Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Notes)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Abstract]

Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block]

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

We recognize revenue, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for transferring those products or providing those services, when control of the promised products or services is transferred to our customers. We account for a contract when it has approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, the payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of consideration is probable. We determine the appropriate revenue recognition for our contracts with customers by analyzing the type, terms and conditions of each contract or arrangement with a customer.

Disaggregation of Revenue

We disaggregate our revenue from contracts with customers by reporting unit, which are the same as our reportable segments (Note 10), and further by geographical region as we believe it best depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of our revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. Geographical region represents the location of the customer.

Contract Asset and Liability Balances

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in customer receivables, advance payments and billings in excess of revenue recognized. Customer receivables includes amounts billed and currently due from customers as well as unbilled amounts (contract assets). Amounts are billed in accordance with contractual terms and unbilled amounts arise when the timing of billing differs from the timing of revenue recognized. Customer receivables are recorded at face amounts less an allowance for doubtful accounts. We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses as a result of customers’ inability to make required payments. We evaluate the aging of the customer receivable balances, the financial condition of our customers, historical trends and the time outstanding of specific balances to estimate the amount of customer receivables that may not be collected in the future and record the appropriate provision.

Advance payments and billings in excess of revenue are recognized and recorded as deferred revenue, the majority of which is classified as current based on the timing when we expect to recognize revenue. We include current deferred revenue as part of our accrued expenses. Deferred revenues represent contract liabilities and are recorded when customers remit contractual cash payments in advance of us satisfying performance obligations under contractual arrangements. Contract liabilities are reversed when revenue is recognized and the performance obligation is satisfied.

The table below represents the balances of our customer receivables and deferred revenues.



	December 31,		September 30,
	2018		2018
	(in millions)
Billed receivables	$	112.4	$	165.3
Unbilled receivables	5.0		2.4
Total customer receivables	$	117.4	$	167.7


Deferred revenue	$	3.9	$	3.3

Performance Obligations

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. Our performance obligations are satisfied at a point in time as related to sales of equipment or over time as related to our software hosting and leak detection monitoring services. Performance obligations are supported by contracts with customers that provide a framework for the nature of the distinct products or services. We allocate the transaction price of each contract to the performance obligations on the basis of standalone selling price and recognize revenue when, or as, control of the performance obligation transfers to the customers.

We have elected to use the practical expedient to not adjust the transaction price for a contract for the effects of a significant financing component, if at the inception of the contract, we expect that the period between when we transfer a product or service to a customer and when a customer remits payment will be one year or less.

Revenue from products and services transferred to customers at a point in time represented 98% of our revenue in the first three months of fiscal year 2019. The revenue recognized at a point in time relates to the sale of the majority of our products and is recognized when the obligations of the terms of our contract are satisfied, which generally occurs upon shipment, when control of the product transfers to the customer.

Revenue from products and services transferred to customers over time represented 2% of our revenue in the first three months of fiscal year 2019.

We offer warranties to our customers in the form of assurance-type warranties, which provide assurance that the related product provided will function as intended and comply with any agreed-upon specifications. These cannot be purchased separately. There is no change to our warranty accounting as a result of the implementation of the new revenue standard and we will continue to use our current cost accrual method in accordance with GAAP.

Costs to Obtain or Fulfill a Contract

We incur certain incremental costs to obtain a contract, which primarily relate to incremental sales commissions. Our commissions are paid based on shipment rather than on order and we reserve the right to claw back any commissions in case of product returns or lost collections. As the expected benefit associated with these incremental costs is one year or less based on the nature of the product sold and benefits received, we have applied the practical expedient and therefore will not capitalize the related costs and will expense them as incurred consistent with our current accounting treatment.