XBRL Concepts

A concept is a single data element defined in an XBRL Schema. It represents something that can be reported -- like "Revenue", "Total Assets", or "Legal Entity Identifier".

Concept = Element Definition

At the technical level, a concept is an XML Schema element definition. It becomes a data point (a fact) when reported in an instance document with a value, context, and unit.

Properties of a Concept

Every concept has:

• Name -- The machine-readable identifier (e.g., Revenue)
• Data type -- What kind of value it holds (monetary, string, date, etc.)
• Period type -- instant (point in time) or duration (over a period)
• Balance type -- debit or credit (for monetary items)
• Abstract flag -- Abstract concepts are structural groupings only and cannot hold reported values

From Concept to Fact

Concept (in taxonomy):     Revenue
                              ↓
Fact (in instance):        Revenue = R5,000,000
                           context = FY2024, CompanyXYZ
                           unit = ZAR
                           decimals = -3

Concepts Are Given Meaning by Linkbases

A concept on its own is just a name and data type. 07 XBRL Linkbases enrich it:

Linkbase	What It Adds
Label	Human-readable names in multiple languages
Presentation	Where the concept sits in a report structure
Calculation	Mathematical relationships to other concepts
Definition	Dimensional associations and other relationships
Reference	Links to authoritative standards

Standard vs Extension Concepts

• Standard concepts come from base taxonomies (IFRS, US-GAAP)
• Extension concepts are created by filers when no standard concept fits their specific reporting need
• Best practice: always use a standard concept if one exists