XBRL Filing Singapore: What to Do If Your Submission Is Rejected

Submitting your XBRL financial statements to ACRA can feel like the final step in a long compliance process — until you receive a rejection notice.

While a rejected XBRL filing can be frustrating, it is not uncommon. In most cases, rejections stem from validation errors, data inconsistencies, or structural issues in the financial statements. The key is to respond calmly, diagnose the root cause, and correct the issue systematically.

Here’s what to do if your XBRL submission in Singapore is rejected.

1. Review the Rejection Message Carefully

ACRA’s system typically provides validation error messages indicating why the submission failed.

Common reasons include:

• Balance sheet does not balance
• Retained earnings mismatch
• Inconsistent comparative figures
• Mandatory fields missing
• Incorrect tagging or taxonomy mapping
• Share capital inconsistencies

Do not immediately start editing multiple areas. First, identify whether the issue is:

• A technical tagging error
• A numerical inconsistency
• A corporate information mismatch

Understanding the category of error will save significant time.

2. Reconcile Core Financial Logic

Many XBRL rejections reflect underlying financial inconsistencies rather than formatting issues.

Start with these checks:

• Do total assets equal total liabilities plus equity?
• Does net profit reconcile with retained earnings movement?
• Are cash balances consistent across statements?
• Do comparative figures match last year’s filed financial statements?

If these relationships fail, correct the financial statements before re-generating the XBRL file.

Fixing taxonomy tags without resolving numerical inconsistencies will not solve the problem.

3. Verify Equity and Share Capital Details

A frequent cause of rejection in Singapore filings involves equity disclosures.

Check:

• Issued share capital matches ACRA records
• Number of shares is accurate
• Any changes during the year are properly disclosed
• Currency denomination is consistent

If financial statements and ACRA’s corporate database do not align, the filing may be rejected.

4. Review Taxonomy Mapping

If your financial numbers are correct, the issue may lie in incorrect mapping to ACRA’s taxonomy.

Common tagging errors include:

• Revenue mapped to incorrect elements
• Expenses grouped improperly
• Negative values tagged incorrectly
• Mandatory notes left unpopulated

Careful remapping may be required.

This is where structured financial preparation significantly reduces risk. When statements are generated using consistent account classifications throughout the year, mapping becomes more straightforward.

AI-powered bookkeeping systems like ccMonet help maintain structured financial records, reducing inconsistencies before the XBRL stage. Clean, reconciled data lowers the likelihood of tagging errors during conversion.

5. Check Reporting Period and Formatting Details

Technical errors sometimes relate to:

• Incorrect financial year dates
• Wrong units (full amounts vs thousands)
• Improper negative value formatting
• Missing comparative data

These issues can trigger validation failures even if the underlying numbers are correct.

Run a full pre-validation check again after corrections.

6. Avoid Multiple Uncontrolled Re-Submissions

Repeatedly editing and resubmitting without a clear diagnosis can create more confusion.

Instead:

1. Identify the root cause.
2. Correct the source financial data if necessary.
3. Regenerate the XBRL file systematically.
4. Validate before resubmission.

Approach the correction methodically rather than through trial and error.

7. Strengthen Your Process to Prevent Future Rejections

A rejected submission often signals deeper workflow gaps:

• Financial statements prepared too close to deadline
• Inconsistent Chart of Accounts structure
• Manual spreadsheet reliance
• Lack of reconciliation during the year

Improving year-round financial discipline reduces future filing risks.

Structured reporting tools and AI-assisted bookkeeping solutions help maintain clean, consistent data across reporting periods. When financial records are continuously reconciled and logically organised, XBRL conversion becomes far less stressful.

A Rejection Is a Correction Opportunity

An XBRL rejection is not a regulatory penalty — it is a validation safeguard. The system is designed to ensure that financial disclosures are internally consistent and accurately structured.

By carefully diagnosing the issue, correcting underlying inconsistencies, and strengthening your financial processes, you can resubmit confidently.

If you want to reduce the risk of filing errors and simplify financial reporting workflows, explore how structured, AI-powered bookkeeping and reporting solutions can support smoother compliance.

👉 Learn more at https://www.ccmonet.ai/ and see how better financial foundations lead to easier regulatory submissions.

‍