Enhancing qualitative characteristics
Comparability, verifiability, timeliness and understandability are qualitative characteristics that enhance the usefulness of information that is relevant and faithfully represented. [F QC19]
Comparability
Information about a reporting entity is more useful if it can be compared with a similar information about other entities and with similar information about the same entity for another period or another date. Comparability enables users to identify and understand similarities in, and differences among, items. [F QC20-QC21]
Verifiability
Verifiability helps to assure users that information represents faithfully the economic phenomena it purports to represent. Verifiability means that different knowledgeable and independent observers could reach consensus, although not necessarily complete agreement, that a particular depiction is a faithful representation. [F QC26]
Timeliness
Timeliness means that information is available to decision-makers in time to be capable of influencing their decisions. [F QC29]
Understandability
Classifying, characterising and presenting information clearly and concisely makes it understandable. While some phenomena are inherently complex and cannot be made easy to understand, to exclude such information would make financial reports incomplete and potentially misleading. Financial reports are prepared for users who have a reasonable knowledge of business and economic activities and who review and analyse the information with diligence. [F QC30-QC32]
Applying the enhancing qualitative characteristics
Enhancing qualitative characteristics should be maximised to the extent necessary. However, enhancing qualitative characteristics (either individually or collectively) render information useful if that information is irrelevant or not represented faithfully. [F QC33]