http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/xbrl/xbrl-webcasts.shtml

Among the many items listed, we thought it important to highlight the following items pertaining to zero- or nil-values:

Question 9

Q: How do I arrange for facts with different types to appear on the same row?

A: None of the Commission viewers can currently render facts of different types on the same row.

Question 10

Q: How do I force a row that is entirely nil-valued facts to render?

A: The current version of the Interactive Data viewer will not render a row of entirely nil-valued facts.

Question 36

Q: Should elements for line items appearing with a "-" in the original HTML/ASCII version be tagged with a "0"?

A: No. These items should not be tagged, which will render a blank field by the rendering engine. Tag an element with a "0" value if and only if the fact appears as a "0" in the original HTML/ASCII version.

Question 39

Q: For empty cells in a table appearing in the original HTML/ASCII version, should a filer tag those facts with a "0"?

A: No. These items should not be tagged, which will render a blank field by the rendering engine. Tag an element with a "0" value if and only if the fact appears as a "0" in the original HTML/ASCII version. Similarly, if a cell appearing in the original HTML/ASCII version has a "-", that item should not be tagged, which will render a blank field by the rendering engine.

Notice regarding upcoming EDGAR Release 9.17 and XBRL Validation

We plan to update the EDGAR system on 09/28/09 to, among other things, expand the tests the EDGAR system uses to validate information in Interactive Data File (XBRL) submissions. With this update, the EDGAR system will validate an increased number of technical requirements while processing filings that include Interactive Data Files. This part of the update does not change existing technical requirements; it will simply enhance the validation process the EDGAR system uses to confirm compliance with the EDGAR Filer Manual requirements.

Although the EDGAR Filer Manual requirements relating to Interactive Data Files generally have not changed, it is important to note that with the enhanced validation process, the EDGAR system may reject Interactive Data File exhibits that would have been accepted prior to Release 9.17. We encourage filers to take appropriate steps to ensure that all Interactive Data File submissions comply with the EDGAR Filer Manual requirements and once Release 9.17 is in place to test compliance by submitting test filings well in advance of required filing dates.

http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/ednews/edgar9.17xbrlvalidation.htm

Modified: 08/21/2009

As you can see in the example below, the "Cash Flow from Operating/Investing/Financing Activities" headers are not striped, but left with a white background that highlights and offsets those sections of the table, making it easier for investors and other readers of your financial statements to assimilate the information.  And happy readers are a good thing!  They will appreciate the professionalism with which you file your SEC reports - using Southridge Services!

Once Adobe Acrobat Professional is opened, then go to the menu bar and select "Tools" - then "Compare Documents."  Then one simply browses to a pdf copy of the Word file (which can be made by printing the Word file to pdf), and also selects the pdf copy of the EDGARized proof.  Adobe can then do a side-by-side report that indicates anything that is different from the two documents.

A couple hints:  Insert blank pages as appropriate in either document so what is on any given page is aligned with what is on the other document's similar page.  This makes reading the "side-by-side" report much easier.  Also note that sometimes Adobe finds differences that really are not (it errs on the conservative side!).  These are typically instances in which a word wraps differently at the end of a paragraph in one document than in the other.  So those are easily ignored.

Of course, auditors will likely want to manually review every line and figure in the tables one by one, but using Adobe's "Compare Documents" feature can greatly increase the level of assurance and the speed with which the text portion of two documents can be compared.

Notice for Filers Requesting EDGAR Access Codes

Because of the increased volume of requests for new or updated EDGAR access codes, the SEC is providing an additional telephone line to use for submitting the notarized document required to accompany the electronic request. Filers may use this telephone line when submitting notarized documents for New Form ID requests or requests to Update Passphrases and Convert a Filer from Paper to Electronic. Please submit only one copy of the notarized documents. Please include the Printed Name of the Signer and Title of the Signer in your fax for Convert Paper to Electronic and Update Passphrase requests. In addition to the existing FAX lines listed in the Filer Manual, access code requests can also be sent to 703-813-6961.

http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/ednews/formiddocs.htm

If you would prefer more a more simple and straight-forward explanation of how this applies to your business, please contact us anytime.

The following is the SEC's announcment, found at http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/ednews/eformd.htm:

Notice to New EDGAR Filers and Form D Filers
The SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance provides the following guidance for filers, especially new filers and Form D filers. This guidance does not change any existing rules or create any new ones.

Until March 15, 2009, Form D filers may submit their filings in either paper or electronic form. Beginning March 16, 2009, Form D filers must:

Make all Form D filings electronically on EDGAR; and

Amend their Form D filings if they are conducting continuing offerings of securities and they have not made a Form D filing within the previous year.
Because the new annual amendment and electronic filing requirements will affect many filers that have not filed using EDGAR in the past, we expect requests for EDGAR access codes to increase. To avoid a delay in receiving EDGAR access codes, new EDGAR filers may wish to request EDGAR access codes well in advance of a filing deadline.

Filers with an annual amendment requirement may submit paper or electronic Form D filings before the March 16 deadline, and may wish to do so to avoid potential delays around that date. After March 16, the amendment must be electronic.

We strive to respond promptly to requests for EDGAR access codes. Given the potential filing volume during March, requests for EDGAR access codes may take longer than usual. To avoid unnecessary delays, we suggest that filers secure EDGAR access codes well in advance of their electronic filing deadline. Filers who have submitted only paper filings should use the “Convert Paper Only Filer to Electronic Filer” process outlined in the EDGAR Filer Manual.



http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/ednews/eformd.htm



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Home | Previous Page Modified: 02/17/2009

Mary Schapiro Sworn In as Chairman of SEC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2009-11

Washington, D.C., Jan. 27, 2009 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Mary L. Schapiro was sworn in this morning as the 29th Chairman of the SEC. The oath of office was administered by SEC Commissioner Elisse B. Walter at SEC headquarters, where Chairman Schapiro was joined by her husband, Chas Cadwell, and senior SEC staff.

“Seventy-five years after this great agency was founded, the SEC must play a critical role in rebuilding investor confidence, reviving our markets, and rejuvenating our economy,” said Chairman Schapiro. “I’m honored and grateful to be entrusted with leading this agency during such an important time – when the SEC must effusively be the investor’s advocate. Working with my fellow Commissioners and the agency’s talented staff, we will be committed to reinvigorating a financial regulatory system that must protect investors and vigorously enforce the rules. We will work to deepen the SEC’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and disclosure while always keeping the needs and concerns of investors front and center.”

Chairman Schapiro was appointed by President Barack Obama on Jan. 20, 2009, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. She is the first woman to serve as the agency’s permanent Chairman.

Chairman Schapiro previously served as a Commissioner at the SEC from December 1988 to October 1994. She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, reappointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, and named Acting Chairman by President Bill Clinton in 1993. She left the SEC when President Clinton appointed her Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, where she served until 1996.

Immediately prior to her new SEC appointment, Chairman Schapiro was CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business with the U.S. public. She joined the organization in 1996 as President of NASD Regulation, and was named Vice Chairman in 2002. In 2006, she was named NASD’s Chairman and CEO. The following year, she led the organization’s consolidation with NYSE Member Regulation to form FINRA.

Chairman Schapiro is an active member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). She was Chairman of the IOSCO SRO Consultative Committee from 2002 to 2006.

A 1977 graduate of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., Chairman Schapiro earned a Juris Doctor degree (with honors) from George Washington University in 1980. Chairman Schapiro was named the Financial Women’s Association Public Sector Woman of the Year in 2000. She received a Visionary Award from the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) in 2008, honoring her as a “champion of economic empowerment.”

# # #

Typically the review and public comment period is between November of each year to the first part of the following year, with the final taxonomy published in February.  The US GAAP taxonomy is updated yearly to reflect new FASB reporting requirements, and to allow for the taxonomy to be expanded to better accommodate companies who submit their financials in XBRL format.

To add a comment for consideration in the 2009 taxonomy, visit http://xbrl.us/usgaappublicreview/Pages/default.aspx.

To see the latest approved taxonomy regardless of year, visit http://xbrl.us/taxonomies/Pages/default.aspx.

Southridge Services is a perfect-sized company:  Small enough for personal attention (we work whenever you need us until it's done!), and large enough to be absolutely reliable, accurate and current on all SEC reporting requirements.  Just call us toll-free at 1-877-553-3427 or send a quick email to info@sec-report-filing.com.  Thank you!

EDGAR Open on January 20, 2009

The EDGAR system will be operational on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009. However, since Inauguration Day has been declared a non-working day for the federal government in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, there will be limited filer support.

EDGAR has normal operating hours today – typical company (non-ownership) submissions filed before 5:30PM EST will be disseminated and filed with today’s date.  If submitted between 5:30 and 10:00PM EST, the filing will be put in queue and filed when EDGAR reopens at 6:00AM EST Monday.  There is not early closing or half-day today, Christmas Eve.

EDGAR Not Available on December 26, 2008

Friday, December 26, 2008 has been declared a non-working day for the federal government. Consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) operation on a federal holiday, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system will not be operational that day. Filings will not be accepted and the Filing Web Site will not be operational. We will resume normal operation on Monday morning, December 29, 2008. Because December 26, 2008 will be treated as a federal holiday for filing purposes, rules relating to timely filings where the filing date falls on a holiday will apply to filings due on December 26, 2008.

http://www.sec.gov/info/edgar/ednews/edgar122608.htm

Home | Previous Page

Modified: 12/23/2008

Shortly thereafter in the meeting, Chairman Christopher Cox inquired of those testifying what were their thoughts regarding the limitation of liability for XBRL submissions to the SEC.  It was then disclosed that at the end of two years of filing, there are no special liability provisions (the liability exclusions are phased-out); and by 2014 there will be no special liability provisions for XBRL filings for any companies (based on the phased-in schedule by company size).  In addition, there were no known liability issues with the Voluntary Filing Program (although those filings were typically "furnished" and not "filed").

In summary, companies should seek their specific legal counsel regarding the exact liability provisions for XBRL filings, but should know that the SEC has "cut them some slack" regarding their good-faith efforts to adapt to the new XBRL reporting format.  It certainly is important that a company select an experienced edgar filing agency who has accounting and financial reporting experience, who can help guide them through the XBRL filing requirements.  Southridge Services is such an EDGAR filing agency that has experienced accountants who are able to perform the needed work to assure accurate XBRL filings.

Calendar of XBRL Implementation by Reporting Company Size
As Adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission December 17, 2008
Regarding Quarterly and Annual Periodic Reports, Registration Statements, and some Forms 8-K
			Companies with >$5 billion market capitalization (top 500 in U.S.)		Companies classified as "Large Accelerated" filers		All others, including Smaller Reporting Companies
	First Period of Report that must include XML files, and allows for "block-tagging" of the financial statement notes and schedules:		6/15/2009		6/15/2010		6/15/2011
	Period of Report that must include "detail-tagging" of the financial statement notes and schedules:		6/15/2010		6/15/2011		6/15/2012
			A one-time 30-day grace period attends the first deadline:  the XML files may be submitted thirty days after the HTML or ASCII files are submitted on an amended filing.  Thereafter, all filings must include both the XML and HTML/ASCII files concurrently.  Also note that company websites that report financial information also must be updated concurrently with the submission of filings to the SEC.
	Other Notes:
*	Compared to the conversion of HTML or ASCII files, creating an XML file requires much more time (typically two weeks dedicated time) to setup, correlate and approve the tagging of a company's financial statements to create the template.
*	After a company's XBRL template is created, the financial statements for each subsequent periodic report are imported into the company's XBRL template.  Only additions or changes need be mapped.
*	The initial tagging and mapping process can be done anytime - even today - to setup the templates and establish a company's internal process flow.
*	Submissions to the SEC may contain XML documents anytime before the deadline; or XML files may be processed and approved internally to create a business process flow, but not actually filed until the appropriate deadline.
	Call Southridge Services at 877-553-3427 when you want to have your XBRL template created.

In today's Securities and Exchange Commission Open Meeting, the XBRL initiative was approved as proposed in May, 2008.  However, the time-frame was pushed back six months:  Large companies with public world-wide float above $5 billion (as of the 2nd Quarter of 2008) will not be required to submit XML instance document files (in addition to the standard HTML or ASCII files) until filing reports for periods ending after June 15, 2009 (instead of December 15, 2008).  This means calendar-year companies will be required to report their 10-Q in XML format (in addition to the HTML or ASCII files) for the period ending 6/30/2009 , instead of their 10-K for the period ending 12/31/2008.

The same three-part phase-in period applies, and with a similar six-month delay for the later two tiers of reporting companies.  Other companies and smaller reporting companies will have until after June of their corresponding year, instead of the previously anticipated December-dated reports.

1.  For your current SEC filings (uploaded HTML or ASCII filings), our accounting personnel understand the purpose of your EDGAR filings, and have even "walked in your shoes" and can certainly empathize with the stress you feel as your deadlines approach.  As accountants, we speak the same language and do several "little" things that make your filing and your experience with us much more professional - even enjoyable - such as striping the financial tables in ways that make more sense to a financial user instead of just striping the whole table top-to-bottom like a clerical worker would do.  It's a small thing, but using an accounting staff to edgarize your Forms 10-Q and 10-K just makes more sense!

2.  The SEC's new XBRL filing requirement requires your SEC Reporting Specialist to have in-depth knowledge of accounting and financial reporting principles.    Sure, lots of new software is being developed to assist EDGAR filers in their preparation of XBRL instance documents, but like any software, it only does what it is told, and you certainly want to have experienced accountants mapping your financial statements to the appropriate elements in the appropriate taxonomies so your filings are done correctly.

It only makes sense that your SEC reporting agency for your quarterly and yearly financial reports be experienced accounting professionals!

For high-quality cost-effective EDGAR filings done right, Southridge Services is your EDGAR filing firm of choice!

Southridge Services is your edgarizing firm who is committed to a successful partnership from every angle.  From hours of operation, to quality, to pricing, to payment options, to XBRL filings... we are your one-stop partner for all your SEC reporting needs.

On December 17, 2008 at 10:00AM, the SEC will hold an Open Meeting.  Item 2 of 4 on the agenda is:

"The Commission will consider whether to adopt amendments to provide for companies' financial statement information to be filed with the Commission in interactive data format, according to a specified phase-in schedule."

So check back on that date for official word regarding XBRL!

The answer is no, not without significant additional training and preferably several years of accounting and/or financial reporting experience.  Although both require knowledge of SEC reporting requirements and processes to upload documents to EDGAR (or "IDEA" as it will be in the future), the actual conversion process is quite different.

To convert a Word document to an HTML or ASCII file is mostly a visual exercise that requires in-depth knowledge of the software package being used to convert the files. XBRL instance document creation, however, also requires accounting and financial reporting expertise.  The reason is this:  The creation of a an XBRL instance document requires the preparer to read and understand the subject company's financial statements, then be able to accurately link (or "map") the line items on the financial statements to the appropriate element in the US GAAP taxonomy.  In other words, a preparer needs to know not only the basic difference between "depreciation expence " and "current assets", but also needs to be able to differentiate among thousands of existing elements in the taxonomy that would appear to be very inconseqential to the untrained preparer.

So as you begin to get serious about meeting the XBRL filing requirements, you will want to find an edgarizing agency that is staffed with seasoned accounting professionals who can handle both your edgarization and XBRLl filing requirements.   Southridge Services not only has over 10 years experience in HTML/ASCII filing on EDGAR, but also is staffed with experienced and trained accounting professionals who can help you meet your XBRL filing requirements.  Southridge is a one-stop-shop for all your EDGAR and XBRL filing needs!

How long does it take to edgarize a PowerPoint Presentation, and how much will it cost?  Here at Southridge, we have standard and straight-forward pricing.  All Forms 8-K are a flat-rate $50 for the first ten pages.  Additional pages thereafter are only $10 per page.  So a 30-page PowerPoint file would be only $350.  A typical PowerPoint file can typically be converted in less than two hours.

An important thing to remember is that the converted PowerPoint file is "SEC Compliant," meaning all text is converted as text (not pictures or images) that is readable and recognizable as text.

In summary:  Yes!  You can publish your investor presentations very quickly at a great price, and know it is fully compliant with SEC/EDGAR reporting requirements.

Just send your PowerPoint file to us:  info@sec-report-filing.com.