Each of these names refers to a distinct piece of Singapore's XBRL system. Confusing them is a common source of miscommunication between directors and whoever prepares their filing.
ACRA Taxonomy — the dictionary
The taxonomy is a standardised, hierarchical dictionary of reporting concepts based on Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (SFRS), SFRS for Small Entities, the Companies Act, and the SGX Listing Manual. As of BizFinx v4.0, the current version is ACRA Taxonomy 2026 v1.0. The presentation order in the taxonomy may not match how your company presents its AGM financial statements — some re-ordering flexibility is allowed.
BizFinx — the preparation tool
BizFinx is ACRA's free, downloadable desktop application for preparing and validating XBRL financial statements before submission. Since 25 February 2026, the current version is v4.0; older versions (like v3.4.1) remain available only for correcting earlier filings via a Notice of Error. Always confirm you're using the current version — an outdated one is a common source of validation failures. There's also a Multi-Upload Tool for companies filing several XBRL documents at once.
Once you upload your XBRL financial statements, they stay on the BizFinx server for only 14 days. You must file your Annual Return within that window, or you'll need to upload again.
Free Download
Preparing your first XBRL filing?
Grab the free XBRL Filing Readiness Checklist — 20+ checks across deadlines, thresholds, and setup, in one printable page.
BizFile+ — the filing portal
BizFile+ is ACRA's online business filing portal, where the completed Annual Return — with the linked XBRL financial statements — is actually lodged.
Three ways to actually file
- BizFinx Preparation Tool — free, but you do your own taxonomy mapping and validation.
- Seamless Filing — if your accounting software is on ACRA's approved list, you can prepare and file directly from the software. This currently supports Simplified XBRL only, so it doesn't suit companies that must file Full XBRL.
- Corporate Service Provider (CSP) — a paid option where a CSP prepares and files on your behalf, removing the mapping and validation burden entirely.
Practical notes worth knowing early
- BizFinx is free to download directly from ACRA — no need to pay simply to obtain the software.
- Most companies still need to attach a signed PDF copy of their financial statements alongside the XBRL file; XBRL doesn't replace that requirement, it structures the data for regulatory analysis.
- Failure to file in XBRL format where required is a filing offence under Section 197 of the Companies Act, with penalties on both the company and its directors.