XBRL.

The article discusses eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). Although the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering mandating the use of XBRL for corporate filings, the technology has potentially far broader applicability. As with bar codes used to track inventory, XBRL provides a means of standardization that can greatly improve a firm's operations. Particular areas that stand to benefit include systems integration, data processing, data quality, and spreadsheet use. INSETS: PERCEPTION vs. REALITIES;Additional Websites for XBRL.