XBRL Filing Singapore: How to Validate Data Before Submission

Before submitting XBRL filings to ACRA, validation is the last — and most critical — checkpoint. Many Singapore SMEs only discover issues after submission, when filings are rejected or delayed. In most cases, those issues could have been caught earlier with proper validation.

Validating XBRL data isn’t about technical expertise. It’s about ensuring your financial data is complete, consistent, and structurally sound before submission.

Start With Finalised Financial Statements

XBRL should always be prepared from final financial statements. Any changes made after tagging almost guarantee mismatches.

Before validation, confirm that:

• All statements are approved and locked
• Adjustments are fully reflected
• Figures reconcile across reports

Draft numbers lead to validation failures later.

Check Internal Consistency Across Statements

ACRA’s validation rules perform cross-checks between statements. Even small inconsistencies can trigger errors.

Key checks include:

• Assets = liabilities + equity
• Net profit flowing correctly into retained earnings
• Cash flow movements aligning with balance sheet changes
• Comparative figures matching prior-year data where required

These checks should be done before XBRL submission, not after rejection.

Review Account Mapping Carefully

Incorrect tagging is one of the most common XBRL validation issues.

Before submission:

• Ensure each account is mapped to the correct ACRA taxonomy element
• Avoid overly generic tags when more specific ones apply
• Confirm similar accounts are mapped consistently

Mapping errors don’t mean the numbers are wrong — but they will still cause filing issues.

Verify Mandatory Fields, Notes, and Disclosures

XBRL validation isn’t limited to balance sheet and P&L figures. Missing disclosures can cause rejection even when headline numbers look correct.

Make sure that:

• Required notes and disclosures are included
• Figures in notes match the main statements
• No mandatory fields are left blank

Notes deserve the same level of checking as primary statements.

Run ACRA Validation Checks Early

Always run ACRA’s validation checks before final submission. These checks highlight:

• Structural errors
• Missing data
• Inconsistencies across statements

Running them early gives you time to fix issues calmly, instead of under deadline pressure.

Reduce Validation Issues With Better Upstream Data

Most validation problems originate from how financial data is managed throughout the year — not from the XBRL tool itself.

SMEs using AI-powered bookkeeping platforms like ccMonet benefit from:

• Consistent transaction categorisation
• Automated reconciliation
• Reduced manual adjustments
• Clear traceability from transactions to statements
• AI and expert review for accuracy

When data is clean and structured, validation becomes a confirmation step — not a debugging exercise.

Validation Is a Process, Not a Last-Minute Fix

XBRL validation shouldn’t be treated as a final obstacle before submission. It’s the result of good financial discipline built over time.

When records are accurate, consistent, and well-organised, validating XBRL data is fast, predictable, and low-stress.

👉 Learn how AI-powered bookkeeping helps Singapore SMEs validate and submit XBRL filings with confidence at ccMonet

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