Abstract: An exemplary method for searching data includes receiving a search query comprising a conceptual metadatum parameter and contextual metadata parameters, locating a first set of instance documents containing a first contextual metadatum of the contextual metadata, filtering each instance documents in the first set to identify a data element in the instance document that indicates each parameter in the search query, based on definitions internal to the instance document and taxonomies or extensions associated with the instance document, and displaying the filtering results.

Abstract: An exemplary method for tracking changes to a first electronic document containing financial data includes authenticating the first electronic document, receiving changes to the first electronic document and authorship information regarding the changes, creating a second electronic document that includes the financial data and the changes and identifies the changes, and repeating the authenticating, receiving, and creating. The second electronic document can be XBRL-compliant, and describe the financial data and the changes via XBRL. One or both of the first and second documents can include a digital signature, the second document can be stored in a secure archive accessible by an authentication service, and the authentication service can verify the first document based on the second document, which can be a non-repudiation document.

Abstract: A method for mapping data between a first document having a first structure and an intermediate structure, includes associating metadata in an intermediate structure to fields of a form via intermediate links based on at least one of a logical map of the intermediate structure and input from a user, associating data in the first document to fields of a form via first links based on at least one of a logical map of the first structure and input from a user, and displaying the form to the user.

Abstract: An exemplary method for the automated, or semi-automated, conversion or reconciliation of metadata from one form into another, includes one or more of: a) identifying data elements and their associated metadata in electronic file(s); b) transforming this metadata into an intermediate metadata format for later use in production of new metadata structure(s); c) developing bodies of re-usable rules for the transformation or mapping of data sets encoded using one set of metadata into another data set encoded using a different set of metadata; d) developing bodies of re-usable metadata sets and rules for the transformation or mapping of metadata into an intermediate metadata structure; e) developing of bodies of re-usable metadata sets and rules for the transformation or mapping of metadata of an intermediate metadata structure into new metadata structure(s); and f) an efficient method for capture of conversion and validation rules.