XBRL questions dog internal auditors

Are you still confused about XBRL? Welcome to the club. According to a survey of more than 200 chief audit executives, conducted by the Institute of Internal Auditors, more than half are not yet familiar with XBRL. But many are resigned to the reporting technology as a looming reality. Specifically, while only 8 percent of respondents said they are now filing reports in the new format, nearly 40 percent agree that this will happen within three years.

This begs the question: do internal financial staff, auditors included, have a role to play? Is XBRL merely a reporting technology? My sense is that it will evolve into much more than a tool to report out the aggregates that are already produce. Savvy financial execs will soon want to use the tool to capture new data at more detailed levels, if only for internal purposes. So it's a tool that internal auditors can develop along strategic lines. Which would suggest getting involved now.  

For more:
- here's a SmartPros article

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These are busy times, don't forget XBRL