Facts

Now that we have report elements in place, we can start talking about facts.

A fact can be seen as an atom of data. It is a single value, associated with a context that we also call dimensional coordinates, or simply aspects. The aspects provide all the information that gives meaning to the fact.

API Reference

We provide a complete reference to the REST API for creating fact tables for components and reports.

Dimensional coordinates

A context is made of string-value pairs.

One of these pairs is special. It associates the dimension "xbrl:Concept" with a concept. It says what the fact is about. This pair is the only one that is required: after all, how can any value, even be it a mathematical or a physical constant, make sense if you don't say what it is?

This is a minimal fact:

{
  "Aspects" : {
    "xbrl:Concept" : "math:PI"
  },
  "Value" : 3.1415
}

The other pairs are all dimension/member pairs. They give further meaning, such as:

• Who is concerned by the fact (the reporting entity),
• When does the fact apply (the period),
• Of What the value of the fact is made (the unit),
• and many, many more (Archive ID, submission date, departments of the entity, what-if scenarios, regions of the world, ...).

An example

This is a "real-life" fact (only showing the dimensional coordinates and the value):

{
  "Aspects" : {
    "xbrl:Concept" : "jppfs-cor:Assets",
    "xbrl:Entity" : "http://disclosure.edinet-fsa.go.jp E04147-000",
    "xbrl:Period" : "2014-03-31",
    "xbrl:Unit" : "iso4217:JPY",
    "xbrl:Scenario" : "xbrl28:Domain"
    "xbrl28:Archive" : "S10024AY",
    "xbrl28:FiscalPeriod" : "FY",
    "xbrl28:FiscalPeriodType" : "instant",
    "xbrl28:FiscalYear" : 2013,
    "jppfs-cor:ConsolidatedOrNonConsolidatedAxis" : "jppfs-cor:NonConsolidatedMember",
  },
  "Value" : 6913416000000
}

Spreadsheet analogy

Facts correspond to cells carrying values (as opposed to hear cells) in a spreadsheet.