Taxonomy Builder

File:DTSBuilderLogo.png

DTS Builder What it is

Product page

[DTS Builder product page]

DTSBuilder tool icon

Description

The DTS Builder from Excel file is a tool that converts Excel files into XBRL Taxonomies. Reporting Standard believes that Excel + the Taxonomy Definition language developed by Reporting Standard is the perfect combination for taxonomy building in all possible scenarios as has been demonstrated all around the globe in several projects in different countries.

The following sections in the wiki are an introduction via examples to the capabilities of the DTS Definition Language and the implementation in Excel.

These are the main characteristics of the DTS Builder:

1. Allows users to create base taxonomies and taxonomy extensions of existing taxonomies
2. Provides a complete isolation between the metadata that will be stored in the taxonomy (called the information model) and the taxonomy modularization. The Business and technical sides of a taxonomy development project are considered separately
3. It is possible to gather all data for the development of the taxonomy using a business user interface (Excel base) and prepare different modularization approaches for the same meta-data without any change in the meta-data itself
4. Supports the creation of taxonomy schemas, namespaces, prefixes, XBRL concept definitions, XBRL Tuple definitions, XML concept definitions, standard presentation linkbases, standard calculation linkbases, standard label linkbases, standard reference linkbases and standard dimensions linkbases
5. It utilizes business views over the metadata as, for example, Data Matrix schema for the development of multidimensional information. Regular indentation for parent-child relationships in the presentation linkbases, simple Excel formulae for the calculation linkbase, labels for concept definitions to define the preferred label in the presentation linkase etc. This simplifies the development of the taxonomy by allowing non technical people to use advances XBRL features easily
6. Provides a high level of consistency rules implemented in order to detect possible inconsistencies in the information model
7. Provides a mechanism for error detections (true inconsistencies) found during the taxonomy development phase
8. Reduces the risks of creating inconsistencies in the taxonomy development
9. Reduces the amount of time required for taxonomy testing
10. Reduces the development time
11. Reduces the dependency of the XBRL experts during the taxonomy development

Benefits of using Excel rather than a general purpose Taxonomy Editor

Among several benefits, here are just a few of them:

1. Excel is a flexible data container. The user is free to add documentation, colors, formulas and whatever the user considers for the purpose of better documenting and keep track of the issues during the taxonomy development phase.
2. Excel files are understandable by XBRL experts and non XBRL experts. This means that non XBRL Experts but business experts can provide useful feedback during a Taxonomy development project.
3. The implementation defined by Reporting Standard is based on two things: common table structures and a DTS definition language that allows technical experts to do even more things that they can do with other taxonomy editors in the markets
4. The Excel Based Taxonomy Builder is the most simple and flexible way to develop high quality XBRL taxonomies as it allows you to be consistent in your taxonomy creation and concentrate in the important things rather than in the geeck technical details that provides no value

Examples

During this on line training we are going to create a taxonomy for Google financial statemens as they are published in Google web site.

Download the [Google.xls] Excel spreadsheet that contains the taxonomy definition.

• The Excel document contains 4 sheets, but only 3 contains relevant data for the taxonomy building process. Excel allows the user to add additional sheets for documentation purposes. The user can also use coloring on cells and formulas in order to build the taxonomy in a consistent manner. We will see examples on this later.
  • The Documentation sheet contains just documentation
  • The Main sheet contains the presentation, calculation and definition (dimensions) linkbases
  • The Concepts sheet contains a table with concept definitions that are referenced in other places like the Main sheet.
  • The DTS sheet contains the DTS definition language.
• The DTS definition language is where the tool starts building the Taxonomy.

The DTS definition language is a instructions based language where an instructions identifies something to do. Some instructions encapsulate other instructions as it is the case of the BOT (Beginning Of Taxonomy) - EOF (End of Taxonomy) instructions. The instructions has parameters and the instructions and the parameters gives the user the possibility of structuring the Excel content in the way the user wants (there is no need to have a Concepts sheet or a Main sheet)

Tool detailed documentation

The User's Manual can be downloaded directly from this URL: [http://www.reportingstandard.com/Taxonomy_Builder_Users_Manual_EN.pdf]

A copy of the PDF document is installed in your hard drive when you install the core Reporting Standard Tools.

Reporting Standard has created a wiki page for the documentation of the DTS Definition Language. where the latest information about the instructions will be always available.

Navigate

Main Page