Revenue Recognition

Teradata's solution offerings typically include software, software subscriptions (unspecified when-and-if-available upgrades), hardware, maintenance support services, and other consulting, implementation and installation-related ("consulting") services. Teradata records revenue when it is realized, or realizable, and earned. Teradata considers these requirements met when:

•

Persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists

•

The products or services have been delivered to the customer

•

The sales price is fixed or determinable and free of contingencies or significant uncertainties

•

Collectibility is reasonably assured

Teradata reports revenue net of any taxes assessed by governmental authorities that are imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transactions. The Company assesses whether fees are fixed or determinable at the time of sale. Standard payment terms may vary based on the country in which the agreement is executed, but are generally between 30 and 90 days. Payments that are due within six months are generally deemed to be fixed or determinable based on a successful collection history on such arrangements, and thereby satisfy the required criteria for revenue recognition. Teradata delivers its solutions primarily through direct sales channels, as well as through alliances with system integrators, other independent software vendors and distributors, and value-added resellers (collectively referred to as "resellers"). In assessing whether the sales price to a reseller is fixed or determinable, the Company considers, among other things, past business practices with the reseller, the reseller's operating history, payment terms, return rights and the financial wherewithal of the reseller. When Teradata determines that the contract fee to a reseller is not fixed or determinable, that transaction is deferred and recognized upon sell-through to the end customer.

The Company's deliverables often involve delivery or performance at different periods of time. Revenue for software is generally recognized upon delivery with the hardware once title and risk of loss have been transferred. Revenue for software subscriptions, which provide for unspecified upgrades or enhancements on a when-and-if-available basis, is recognized straight-line over the term of the subscription arrangement. Revenue for maintenance support services is also recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract. Revenue for other consulting, implementation and installation services is recognized as services are provided. In certain instances, acceptance of the product or service is specified by the customer. In such cases, revenue is deferred until the acceptance criteria have been met. Delivery and acceptance generally occur in the same reporting period. The Company's arrangements generally do not include any customer negotiated provisions for cancellation, termination or refunds that would significantly impact recognized revenue.

In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") amended the accounting standards for revenue recognition to remove tangible products containing software components and non-software components that function together to deliver the product's essential functionality from the scope of the industry-specific software revenue recognition guidance. In October 2009, the FASB also amended the accounting standards for multiple deliverable revenue arrangements to:

•

Provide updated guidance on whether multiple deliverables exist, how the deliverables in an arrangement should be separated, and how the consideration should be allocated;

•

Require an entity to allocate revenue in an arrangement using its best estimate of selling prices ("BESP") for deliverables if a vendor does not have vendor-specific objective evidence of selling price ("VSOE") or third-party evidence of selling price ("TPE"); and

•

Eliminate the use of the residual method and require an entity to allocate revenue using the relative selling price method.

The standard is effective prospectively for revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified in fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010. Teradata adopted these standards on a prospective basis as of the beginning of fiscal 2011 for new and materially modified arrangements originating on or after January 1, 2011.

The Company evaluates all deliverables in an arrangement to determine whether they represent separate units of accounting. A deliverable constitutes a separate unit of accounting when it has standalone value and if the contract includes a general right of return relative to the delivered item, delivery or performance of the undelivered items is considered probable and substantially in the control of Teradata. This guidance does not generally change the units of accounting for the Company's revenue transactions. Most of the Company's products and services qualify as separate units of accounting and are recognized upon meeting the criteria as described above.

For multiple deliverable arrangements that contain non-software related deliverables, the Company allocates revenue to each deliverable based upon the relative selling price hierarchy and if software and software-related deliverables are also included in the arrangement, to those deliverables as a group based on the BESP for the group. The selling price for a deliverable is based on its VSOE if available, TPE if VSOE is not available, or BESP if neither VSOE nor TPE is available. The Company then recognizes revenue when the revenue recognition criteria are met for each deliverable. For the software group or arrangements that contain only software and software-related deliverables, the revenue recognition criteria remain unchanged as further described below.

Teradata's data warehousing software and hardware products are sold and delivered together in the form of a "Node" of capacity as an integrated technology solution. Because both the database software and hardware platform are necessary to deliver the data warehouse's essential functionality, the database software and hardware (Node) are excluded from the software rules and considered a non-software related deliverable. Teradata software applications and related support are considered software-related deliverables. Additionally, the amount of revenue allocated to the delivered items utilizing the relative selling price method is limited to the amount that is not contingent upon the delivery of additional items or meeting other specified performance conditions (the non-contingent amount).

VSOE is based upon the normal pricing and discounting practices for those products and services when sold separately. Teradata uses the stated renewal rate approach in establishing VSOE for maintenance and subscriptions (collectively referred to as postcontract customer support "PCS"). Under this approach, the Company assesses whether the contractually stated renewal rates are substantive and consistent with the Company's normal pricing practices. Renewal rates greater than the lower level of our targeted pricing ranges are considered to be substantive and, therefore, meet the requirements to support VSOE. In instances where there is not a substantive renewal rate in the arrangement, the Company allocates revenue based upon BESP, using the minimum established pricing targets as supported by the renewal rates for similar customers utilizing the bell-curve method. Teradata also offers consulting and installation-related services to its customers, which are considered non-software deliverables if they relate to the nodes. These services are rarely considered essential to the functionality of the enterprise data warehouse ("EDW") solution deliverable and there is never software customization of the proprietary database software. VSOE for consulting services is based on the hourly rates for standalone consulting services projects by geographic region and are indicative of the Company's customary pricing practices. Pricing in each market is structured to obtain a reasonable margin based on input costs.

In nearly all multiple-deliverable arrangements, the Company is unable to establish VSOE for all deliverables in the arrangement. This is due to infrequently selling each deliverable separately (such is the case with our nodes), not pricing products or services within a narrow range, or only having limited sales history. When VSOE cannot be established, attempts are made to establish TPE of the selling price for each deliverable. TPE is determined based on competitor prices for similar deliverables when sold separately. However, Teradata's offerings contain significant differentiation such that the comparable pricing of products with similar functionality cannot be obtained. This is because Teradata's products contain a significant amount of proprietary technology and its solutions offer substantially different features and functionality than other available products. As Teradata's products are significantly different from those of its competitors, the Company is unable to establish TPE for the vast majority of its products.

When the Company is unable to establish selling price using VSOE or TPE, the Company uses BESP in its allocation of arrangement consideration. The objective of BESP is to determine the price at which the Company would transact a sale if the product or service was sold on a standalone basis. The Company determines BESP for a product or service by considering multiple factors including, but not limited to, geographies, market conditions, competitive landscape, internal costs, gross margin objectives, purchase volumes and pricing practices.

The Company reviews VSOE, TPE and its determination of BESP on a periodic basis and updates it, when appropriate, to ensure that the practices employed reflect the Company's recent pricing experience. The Company maintains internal controls over the establishment and updates of these estimates, which includes review and approval by the Company's management. For the six months ended June 30, 2011 there was no material impact to revenue resulting from changes in VSOE, TPE or BESP, nor does the Company expect a material impact from such changes in the near term.

The adoption of the amended revenue recognition guidelines did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations or financial condition. The Company is not able to reasonably estimate the effect of adopting these standards on future financial periods as the impact will vary based on the nature and volume of new or materially modified deals in any given period. However, in terms of the timing and pattern of revenue recognition, the new accounting guidance for revenue recognition is not expected to have a significant effect on total revenue in periods after the initial adoption.