What do I do about an XBRL validation error?
Use the exact error code to find the cause first. Fix the source data or export settings and validate again before submitting.
The short answer
Use the exact error code to find the cause first. Fix the source data or export settings and validate again before submitting.
Basis: art. 2:394 DCC; KVK submission rules and the Dutch Taxonomy
Which error message do you investigate first?
An XBRL validation error means the file does not meet a checked technical or reporting rule. It does not automatically mean your entire annual accounts are wrong. Keep the error message and see which rule, context or item is named. With that you can search the documentation in a targeted way or ask for support.
First check the simple file data: KVK number, start and end date, report type and adoption status. A wrong identification or an impossible date can block a correct set of figures. The KVK also names, among other things, special characters and a previously filed adopted annual accounts as possible points of attention for error messages. So do not immediately assume the problem is a missing amount. Note when you received the message and in which system: during local validation, on submission or after processing. That distinction helps the supplier or intermediary determine which link must be investigated.
How do you check taxonomy and amounts?
Next compare the chosen taxonomy with the financial year and the report you want to deliver. Use the official documentation for the SBR domain Business Register (Handelsregister) and the associated release information. An old export template may contain a concept that does not fit the chosen version. Do not solve that by randomly removing tags from the file. The technical error may then disappear while necessary information is lost. Ask the software supplier whether a supported update is available. Keep the original file separately, so that it stays visible which change finally solved the problem.
If the error concerns figures, trace back to the source item. Check units, signs, decimals and the period context. An amount of thousands of euros delivered as whole euros can cause a large difference. A balance sheet item that accidentally gets the previous balance sheet date can break arithmetic relationships. Preferably make the correction in the source file or the export configuration and then create a new export. A manual repair in the final file is hard to reproduce and may disappear with the next export. Compare the readable output again with the version that was substantively approved.
What do you do before the deadline?
Keep the filing deadline in mind while you solve the technical problem. Art. 2:394 DCC does not tie publication to the moment your supplier fixes a fault. Contact the KVK or your intermediary in good time about the appropriate route if the deadline approaches. Do not enter a fictitious adoption date to get around an error message. A newly validated file must also actually be submitted and processed. So besides the last validation result, keep the receipt and check the processing status. Close the incident only when it is clear which correct version has been published.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can a wrong financial year cause the error?
Yes. Compare the period in the file with the chosen taxonomy and report type.
May you change a figure to make an error message disappear?
Only if the source and the substantive processing support that change.
Is a validated file already filed?
No. Check the actual receipt and registration at the KVK.
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Preparing Dutch annual accounts?
Your first set of annual accounts is free, for every size class. Create an account and prepare the annual accounts of your Dutch company under Title 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
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