBRL resources from the leading organization of US accountants.

CoreFilingTaxonomy Library You can open and explore taxonomies ranging from Australian SBR to XBRL GL.

International Accounting Standards Board This page at the IASB website has XBRL news and provides access to IFRS taxonomies.

SEC’s Office of Interactive Disclosure (OID) This essential website from the SEC’s XBRL unit  offers links to XBRL filings, staff interpretations, FAQs, transcripts, and roundtable discussions.

XBRL Education Resource Center Sponsored by Bryant University, the site offers links to articles, news, and tutorials about XBRL.

XBRL International First stop for learning about both XBRL the standard and XBRL the organization.

XBRL Planet Great place for learning about XBRL developments across the globe. There’s also a late-2009 update for Europe.

XBRL.US: The site of the US jurisdiction of XBRL includes the most recent release of the US GAAP taxonomies as well news, events, announcements, etc.