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Revenue and Related Matters (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract] |
Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue by Reportable Segment | Our disaggregated revenue by reportable segment is presented in the tables below for the years indicated (in thousands). By Primary Geographic Market (1), (2) Year Ended December 31, 2020
Primary Geographic Market | Research | Conferences | Consulting | Total
United States and Canada | $ | 2,339,482 |  | $ | 75,024 |  | $ | 223,318 |  | $ | 2,637,824 |
Europe, Middle East and Africa | 826,752 |  | 28,108 |  | 111,413 |  | 966,273 |
Other International | 436,658 |  | 17,008 |  | 41,640 |  | 495,306 |
Total revenues | $ | 3,602,892 |  | $ | 120,140 |  | $ | 376,371 |  | $ | 4,099,403 |
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Primary Geographic Market | Research | Conferences | Consulting | Total
United States and Canada | $ | 2,199,008 |  | $ | 295,857 |  | $ | 239,625 |  | $ | 2,734,490 |
Europe, Middle East and Africa | 751,267 |  | 122,591 |  | 122,146 |  | 996,004 |
Other International | 424,273 |  | 58,421 |  | 32,133 |  | 514,827 |
Total revenues | $ | 3,374,548 |  | $ | 476,869 |  | $ | 393,904 |  | $ | 4,245,321 |
Year Ended December 31, 2018
Primary Geographic Market | Research | Conferences | Consulting | Other | Total
United States and Canada | $ | 1,994,016 |  | $ | 256,219 |  | $ | 205,874 |  | $ | 58,843 |  | $ | 2,514,952 |
Europe, Middle East and Africa | 737,129 |  | 105,909 |  | 119,258 |  | 38,194 |  | 1,000,490 |
Other International | 374,619 |  | 48,333 |  | 28,535 |  | 8,525 |  | 460,012 |
Total revenues | $ | 3,105,764 |  | $ | 410,461 |  | $ | 353,667 |  | $ | 105,562 |  | $ | 3,975,454 |
(1)Revenue is reported based on where the sale is fulfilled. (2)During 2018, the Company divested all of the non-core businesses that comprised its Other segment and moved a small residual product from the Other segment into the Research business and, as a result, no operating activity has been recorded in the Other segment in 2019 or 2020. Note 2 — Acquisitions and Divestitures provides additional information regarding the Company’s 2018 divestitures.
Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue | Year Ended December 31, 2020
Timing of Revenue Recognition | Research | Conferences | Consulting | Total
Transferred over time (2) | $ | 3,313,111 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 296,546 |  | $ | 3,609,657 |
Transferred at a point in time (3) | 289,781 |  | 120,140 |  | 79,825 |  | 489,746 |
Total revenues | $ | 3,602,892 |  | $ | 120,140 |  | $ | 376,371 |  | $ | 4,099,403 |
Year Ended December 31, 2019
Timing of Revenue Recognition | Research | Conferences | Consulting | Total
Transferred over time (2) | $ | 3,083,936 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 316,042 |  | $ | 3,399,978 |
Transferred at a point in time (3) | 290,612 |  | 476,869 |  | 77,862 |  | 845,343 |
Total revenues | $ | 3,374,548 |  | $ | 476,869 |  | $ | 393,904 |  | $ | 4,245,321 |
Year Ended December 31, 2018
Timing of Revenue Recognition | Research | Conferences | Consulting | Other | Total
Transferred over time (2) | $ | 2,851,176 |  | $ | — |  | $ | 294,397 |  | $ | 86,667 |  | $ | 3,232,240 |
Transferred at a point in time (3) | 254,588 |  | 410,461 |  | 59,270 |  | 18,895 |  | 743,214 |
Total revenues | $ | 3,105,764 |  | $ | 410,461 |  | $ | 353,667 |  | $ | 105,562 |  | $ | 3,975,454 |
(1)During 2018, the Company divested all of the non-core businesses that comprised its Other segment and moved a small residual product from the Other segment into the Research business and, as a result, no operating activity has been recorded in the Other segment in 2019 or 2020. Note 2 — Acquisitions and Divestitures provides additional information regarding the Company’s 2018 divestitures. (2)Research revenues were recognized in connection with performance obligations that were satisfied over time using a time-elapsed output method to measure progress. Consulting revenues were recognized over time using labor hours as an input measurement basis. During 2018, Other revenues were recognized using either a time-elapsed output method, performance-based milestone approach or labor hours, depending on the nature of the underlying customer contract. (3)The revenues in this category were recognized in connection with performance obligations that were satisfied at the point in time that the contractual deliverables were provided to the customer.
Schedule for Contract with Customer, Asset and Liability | The table below provides information regarding certain of the Company’s balance sheet accounts that pertain to its contracts with customers (in thousands).
| December 31,
| 2020 |  | 2019
Assets: |  |  |
Fees receivable, gross (1) | $ | 1,251,508 |  |  | $ | 1,334,012 |
Contract assets recorded in Prepaid expenses and other current assets (2) | $ | 14,440 |  |  | $ | 21,350 |
Contract liabilities: |  |  |
Deferred revenues (current liability) (3) | $ | 1,974,548 |  |  | $ | 1,928,020 |
Non-current deferred revenues recorded in Other liabilities (3) | 26,754 |  |  | 24,409 |
Total contract liabilities | $ | 2,001,302 |  |  | $ | 1,952,429 |
(1)Fees receivable represent an unconditional right of payment from our customers and include both billed and unbilled amounts. (2)Contract assets represent recognized revenue for which we do not have an unconditional right to payment as of the balance sheet date because the project may be subject to a progress billing milestone or some other billing restriction. (3)Deferred revenues represent amounts (i) for which the Company has received an upfront customer payment or (ii) that pertain to recognized fees receivable. Both situations occur before the completion of our performance obligation(s).

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of receivable, contract asset, and contract liability from contract with customer. Includes, but is not limited to, change in contract asset and contract liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 606 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of revenue from external customers by geographic areas attributed to the entity's country of domicile and to foreign countries from which the entity derives revenue. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 41 -Subparagraph a -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e9038-108599 + Details
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