What Line4 Check checks
Line4 Check runs EBA's validation rules for four modules of reporting framework 4.2. EBA publishes its rules as formulas and writes many of them out once per row or column, so one EBA rule code, such as v0764_m, can stand for several checks. The table counts each written-out check once and leaves out the checks EBA has switched off.
| Module | Checks run | EBA's active checks | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FINREP 9 | 20,259 | 20,625 | 98% |
| COREP own funds | 23,575 | 33,181 | 71% |
| COREP leverage ratio | 312 | 316 | 98% |
| COREP liquidity coverage (delegated act) | 5,705 | 7,510 | 75% |
Every report carries the same line, for example: “This free check runs 20,259 of 20,625 FINREP checks (98%). It is not a substitute for your authority's own validation.” For background on the returns themselves, see COREP and FINREP, xBRL-CSV and XBRL validation.
How it works
- 01Your browser downloads the engine and the rulesThe Line4 engine is compiled to WebAssembly (176 KB). EBA's FINREP rules are 573 KB, COREP own funds 631 KB. Both are kept by your browser for next time.
- 02Your file is opened on your computerThe zip is unpacked and its tables read inside the browser tab, in a background worker so the page stays responsive. Nothing is uploaded.
- 03Every check runs in millisecondsEach failed check is listed by template, with the value found, the value expected, EBA's rule code and the rule in plain words. Download it all as a CSV.
What it does not check
- XBRL-XML (the older format) and EBA reporting framework versions other than 4.2.
- EBA modules other than the four listed, such as asset encumbrance, NSFR or resolution reporting.
- Checks that need a full formula engine: cells on a named sheet, empty or not-empty tests, longer if-then-else rules, minimums and maximums, and some open-table filters.
- XBRL, dimensional and filing-rule validation of the package itself, which your authority's own validation also runs.
Line4 Check is a prototype of the Line4 validation engine, not certified software. Use it to find problems early, and rely on your authority's own validation for the result that counts.
Questions
What is an EBA validator?
An EBA validator checks a supervisory filing against the validation rules the European Banking Authority publishes with its reporting framework, such as a total that must equal the sum of its parts. Line4 Check is a free EBA validator for xBRL-CSV filings that runs in your web browser.
Is my file uploaded?
No. Your file never leaves your computer. Your browser downloads the Line4 engine (WebAssembly) and EBA's rules from line4.ai, then opens and checks the file on your own computer. Nothing is uploaded or stored. If you ask for the report by email, only the report you see is sent to Line4, not the file.
Which EBA returns can I check?
xBRL-CSV report packages for EBA reporting framework 4.2: FINREP 9, COREP own funds, COREP leverage ratio and COREP liquidity coverage (delegated act). Drop the package .zip, or all the CSV files from its reports folder, including FilingIndicators.csv and parameters.csv. XBRL-XML files and other EBA modules are not covered yet.
How many of EBA's checks does it run?
FINREP 9 20,259 of 20,625 (98%); COREP own funds 23,575 of 33,181 (71%); COREP leverage ratio 312 of 316 (98%); COREP liquidity coverage (delegated act) 5,705 of 7,510 (75%). EBA writes many rules out once per row or column, and each written-out check counts once; checks EBA has switched off are not counted. The rest need a full formula engine (for example checks on named sheets, empty or not-empty tests and longer if-then-else rules) and are not run yet.
Is this the same as my authority's validation?
No. It is a free check to catch problems before you submit. Your competent authority's own validation decides whether a filing is accepted, and it also runs XBRL and filing rules that Line4 Check does not.
What do errors and warnings mean?
EBA marks every validation rule as blocking or non-blocking. Errors are failed blocking checks, which normally stop a filing being accepted. Warnings are failed non-blocking checks, which your authority may still ask you to explain.
Why does EBA's own sample fail so many checks?
EBA fills its sample filings with dummy values to show the format, not to pass the rules, so thousands of failures on the sample are expected. A real filing usually fails far fewer.
How do you know the results are right?
Every blocking error Line4 Check reports on EBA’s four sample filings, with samples of its warnings and passes, was checked one by one against the open-source reference processor: 2,818 checks, all with the same result. So were 4,354 checks on another EBA package and on edited copies of the samples, with templates left unfiled, cells left out and values set on the rounding boundary. The browser version gives the same result as Line4’s command-line engine, check for check, on 1,052 test runs (12.7 million check results), including all 51 of EBA’s official xBRL-CSV sample packages and 200 deliberately broken ones. It is a prototype, not certified software.
How fast is it?
On our test MacBook in Chrome, EBA's FINREP sample (14,148 facts, 20,259 checks) is checked in 10 to 20 milliseconds. The first check also downloads EBA's FINREP rules (573 KB) and prepares them in about 60 milliseconds; after that they are kept for the next file. Firefox takes a few times longer, still well under a second. Every result shows how long the check took on your own computer.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no account, no upload and no limit on how many filings you check (each package can be up to 300 MB). After a result you can leave your email address to get the report by email, if you want it.