Producing a report under the VSME/VS standard does not require buying software. The tools available range from a simple spreadsheet to a machine-readable digital format, including emissions calculators and management platforms. The right choice depends less on the features advertised than on your actual situation: an SME responding to a one-off request, an accounting firm handling several client files, or a CSR department running an ongoing programme. This page sorts through the options, distinguishing what is official and free from what is a commercial offering.
EFRAG’s official digital template
EFRAG, which drafted the standard, publishes a digital template and an XBRL taxonomy to accompany the VSME/VS. This is the soundest starting point, as it comes from the body that produced the standard itself and is made available free of charge. The template follows the structure of the standard: the disclosures B1 to B11 of the Basic Module, then the disclosures C1 to C9 of the Comprehensive Module, the latter building on the Basic Module.
In practice, this tool guides data entry disclosure by disclosure and serves as a collection framework. It saves you from starting with a blank page and reduces the risk of overlooking a section. Two methodological caveats apply, however. First, EFRAG does not publish any official number of data points for the VSME/VS: the totals in circulation (‘56’, ‘60’, ‘147’…) are third-party counts that depend on the level of granularity chosen, and should not be presented as an official tally. (Not to be confused with the revised ESRS, for which EFRAG published an official list of data points on 28 August 2026, open for comment until 23 October 2026.) Second, the standard follows an ‘if applicable’ logic: not every section concerns every company. A template, however official, does not spare you from determining what is actually relevant to you.
Why a spreadsheet may be enough, and when it reaches its limits
For an SME preparing its first report, often triggered by a customer request or a bank, a well-designed spreadsheet covers most of what is needed. The Basic Module fits in a single workbook: one sheet per topic, the sources alongside each data point, and an archive of supporting documents. It is inexpensive, manageable in-house, and in keeping with the philosophy of the standard, which is designed to remain proportionate to the resources of a small organisation.
A spreadsheet reaches its limits as soon as repetition and traceability become critical. Watch out for the following warning signs:
- you repeat the same exercise every year and copy formulas by hand, with the risk of error this entails;
- several people feed the same file, with no reliable history of who changed what;
- you need to produce output in a structured digital format (XBRL) expected by a recipient;
- you manage numerous client files, as is typical for a firm, and version control becomes unmanageable.
In other words, the spreadsheet remains an excellent tool for data entry and as a working file; its weaknesses show when it comes to scaling up, access control and machine-readable output.
The XBRL taxonomy and machine-readable format
XBRL is a mark-up language that makes a report readable and automatically usable by a computer: a bank, a client company or an aggregator can then extract the data without re-keying it. EFRAG provides an XBRL taxonomy dedicated to the VSME/VS, which links each disclosure in the standard to a standardised tag, as well as a conversion tool for moving from data entry to the digital file.
An important and often misunderstood point: within the voluntary framework of the VSME/VS, XBRL tagging is not a general obligation imposed on the reporting company. It is a means of making the information interoperable, useful when a recipient asks for it or when automated distribution is the aim. An SME responding to a one-off questionnaire does not necessarily need it; an organisation that feeds several platforms will benefit from it.
Greenhouse gas emissions calculators
Disclosure B3 (energy and GHG emissions) is the one that most unsettles SMEs, because it requires converting consumption into emissions. Free public calculators exist to help with this estimate: they apply emission factors to your energy consumption to produce an order of magnitude that can be used in the Basic Module.
Three precautions are worth bearing in mind. These tools provide an estimate, the quality of which depends directly on that of the input data (meter readings, invoices). They do not replace the collection of supporting documents, which remains at the heart of the working file. Finally, it is best to document the method and the source of the factors used, so that the calculation can be reproduced from one year to the next and defended if a third party examines it.
Software and SaaS platforms: advantages, drawbacks, dependency
A market for sustainability reporting software has developed, driven by the regulatory momentum. Some platforms now include a VSME/VS module. They should be assessed without overselling them: they are productivity tools, not a prerequisite for using the standard.
Their strengths are real for those who report repeatedly: structured data collection, access and rights control, audit trail, framework updates, multi-entity consolidation, XBRL export, collaboration between several contributors. For a firm or a CSR department, these features save time and make the output more reliable.
Their limitations deserve the same candour. The subscription cost may be disproportionate for a micro-enterprise that produces only one report a year. Above all, these platforms create dependency: your ESG data resides there, reversibility (retrieving your data in an open format if you leave) is not always straightforward, and the tool imposes its own way of working. Two questions to ask before making any commitment: can I export all of my data at any time in a standard format, and where is that data hosted?
Choosing according to your profile
There is no ‘best tool’ in absolute terms: there is a tool suited to a given use. The table below summarises the three main profiles.
Single SME, one-off request
EFRAG’s digital template or a carefully built spreadsheet is usually enough. The challenge is not the tool but the quality of the data and the robustness of the evidence file. Investing in a platform for a single annual report would generally be disproportionate.
Accounting firm with multiple client files
As soon as you produce reports for several clients, repeatability, quality control and version management become decisive. A more structured solution – a standardised spreadsheet built for repeat use, or a dedicated platform – is justified by the volume. The selection criterion here is the ability to supervise and repeat a reliable process, rather than the breadth of features.
CSR department with an ongoing programme
An organisation steering a long-term trajectory, with multiple contributors and a traceability requirement, benefits from an integrated platform: continuous data collection, indicators tracked over time, XBRL export, alignment with other frameworks. The cost is recouped through use.
Security and confidentiality of ESG data
The data gathered for a VSME/VS report is sensitive: headcount, pay, incidents, supplier data. Its hosting falls under the GDPR and deserves the same attention as payroll data. Three good practices:
- Location. Check where the tool hosts the data. Hosting in the European Union, or in a country covered by a Commission adequacy decision – as is the case for Switzerland, which benefits from such a decision – avoids the need to put additional transfer safeguards in place.
- Sub-processing. A platform often relies on sub-processors (hosting provider, third-party services). Make sure they too are located in adequate jurisdictions and are covered by contractual arrangements.
- Reversibility and minimisation. Only entrust the data that is necessary, and keep control over exports. The data you do not put into a third-party tool is data you do not have to secure with that provider.
FAQ
Is there an all-in-one tool for the VSME/VS?
No single tool is mandatory or universally recommended. The only official resources are EFRAG’s digital template and XBRL taxonomy, both free of charge. For many SMEs, this template or a spreadsheet is enough. ‘All-in-one’ SaaS platforms do exist and may be relevant for repeated use, but they remain a productivity choice, not an obligation.
Is XBRL tagging mandatory for a VSME/VS report?
No. Within the voluntary framework of the VSME/VS, the XBRL format is a means of making the information machine-readable and interoperable, useful when a recipient asks for it. It is not generally imposed on a company publishing a voluntary report.
Do you have to pay for the EFRAG Excel template?
No. The digital template and the XBRL taxonomy are made available free of charge by EFRAG, as is the standard itself. See our dedicated article: the EFRAG Excel template, advantages and limitations.
To place these tools within a complete approach, see the step-by-step method in applying the VSME/VS in an SME, or the overview of the VSME/VS standard. On using the data with a lender or investor, our page VSME/VS and financing completes the picture.
Sources and verification — checked on 8 November 2026
Every regulatory statement on this page has been checked against the official text. The references below allow you to verify it for yourself.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1560 of 3 July 2026 (adopted under reference C(2026) 5011), ‘supplementing Directive 2013/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing sustainability reporting standards for voluntary use by undertakings protected by the value chain cap’ — legal basis: Article 29ca(1) of Directive 2013/34/EU. Published in the Official Journal of the EU (L series) on 21 September 2026, in force since 24 September 2026 (Article 4); its Article 3 (value chain cap) applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027. Official text on EUR-Lex · version adopted on 3 July 2026 (PDF, European Commission). Relevant articles: 1 (definition of the cap), 2(1) (who may apply the standard), 3(2) (the cap only covers the data points in Annex II), 4 (entry into force), recital 5 (end of the legal effects of the Recommendation, message to financiers). Transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council on 3 July 2026 (Council reference 11697/26 of 9 July 2026).
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1563 of 3 July 2026 (adopted under reference C(2026) 5010, revision of the ESRS): reduces the number of mandatory data points by 61%. Published in the Official Journal of the EU on 21 September 2026; enters into force on 10 November 2026 (Article 3) and applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2027. Official text on EUR-Lex · adopted version (PDF, European Commission).
- Recommendation (EU) 2025/1710 of 30 July 2025 (endorsement of EFRAG’s VSME), OJEU of 5 August 2025 — text on EUR-Lex. Recital 5 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1560 provides that it ‘should be considered as no longer producing legal effects’ from the entry into force of that regulation, i.e. 24 September 2026.
- EFRAG — VSME/VS digital template and XBRL taxonomy, version 2.0.0 of 4 November 2026 (prepared in accordance with the voluntary standard (VS), Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1560 published in the Official Journal of the EU on 21 September 2026; it replaces version 1.3.0 of 11 June 2026, which EFRAG says should no longer be used) — EFRAG page.
A question about timing? The status of the legislation is tracked, with dates, on our regulatory watch.