Digitizing International Financial Reports with iXBRL and the IFRS Taxonomy: The Case of the EU, U.S., and SAP SE

Abstract

This case enables students to investigate recent financial reporting mandates requiring EU and SEC IFRS filers to digitize financial reports using IFRS-based taxonomies and iXBRL. EU filers are mandated by ESMA (European Securities and Markets Authority) to file IFRS-iXBRL financial reports, complying with ESEF (European Single Electronic Format). SEC IFRS filers follow similar specifications. Moreover, ESMA and the SEC recently transitioned to XBRL’s enhanced format, iXBRL, combining human and machine-readable language into a single document. Student learning objectives include analyzing these developments and evaluating German multinational corporation SAP SE’s motivation for IFRS-XBRL implementations. SAP, since 2005, files IFRS financials, and since 2009, creates IFRS-XBRL reports. Students apply Corefiling’s Yeti Taxonomy Viewer, SEC’s EDGAR iXBRL Viewer, and TagniFi’s Console to iXBRL mapping/analysis exercises. The case is for Accounting Information Systems and International Accounting courses. It’s especially useful for introductory classes on digitized financial reporting with students having no prior XBRL knowledge.