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REVENUE, DEFERRED REVENUE AND DEFERRED COMMISSIONS
 9 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2020
Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue [Abstract]  
REVENUE, DEFERRED REVENUE AND DEFERRED COMMISSIONS ue and Revenue Recognition
We generate revenue primarily from the sale of our enterprise cloud platform, which can be delivered pre-installed on an appliance that is configured to order or delivered separately to be utilized on a variety of certified hardware platforms. Software can be delivered separately or on a configured-to-order appliance. When the software is not portable to other appliances, it generally has a term equal to the life of the associated appliance, while subscription term-based licenses typically have a term of one to five years. Configured-to-order appliances, including our Nutanix-branded NX hardware line, are typically sold through Partners and can be purchased from one of our OEMs or directly from Nutanix. Our enterprise cloud platform is typically purchased with one or more years of support and entitlements, which includes the right to software upgrades and enhancements as well as technical support. A substantial portion of sales are made through channel partners and OEM relationships.
The following table depicts the disaggregation of revenue by revenue type, consistent with how we evaluate our financial performance:
Three Months Ended
April 30,		Nine Months Ended
April 30,
2019202020192020
(in thousands)
Subscription$168,447  $260,963  $452,779  $745,403  
Non-portable software 88,719  41,917  366,910  178,619  
Hardware21,853  3,786  92,319  22,052  
Professional services8,605  11,607  24,259  33,734  
Total revenue$287,624  $318,273  $936,267  $979,808  
Subscription revenue — Subscription revenue includes any performance obligation which has a defined term, and is generated from the sales of software entitlement and support subscriptions, subscription software licenses and cloud-based software as a service ("SaaS") offerings.
•Ratable — We recognize revenue from software entitlement and support subscriptions and SaaS offerings ratably over the contractual service period, the substantial majority of which relate to software entitlement and support subscriptions. These offerings represented approximately $96.1 million and $269.7 million of our subscription revenue for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2019 and approximately $129.2 million and $367.9 million of our subscription revenue for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2020, respectively.
•Upfront — Revenue from our subscription software licenses is generally recognized upfront upon transfer of control to the customer, which happens when we make the software available to the customer. These subscription software licenses represented approximately $72.3 million and $183.1 million of our subscription revenue for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2019 and approximately $131.8 million and $377.5 million of our subscription revenue for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2020, respectively.
Non-portable software revenue — Non-portable software revenue includes sales of our enterprise cloud platform when delivered on a configured-to-order appliance by us or one of our OEM partners. The software licenses associated with these sales are typically non-portable and have a term equal to the life of the appliance on which the software is delivered. Revenue from our non-portable software products is generally recognized upon transfer of control to the customer.
Hardware revenue — In transactions where we deliver the hardware appliance, we consider ourselves to be the principal in the transaction and we record revenue and costs of goods sold on a gross basis. We consider the amount allocated to hardware revenue to be equivalent to the cost of the hardware procured. Hardware revenue is generally recognized upon transfer of control to the customer.
Professional services revenue — We also sell professional services with our products. We recognize revenue related to professional services as they are performed.
Contracts with multiple performance obligations — Some of our contracts with customers contain multiple performance obligations. For these contracts, we account for individual performance obligations separately if they are distinct. The transaction price is allocated to the separate performance obligations on a relative standalone selling price ("SSP") basis. For deliverables that we routinely sell separately, such as software entitlement and support subscriptions on our core offerings, we determine SSP by evaluating the standalone sales over the trailing 12 months. For those that are not sold routinely, we determine SSP based on our overall pricing trends and objectives, taking into consideration market conditions and other factors, including the value of our contracts, the products sold and geographic locations.
Contract balances — The timing of revenue recognition may differ from the timing of invoicing to customers. Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. A receivable is recognized in the period we deliver goods or provide services, or when our right to consideration is unconditional. In situations where revenue recognition occurs before invoicing, an unbilled receivable is created, which represents a contract asset. Unbilled accounts receivable, included in accounts receivable, net on the condensed consolidated balance sheets, was not material for any of the periods presented.
Payment terms on invoiced amounts are typically 30-45 days. The balance of accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, as of July 31, 2019 and April 30, 2020 is presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Costs to obtain and fulfill a contract — We capitalize commissions paid to sales personnel and the related payroll taxes when customer contracts are signed. These costs are recorded as deferred commissions in the condensed consolidated balance sheets, current and non-current. We determine whether costs should be deferred based on our sales compensation plans, if the commissions are incremental and would not have been incurred absent the execution of the customer contract. Commissions paid upon the initial acquisition of a contract are amortized over the estimated period of benefit, which may exceed the term of the initial contract if the commissions expected to be paid upon renewal are not commensurate with that of the original contract. Accordingly, the amortization of deferred costs is recognized on a systematic basis that is consistent with the pattern of revenue recognition allocated to each performance obligation and included in sales and marketing expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. We determine the estimated period of benefit by evaluating the expected renewals of customer contracts, the duration of relationships with our customers, customer retention data, our technology development lifecycle and other factors. Deferred costs are periodically reviewed for impairment.
Taxes assessed by a government authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue transactions between us and our customers are presented on a net basis in our condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Deferred revenue — Deferred revenue primarily consists of amounts that have been invoiced but not yet recognized as revenue and primarily pertain to software entitlement and support subscriptions and professional services. The current portion of deferred revenue represents the amounts that are expected to be recognized as revenue within one year of the condensed consolidated balance sheet date.
Significant changes in the balance of deferred revenue (contract liability) and deferred commissions (contract asset) for the periods presented are as follows:
Deferred RevenueDeferred Commissions
(in thousands)
Balance as of July 31, 2019$910,044  $153,712  
Additions187,554  57,846  
Revenue/commissions recognized(122,324) (39,533) 
Balance as of October 31, 2019975,274  172,025  
Additions214,530  62,790  
Revenue/commissions recognized(133,220) (45,681) 
Balance as of January 31, 20201,056,584  189,134  
Additions202,993  54,214  
Revenue/commissions recognized(137,517) (42,573) 
Balance as of April 30, 2020$1,122,060  $200,775  
During the three and nine months ended April 30, 2019, we recognized revenue of approximately $89.8 million and $216.3 million pertaining to amounts deferred as of January 31, 2019 and July 31, 2018, respectively. During the three and nine months ended April 30, 2020, we recognized revenue of approximately $125.1 million and $293.4 million pertaining to amounts deferred as of January 31, 2020 and July 31, 2019, respectively. The majority of our contracted but not invoiced performance obligations are subject to cancellation terms. Revenue allocated to remaining performance obligations represents contracted revenue that has not yet been recognized ("contracted not recognized"), which includes deferred revenue and non-cancelable amounts that will be invoiced and recognized as revenue in future periods and excludes performance obligations that are subject to cancellation terms. Contracted not recognized revenue was approximately $1,133.6 million as of April 30, 2020, of which we expect to recognize approximately 45% over the next 12 months, and the remainder thereafter.