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Software Revenue Recognition
3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Software Revenue Recognition [Abstract] 
Software Revenue Recognition

Note 2. Software Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

We derive revenue from three sources: license fees, recurring revenue, and professional services. Recurring revenue includes hosting and software maintenance and support. Maintenance and support consists of technical support and software upgrades and enhancements. Professional services primarily consist of consulting, implementation services and training. Significant management judgments and estimates are made and used to determine the revenue recognized in any accounting period. Material differences may result in changes to the amount and timing of our revenue for any period if different conditions were to prevail. We present revenue net of taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities.

We apply the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC 985-605, Software Revenue Recognition, to all transactions involving the licensing of software products. In the event of a multiple element arrangement for a license transaction, we evaluate the transaction as if each element represents a separate unit of accounting taking into account all factors following the accounting standards. We apply ASC 605, Revenue Recognition, for hosting transactions to determine the accounting treatment for multiple elements. We also apply ASC 605 for fixed fee arrangements in which we use the percentage of completion method to recognize revenue when reliable estimates are available for the costs and efforts necessary to complete the implementation services. When such estimates are not available, the completed contract method is utilized. Under the completed contract method, revenue is recognized only when a contract is completed or substantially complete.

When licenses are sold together with system implementation and consulting services, license fees are recognized upon shipment, provided that (i) payment of the license fees is not dependent upon the performance of the consulting and implementation services, (ii) the services are available from other vendors, (iii) the services qualify for separate accounting as we have sufficient experience in providing such services, have the ability to estimate cost of providing such services, and we have vendor-specific objective evidence of pricing, and (iv) the services are not essential to the functionality of the software.

We use signed software license and services agreements and order forms as evidence of an arrangement for sales of software, hosting, maintenance and support. We use signed engagement letters to evidence an arrangement for professional services.

 

License Revenue

We recognize license revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the product has been delivered, no significant obligations remain, the fee is fixed or determinable, and collection of the resulting receivable is probable. In software arrangements that include rights to multiple software products and/or services, we use the residual method under which revenue is allocated to the undelivered elements based on vendor-specific objective evidence of the fair value of such undelivered elements. The residual amount of revenue is allocated to the delivered elements and recognized as revenue assuming all other criteria for revenue recognition have been met. Such undelivered elements in these arrangements typically consist of software maintenance and support, implementation and consulting services and, in some cases, hosting services.

Software is delivered to customers electronically or on a CD-ROM, and license files are delivered electronically. We assess whether the fee is fixed or determinable based on the payment terms associated with the transaction. We have standard payment terms included in our contracts. We assess collectability based on a number of factors, including the customer's past payment history and its current creditworthiness. If we determine that collection of a fee is not reasonably assured, we defer the revenue and recognize it at the time collection becomes reasonably assured, which is generally upon receipt of cash payment. If an acceptance period is required, revenue is recognized upon the earlier of customer acceptance or the expiration of the acceptance period.

We periodically sell to resellers. License sales to resellers as a percentage of total revenue were approximately 1% for both quarters ended September 30, 2011 and 2010. Revenue from sales to resellers is generally recognized upon delivery to the reseller but depends on the facts and circumstances of the transaction, such as our understanding of the reseller's plans to sell the software, whether there are any return provisions, price protection or other allowances, the reseller's financial status and our past experience with the particular reseller. Historically sales to resellers have not included any return provisions, price protections, or other allowances.

Hosting Revenue

Included in recurring revenue is revenue derived from our hosted service offerings. We recognize hosting services revenue ratably over the period of the applicable agreement as services are provided. Hosting agreements typically have an initial term of one or two years and automatically renew unless either party cancels the agreement. The majority of the hosting services customers purchase a combination of our hosting service and professional services. In some cases the customer may also acquire a license for our software.

We evaluate whether each of the elements in these arrangements represents a separate unit of accounting, as defined by ASC 605, using all applicable facts and circumstances, including whether (i) we sell or could readily sell the element unaccompanied by the other elements, (ii) the element has stand-alone value to the customer, and (iii) there is a general right of return. We use vendor specific objective evidence, or VSOE, of fair value for each of those units, when available. For revenue recognition with multiple-deliverable elements, in certain limited circumstances when vendor specific objective evidence of fair value does not exist, we apply the selling price hierarchy. We consider the applicability of ASC 985-605, on a contract-by-contract basis. In hosted term-based agreements, where the customer does not have the contractual right to take possession of the software, the revenue is recognized on a monthly basis over the term of the contract. Invoiced amounts are recorded in accounts receivable and in deferred revenue or revenue, depending on whether the revenue recognition criteria have been met. For professional services that we determine do not have stand-alone value to the customer, we recognize the services revenue ratably over the longer of the remaining contractual period or the average estimated life of the customer hosting relationship, once hosting has gone live or system ready. We currently estimate the life of the customer hosting relationship to be approximately 26 months, based on the average life of all hosting customer relationships.

We consider a software element to exist when we determine that the customer has the contractual right to take possession of our software at any time during the hosting period without significant penalty and can feasibly run the software on its own hardware or enter into another arrangement with a third party to host the software. Additionally, we have established vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value for the hosting and support elements of perpetual license sales, based on the prices charged when sold separately and substantive renewal terms. Accordingly, when a software element exists in a hosting services arrangements, license revenue for the perpetual software license element is determined using the residual method and is recognized upon delivery. Revenue for the hosting and support elements is recognized ratably over the contractual time period. Professional services are recognized as described below under "Professional Services Revenue." If vendor-specific evidence of fair value cannot be established for the undelivered elements of an agreement, the entire amount of revenue from the arrangement is recognized ratably over the period that these elements are delivered.

 

Maintenance and Support Revenue

Included in recurring revenue is revenue derived from maintenance and support services. We use vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value for maintenance and support to account for the arrangement using the residual method, regardless of any separate prices stated within the contract for each element. Maintenance and support revenue is recognized ratably over the term of the maintenance contract, which is typically one year. Maintenance and support is renewable by the customer on an annual basis. Maintenance and support rates, including subsequent renewal rates, are typically established based upon a specified percentage of net license fees as set forth in the arrangement.

Professional Services Revenue

Included in professional services revenue is revenue derived from system implementation, consulting and training. For license transactions, the majority of our consulting and implementation services qualify for separate accounting. We use vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value for the services to account for the arrangement using the residual method, regardless of any separate prices stated within the contract for each element. Our consulting and implementation service contracts are bid either on a fixed-fee basis or on a time-and-materials basis. Substantially all of our contracts are on a time-and- materials basis. For time-and-materials contracts, where the services are not essential to the functionality, we recognize revenue as services are performed. If the services are essential to functionality, then both the product license revenue and the service revenue are recognized under the percentage of completion method. For a fixed-fee contract we recognize revenue based upon the costs and efforts to complete the services in accordance with the percentage of completion method, provided we are able to estimate such cost and efforts.

For hosting arrangements, consulting and implementation services that do not qualify for separate accounting, we recognized the services revenue ratably over the estimated life of the customer hosting relationship.

Training revenue that meets the criteria to be accounted for separately is recognized when training is provided or, in the case of hosting, when the customer also has access to the hosting services.