New Accounting Pronouncements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue from Contracts with Customers. On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” This ASU is the result of a convergence project between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board. The core principle behind ASU No. 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for delivering those goods and services. This model involves a five-step process that includes identifying the contract with the customer, identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognizing revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies the performance obligations. The ASU allows two methods of adoption: a full retrospective approach where three years of financial information are presented in accordance with the new standard, and a modified retrospective approach where the ASU is applied to the most current period presented in the financial statements. We currently anticipate adopting the standard using the full retrospective method to restate each prior reporting period presented. Our ability to adopt using the full retrospective method is dependent on system readiness, including software procured from third-party providers, and the completion of our analysis of information necessary to restate prior period financial statements. The new standard requires application no later than annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods therein; however, public entities are permitted to elect to early adopt the new standard. We will adopt the new standard in fiscal year 2018.

We anticipate this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. While we are continuing to assess all potential impacts of the standard, we currently believe the most significant impact relates to our accounting for software license fees and incremental cost of obtaining a contract. Specifically, under the new standard we expect software license fees under perpetual agreements will no longer be subject to 100% discount allocations from other elements in the contract. Discounts in arrangements will be allocated across all deliverables increasing license revenues and decreasing revenues allocated to other performance obligations. In addition, in most cases, net license fees (total license fees less any allocated discounts) will be recognized at the point in time that control of the software license transfers to the customer versus our current policy of recognizing revenue only to the extent billable per the contractual terms. Time-based license fees currently recognized over the license term will no longer be recognized over the period of the license and will instead be recognized at the point in time that control of the software license transfers to the customer. We expect revenue related to our software as a service (“SaaS”) offerings, post-contract customer support ("PCS") renewals and professional services to remain substantially unchanged. Due to the complexity of certain contracts, the actual revenue recognition treatment required under the standard will be dependent on contract-specific terms and may vary in some instances from recognition at the time of billing. Application of the new standard requires that incremental costs directly related to obtaining a contract (typically sales commissions plus any associated fringe benefits) must be recognized as an asset and expensed on a systematic basis that is consistent with the transfer to the customer of the goods and services to which the asset relates, unless that life is less than one year. Currently, we defer sales commissions and recognize expense over the relevant initial contractual term. With the adoption of the new standard, we expect amortization periods to extend past the initial term.

Leases. On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued its new lease accounting guidance in ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date:

• A lease liability, which is a lessee‘s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and

• A right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term.

Lessees (for capital and operating leases) and lessors (for sales-type, direct financing, and operating leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach would not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees and lessors may not apply a full retrospective transition approach.  

The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods therein. Early application is permitted for all business entities upon issuance. We are assessing the financial impact of adopting the new standard; however, we are currently unable to provide a reasonable estimate regarding the financial impact. We expect to adopt the new standard in fiscal year 2019.