If you've been told your company needs to "file XBRL" with ACRA, this guide explains what that actually means, without assuming you already know the acronyms.
Where this requirement came from
Singapore adopted XBRL filing for the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) in 2007, making it one of the earlier adopters of the standard globally. The requirement has been progressively refined since — most recently with the ACRA Taxonomy 2026 v1.0 and BizFinx Preparation Tool v4.0, required for filings since the transition deadline of 15 April 2026.
Before XBRL, companies lodged financial statements as static PDF documents. XBRL changed the underlying format: individual figures in a financial statement are tagged against a fixed dictionary of labels, so a computer — not just a human reader — can process, search, and compare the data automatically.
What XBRL filing actually involves
Filing financial statements in XBRL is not a separate filing — it happens as part of your company's Annual Return process. In practice:
- You prepare your financial statements under Singapore Financial Reporting Standards (SFRS) or SFRS for Small Entities, exactly as before.
- You then map each line item to a tag from the ACRA Taxonomy using the free BizFinx Preparation Tool (or approved accounting software, or a corporate service provider).
- The tagged file is submitted through BizFile+, ACRA's filing portal, alongside your Annual Return.
Who has to file
For most Singapore-incorporated companies limited by shares that must file financial statements with ACRA, XBRL filing is mandatory. Two categories are generally exempt from filing financial statements at all: dormant relevant companies (under Section 201A of the Companies Act) and solvent exempt private companies. See our dormant and exempt companies guide for the detail.
Free Download
Getting ready to file?
Grab the free XBRL Filing Readiness Checklist — 20+ checks across deadlines, thresholds, and setup, in one printable page.
The four filing templates
ACRA recognises four XBRL formats, and which one applies depends on your company's size and type:
| Template | Who uses it |
|---|---|
| Full XBRL | Most companies by default |
| Simplified XBRL | Smaller, non-publicly-accountable companies meeting the S$500,000 revenue and assets test |
| FS Highlights (FSH) for Banks | Banking entities |
| FS Highlights (FSH) for Insurance | MAS-regulated insurance entities |
See our Full vs Simplified XBRL guide for exactly how the S$500,000 test works, and why it's a different test from the audit exemption threshold.
Where to go next
If XBRL itself is still unclear, read What Is XBRL? next. If you already understand the concept and want the mechanics, go to BizFinx & BizFile+ Explained.