What Is the EDGAR System?

EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) is the SEC’s online platform for company filings. It provides investors, regulators, and the public with quick access to disclosures like annual reports, registration statements, and current reports.

In short: if your company reports to the SEC, you file through EDGAR. You can learn more directly from the SEC’s EDGAR resource page.

Who Needs to File on EDGAR?

  • Public companies – required for 10-Ks, 10-Qs, 8-Ks, and proxy statements
  • Investment firms & private equity – when making exempt or listed offerings
  • Legal & compliance teams – responsible for preparing, validating, and submitting accurate filings

edgar filing

Common SEC Filings on EDGAR

  • 10-K: Annual report with audited financials
  • 10-Q: Quarterly report with unaudited updates
  • 8-K: Current report for material events
  • S-1/S-3: Registration statements for IPOs or offerings
  • DEF 14A: Proxy statements for shareholder meetings 

Each has specific formatting, tagging, and timing requirements. Our SEC Filing & EDGAR Services page outlines how Century Direct supports these filings end-to-end.

How the Filing Process Works

Document preparation
Draft the report, gather exhibits, and secure all required signatures and consents. This stage ensures the filing is accurate and complete before conversion.

HTML conversion & XBRL/iXBRL tagging
EDGAR does not accept Word or PDF files. Documents must be converted into SEC-compliant HTML. Financial statements are tagged with the latest XBRL taxonomy (or Inline XBRL) to meet disclosure requirements.

Validation & submission
Files are tested against SEC validation rules to catch formatting, tagging, or link errors. Once cleared, they are submitted through the EDGAR system, where each filing is time-stamped for compliance.

Handling rejections
If a filing is flagged or rejected, corrections must be made quickly to avoid delays. Having experienced filing experts on standby is critical for same-day resubmissions.

Post-filing archiving
Once accepted, filings are made public on EDGAR. Companies should maintain backups for audit readiness, internal review, and future amendments.

Why Accuracy, Speed & Confidentiality Matter

  • Accuracy avoids SEC concerns, investor confusion, and restatements
  • Speed upholds deadlines; EDGAR timestamps can impact stock performance and investor communications
  • Confidentiality ensures sensitive data stays secure—especially critical during pre-IPO or high-stakes filings

How to Streamline EDGAR Filing 

In-house teams often juggle formatting, taxonomy updates, and eleventh-hour changes. Outsourcing to specialists—like Century Direct—delivers:

  • Faster turnaround with filing experts who validate, tag, and submit
  • Secure, U.S.-based support for high-pressure deadlines
  • Complete service from typesetting to archiving

This ensures accuracy, relieves internal burden, and provides peace of mind, especially when deadlines are tight.

Partner with Century Direct to keep your filings compliant and on time.

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