This database opened in January of 1994. It covers public filings by U.S. public companies made to the SEC from that data. It covers such things as 10K, 10Q, annual, quarterly reports, and many other items. In all, the SEC receives 16 million pages a year of such data. Currently, more than three-quarters of all filings to the SEC go through EDGAR, by May, 1996, all are required to file electronically.
Previously, this database was available only through Mead Data in either inconvenient locations or at very considerable expense. In an experiment, it was available at no cost over the Internet. The experiment was deemed a success, and now the SEC itself makes the data available.
This database only covers filings made from 1994 on, for public consumption, and when made electronically by the filing company. Thus, it does not cover earlier years, current paper fillings, or non-public ones.
There are a number of utilities that make using this large database easier. Some help you easily search for material, and another formats EDGAR fillings into WordPerfect format.
http://www.sec.gov/edgarhp.htm ftp://ftp.sec.gov/edgar