Try the same reporting task in the official EFRAG template and your shortlisted software. Compare collection, review, revisions and delivery, not just data entry. Keep the official template as a useful reference whichever workflow you choose.
Start with the official option
EFRAG publishes a digital template and example, alongside tools for digital reporting. Review those resources before choosing your workflow. A spreadsheet may be a suitable starting point when one person owns the information and the collection task is simple.
Compare the work around the answers
The cost is not just entering a number. Think about how you will request it, check it, explain it, update it and share it. Write down one real reporting task and walk it through both approaches.
- Who maintains the current version?
- How will colleagues supply and review evidence?
- Can readers see only the information intended for them?
- How much document design is needed after collection?
- How will next year’s team recover the decisions?
Where Greener Ahead fits
Greener Ahead combines guided disclosures, colleague and supplier requests, a document editor and report sharing. The published VSME plan is €995 per year, billed annually excluding VAT, with unlimited users. Check the pricing page for current details.
Our invitation-only access phase is still in place. Existing invitees can use their invitation; public sign-up is not open yet. Compare the visible workflow and examples before deciding whether the product fits your reporting task.
Keep the output requirement separate
Ask the recipient what format they need. A PDF, spreadsheet and tagged digital report serve different purposes. Do not assume that a tool supporting one automatically supports the others. Match the required format to the documented product capability.
Run a small, repeatable comparison
Use one period, two sites and one corrected utility bill. Ask a colleague to provide the missing record, revise the total, and prepare the information for a second reader. This reveals the work around the answer without requiring a full implementation.
Write down what you observed rather than scoring a vendor from its feature list. If a workflow needs an external file store or another tool, include that step. A spreadsheet with a disciplined review process may work well; a software subscription still needs evidence owners and approval.
| Task | Evidence to record |
|---|---|
| Collect a missing source | How the request, owner and response are linked |
| Correct a prior number | Whether the reason and current version remain clear |
| Review two sites | How a reviewer checks period, unit and total |
| Deliver to a customer | The actual format and access available to that reader |
| Prepare next year | What can be reused and what must be checked again |
Calculate the cost of the workflow you observed
Use a simple estimate: annual tool costs plus preparation hours multiplied by your internal hourly cost, plus external review costs where relevant. Include the first setup separately from repeat-year work. Put assumptions beside the numbers so another person can challenge them.
Do not interpret a lower cost estimate as evidence of reporting quality. Review whether the required output, evidence trail and access controls were achieved. A workflow that cannot deliver the recipient’s required format has an unresolved requirement even if its data-entry step is fast.
Check the official template and output separately
EFRAG provides a digital template, explanatory notes and an example, and maintains a technical FAQ. Use the published version and read its instructions before modifying formulas or protected areas. Preserve an untouched copy so you can distinguish your edits from the original.
Spreadsheet data entry, a readable document and an XBRL output are separate capabilities. Verify each format you need in the actual product or official conversion workflow. This comparison does not claim that Greener Ahead exports every format supported by EFRAG’s tools.
Sources and scope
- EFRAG: digital template, example and explanatory notes
- European Commission: 2025 VSME recommendation and standard
These resources explain a preparation workflow. Check your selected standard and recipient requirements before sharing your report.
Joost ThissenFounder
