Reporting · 18 September 2026
IFRS 18: a practical readiness plan
Start with accountable workstreams, traceable decisions and a comparative-period dry run.
Scope
Which entities and reporting periods are affected?
Map
What changes in presentation and information?
Test
Can the team reproduce and review the result?
Classify 13 account lines, compare subtotals, build an MPM reconciliation and export your working papers.
Open the practical lab →What changes?
IFRS 18 replaces IAS 1. It applies to annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027, with early application permitted. The central changes address defined subtotals, management-defined performance measures and the grouping of information. IFRS Foundation overview ↗
Make the first meeting produce a work plan
Bring reporting, FP&A, systems and communications colleagues together. Agree which entities and reports are in scope, who owns the technical judgments and what evidence the reviewer needs. Turn each unresolved question into one action with one accountable owner. A long checklist without ownership will not show where the project is stuck.
Begin with the existing account-to-report mapping. Add the proposed presentation, the rationale and the data needed to support it. Keep the technical assessment separate from the system implementation: a report can calculate correctly while using an unapproved classification.
Choose one period for a dry run
For a calendar-year entity starting in 2027, the 2026 comparative information deserves early attention. IFRS 18 is applied retrospectively. Check the detailed transition requirements for the entity. Project summary, transition section ↗
A team finds that expense information is available only at department level. Instead of marking the disclosure task complete, it records the missing data, assigns the systems owner and schedules a test extraction. The task closes after the output is reviewed and the evidence is retained.
Separate progress from compliance
A completed project task means the agreed action has evidence and approval. It does not prove that every relevant accounting requirement has been met. Keep open judgments visible and agree when they need escalation. Review changes in implementation guidance during the project rather than relying on the initial plan indefinitely.
Your next step
Use the starter workbook to assign the first 18 actions. In the mapping and MPM registers, record facts and conclusions rather than copying the worked example automatically.
Get the free readiness toolkit →Practical Finance educational note. Original workflow suggestions with official technical references. Entity-specific accounting conclusions require review against the applicable requirements.