iXBRL Programme
Driving Financial Compliance in the Digital Era
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) embraces international best practices and the impact of the use of iXBRL when submitting Annual Financial Statements (AFS) online and in improving efficiencies. iXBRL will make it easier for Companies to report their financial information in an electronic format. CIPC mandated the digital reporting system for all qualifying entities from 1 July 2018.
iXBRL is an Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language for electronic communication of business information providing major benefits in the preparation, analysis, communication of Annual Financial Statements.
Digital reporting in the format of iXBRL will assist companies with filing their Annual Financial Statements to egress from a PDF reporting format to a more structured format. This will ultimately reduce the burden of multiple submissions to different regulators.
iXBRL Programme Objectives are:
- To reduce the administrative burden on businesses when they report financial information to government for regulatory compliance. Achieving this goal requires reducing duplication and inconsistency in business information reported to various government agencies - thus, a national (local taxonomy becomes a necessity; and
- To achieve regulatory compliance to accomplish the mission of the government agency. The CIPC's primary mission is to provide business and financial information to investors for better transparency and to reduce the administrative costs of reporting businesses.
For more information, please refer to the links below or contact Mr Hennie Viljoen - e-mail Hviljoen@cipc.co.za, or send a query to XBRL@cipc.co.za.
Details of the iXBRL Programme
Filing Annual Financial Statements (AFSs) via iXBRL
How-to guides / Training:
- 2019 XBRL SA Conference - CIPC & XBRL SA Introductory Training Provided on 13 August Presentation
- 2019 XBRL SA Conference - CIPC & XBRL SA Technical Training on 15 August Presentation
- Recorded Demonstration of iXBRL Portal
- Guidelines to Register as a Customer to use the iXBRL Portal
- User Manual for iXBRL Portal
- Validation Service User Manual
Public Consultation on CIPCs 2022 Taxonomy / Data Model
Please participate in CIPCs process of public consultation of the 2022 taxonomy and data model by sending comments to xbrl@cipc.co.za.
Please participate in the CIPCs process of public consultation of the 2021 taxonomy/taxonomy data model by reviewing the documents below. Please send comments to xbrl@cipc.co.za by 11 June 2021:
You are invited to participate in the CIPC Taxonomy development process. Please see below a gap analysis report, presentation and recording of a webinar meeting that was held on the 23rd of April 2020 and a specific one aimed at GRAP professionals held on the 4th of June 2020. We invite further commentary regarding the report from the public and other regulatory stakeholders. You may forward comments and queries to xbrl@cipc.co.za.
- Formal Public Invitation for Webinar held on the 23 April 2020
- GAP Analysis Report
- Formal Public GRAP Goes Digital Invitation for Webinar held on the 4 of June 2020
- Recordings and Presentations for Webinar held on the 23 April 2020 and 4 June 2020
- Taxonomy 2020 Data Model Consultation Review Guidelines
- GRAP 2020 Data Model
- IFRS 2020 Data Model
Public Consultation on CIPCs 2019 Taxonomy / Data Model
Please participate in the CIPCs process of public consultation of the 2019 taxonomy / taxonomy data model by reviewing the documents below:
- Draft 2019 Taxonomy
- Draft 2019 Taxonomy Framework Architecture
- Notice on Public Consultation on 2019 Draft Taxonomy
- Consultation Paper on Draft 2019 Data Model
- Draft 2019 Data Model
Please participate in the CIPCs process of public consultation of the 2018 taxonomy data model by reviewing the documents below:
- Notice on Public Consultation of 2018 Taxonomy Data Model
- Consultation Paper
- Clean Draft of 2018 Data Model
- Traceable Draft of 2018 Data Model
Provisioning of Client-Side Software for Filing of AFSs via iXBRL
For entities seeking service providers for iXBRL client-side software solutions:
For prospective software service providers who want to join the CIPCs vendor panel:
- Application Form for Software Service Providers for Panel Membership
- Assessment Criteria Form for Software Service Providers for Panel Membership
Pilot Phase
Please note that the Pilot Phase concluded on 15 June 2018
Business Aspects
Information for entities on how to comply to the CIPCs iXBRL mandate on filing of AFSs:
- Filers Guidelines: Business Aspects
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Did You Know? - Quick Reference to Important Facts
Technical Aspects
Technical information mostly relevant only to software service providers of client-side software:
- Taxonomy Incorporating Co-operatives for Pilot Testing
- Taxonomy 2021 (Incorporates 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 IFRS updates and GRAP Standard)
- Taxonomy 2020 (Incorporates 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 IFRS updates and GRAP standard)
- Taxonomy 2019 (Incorporates 2017, 2018 and 2019 IFRS updates)
- Taxonomy 2016
The following are open source validators / iXBRL readers that can be used to validate your ".xhtml" iXBRL files prior to uploading onto the CIPC platform.
Disclaimer: Please note that the CIPC Package used in conjunction with the open source arelle® software available on the arelle.org website has not been uploaded by the CIPC but rather the community making contribution to that platform.
General information on the CIPCs iXBRL Programme:
- Government Gazette notice on filing AFSs for Co-operatives via iXBRL
- Smart regulation by the CIPC through XBRL
- Government Gazette Notice on filing AFSs in GRAP via iXBRL from 1 October 2021
- XBRL Colloquium – 24 February 2021
- Notice about which Companies Should Submit AFS's in the iXBRL format
- Notice about Unexpected Filing Notifications Received During / After iXBRL Pilot Testing
- Notice about Maintenance on the iXBRL Portal Impacting on e-Services AR, AFS and FAS filing Process
- Notice about Software and SSP Details Requirement on iXBBRL Instance Documents
- Notice in Gazette CIPCs iXBRL Taxonomy Updated (2019)
- Invitation to XBRL SA / CIPC Training
- Notice about Scheduled Maintenance and Downtime of all CIPC Systems between 19 July 2019 and 21 July 2019
- Article from South African-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry: Lofty Brainchild Explains XBRL
- AFS / FAS Submission User Guide
- Article from CNBC Africa: This new financial regulation system could prevent another Steinhoff, here's how
- Notice about roll-out of "AR Hard-stop" functionality
- Radio 702 interview on the CIPCs iXBRL Programme
- Notice about temporary roll-back of "AR Hard-Stop" functionality
- Notice about system downtime for deployment of AR "hard-stop" functionality
- Notice about Annual Return process requirement of either AFSs or FASs to be filed
- Notice about filing Annual Financial Statements (AFSs) or Financial Accountability Supplements (FASs) together with Annual Returns (ARs)
- Notice about Live iXBRL Portal and Testing of AFS Filings
- Video: CNBC Africa Interview for iXBRL
- Video: Presentations and Panel Discussion about iXBRL at SAICA Event on 13 June 2018
- Minister Rob Davies congratulates the CIPC on the launch of iXBRL
- Video: Mr John Turner, CEO of XBRL International, Pledges his Support to the CIPCs iXBRL Programme
- Animation Video: Digital Financial Reporting via iXBRL
- iXBRL Advertorial
- Reminder: Entities not qualifying to submit AFSs via iXBRL still need to file FASs together with ARs
- Article From IT News Africa: South Africa Launches Digital Financial Reporting Solution
- Notice of System Downtime for Live Roll-Out of iXBRL
- Press Release: The CIPC Officially Launched iXBRL
- Video: eNCA Interview: CIPC Launches Online Business Platform
- iXBRL Newsletter - May 2018
- iXBRL Opinion Piece by the Commissioner of the CIPC
- Video: The CIPCs iXBRL Programme Explained in a Nutshell
- iXBRL Newsletter - April 2018
- iXBRL Facilitates Standardised Business and Financial Reporting Globally
- What is iXBRL? Animation video by courtesy of Deloitte
- Letter of Appreciation to Pilot Companies
- Analysis: Digital Financial Reporting for iXBRL
- CIPC Implements iXBRL
- XBRL International announces first XBRL Certified Software
- Notice: Submission of Annual Financial Statements (AFSs) Using iXBRL is Mandatory from 1 July 2018
- Appointment of software service provider for development of the CIPCs iXBRL reporting platform
- Why the CIPC Decided to Mandate iXBRL
- Did you know that CIPC is introducing iXBRL - Filing of Annual Financial Statements using an innovative platform?