FRC launches public beta of digital tool to transform access to company data
News types: Generic Announcement
Published: 10 March 2025
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) today announced the public beta launch of its digital reporting Viewer, a new tool designed to improve free access to structured company reporting data.
The Viewer enables users to easily view and analyse Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) files, displaying tagged data within reports. This innovative tool represents a significant step forward in making company financial information more accessible and transparent to stakeholders.
The UK is a global leader in digital company reporting, offering a cost-effective and transparent method of filing. Of the 3.1 million accounts published annually on the Companies House register, 88% are available in iXBRL format, as are those from listed companies who file with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Viewer unlocks these vast repositories of digital data, enabling investors, businesses, and the public to easily access and analyse company information.
The project, led by the FRC, aims to accelerate and support the use of structured company and organisational data across both public and regulatory sectors, and is supported by key regulatory partners including Companies House, the Charity Commission, the FCA and HMRC. The project is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of the grant-based Regulator’s Pioneer Fund, which enables UK regulators and local authorities to create a regulatory environment that encourages business innovation and investment.
Mark Babington, FRC Executive Director of Regulatory Standards, said:
"The public launch of this Viewer marks an important milestone in our commitment to improving the accessibility and usability of financial reporting data for all of our stakeholders.
The idea is to help unlock the value of the millions of data points already collected from UK companies supporting better-informed stakeholder decisions. By making structured data more accessible, we're not just improving transparency – we're creating new opportunities for businesses and investors to make more informed decisions about their operations and investments."
Louise Smyth, Chief Executive of Companies House, said:
“We welcome the launch of this new tool which makes it easier to view and analyse structured financial information in the companies register. We are committed to becoming a fully digital filing service and improving the quality of our data to benefit the economy.”
Users can access the Viewer now.
Watch an introduction to the Viewer, which includes a demonstration of its features.
The FRC welcomes feedback sent to [email protected] from users during this public beta phase, which will help inform further developments and improvements to this important service.