Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Use of Estimates, Policy	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Estimates and assumptions are used for revenue recognition, including determining the nature and timing of satisfaction of performance obligations and determining standalone selling price of performance obligations, allowances for doubtful accounts, sales returns reserve, allowances for inventory valuation, warranty costs, investments, goodwill impairment, intangibles impairment, purchased intangibles, useful lives for tangible and intangible assets, stock-based compensation, and income taxes among others. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions believed to be reasonable. Actual results and outcomes may differ from management's estimates and assumptions.
Leases Policy	Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued a new lease standard that requires a lessee to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for most leases and provide enhanced disclosures. The Company adopted the new standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2019 by applying a modified retrospective method without restating comparative periods. Upon adoption, certain practical expedients were used to carry forward existing leases as previously defined and classified. Leases containing both lease and non-lease components are accounted for as part of the overall lease arrangement. Operating leases with lease terms greater than one year are included in Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, Other current liabilities, and Operating lease liabilities on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Those ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the present value of lease payments over the lease terms by utilizing the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. The standard had a material impact on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets but did not have an impact on its Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The most significant impact was the recognition of $123.5 million ROU assets and $126.1 million lease liabilities for its operating leases at the adoption date.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy	Recently issued Accounting Pronouncements not yet adopted Financial Instruments - Credit Losses In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that requires credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented based on the net amount expected to be collected, not based on incurred losses. Further, credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities should be recorded through an allowance for credit losses limited to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost. The new standard is applied on a modified-retrospective basis and is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2020. Early adoption for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018 is permitted. The Company currently anticipates that the adoption will not have a material impact on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Intangibles - Goodwill and Other In January 2017, the FASB issued new guidance that simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by requiring impairment charges to be based on the first step in the current two-step impairment test. The impairment test is performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, and an impairment charge would be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The new standard is applied on a prospective basis and is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2020, and early adoption is permitted. The Company currently anticipates that the adoption will not have a material impact on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Intangibles - Internal-Use Software In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that clarifies the accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. This guidance aligns the accounting for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the accounting for implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 on a prospective basis for all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the new guidance on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Business Combinations Policy	The Company determined the total consideration paid for each of its acquisitions as well as the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the date of acquisition. The excess of purchase consideration over the fair value of net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. The fair value of intangible assets acquired is generally determined based on a discounted cash flow analysis. For the acquisitions in the first three quarters of fiscal 2019, the preliminary fair values of net tangible assets and intangible assets acquired were based on preliminary valuations and estimates, and assumptions are subject to change within the measurement period (up to one year from the acquisition date).
Product Warranties Policy	The Company accrues for warranty costs as part of its cost of sales based on associated material product costs, technical support, labor costs, and costs incurred by third parties performing work on the Company’s behalf. The Company’s expected future costs are primarily estimated based upon historical trends in the volume of product returns within the warranty period and the costs to repair or replace the equipment. When products sold include warranty provisions, they are covered by a warranty for periods ranging generally from one year to two years. While the Company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of component suppliers, its warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage, and service delivery costs incurred in correcting a product failure. Should actual product failure rates, material usage or service delivery costs differ from the estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty accrual and related costs may be required.
Earnings Per Share, Policy	Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing Net income attributable to Trimble Inc. by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing Net income attributable to Trimble Inc. by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period increased to include the number of additional shares of common stock that would have been outstanding if the potentially dilutive securities had been issued. Potentially dilutive securities include outstanding stock options, shares to be purchased under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan, restricted stock units, and contingently issuable shares.
Income Tax, Policy	The Company's practice is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 27, 2019

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Estimates and assumptions are used for revenue recognition, including determining the nature and timing of satisfaction of performance obligations and determining standalone selling price of performance obligations, allowances for doubtful accounts, sales returns reserve, allowances for inventory valuation, warranty costs, investments, goodwill impairment, intangibles impairment, purchased intangibles, useful lives for tangible and intangible assets, stock-based compensation, and income taxes among others. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions believed to be reasonable. Actual results and outcomes may differ from management's estimates and assumptions.

Leases Policy

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued a new lease standard that requires a lessee to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for most leases and provide enhanced disclosures. The Company adopted the new standard at the beginning of fiscal year 2019 by applying a modified retrospective method without restating comparative periods. Upon adoption, certain practical expedients were used to carry forward existing leases as previously defined and classified. Leases containing both lease and non-lease components are accounted for as part of the overall lease arrangement.

Operating leases with lease terms greater than one year are included in Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, Other current liabilities, and Operating lease liabilities on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Those ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the present value of lease payments over the lease terms by utilizing the Company’s incremental borrowing rate.

The standard had a material impact on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets but did not have an impact on its Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The most significant impact was the recognition of $123.5 million ROU assets and $126.1 million lease liabilities for its operating leases at the adoption date.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy

Recently issued Accounting Pronouncements not yet adopted

Financial Instruments - Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that requires credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented based on the net amount expected to be collected, not based on incurred losses. Further, credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities should be recorded through an allowance for credit losses limited to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost. The new standard is applied on a modified-retrospective basis and is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2020. Early adoption for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018 is permitted. The Company currently anticipates that the adoption will not have a material impact on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Intangibles - Goodwill and Other

In January 2017, the FASB issued new guidance that simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by requiring impairment charges to be based on the first step in the current two-step impairment test. The impairment test is performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, and an impairment charge would be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The new standard is applied on a prospective basis and is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2020, and early adoption is permitted. The Company currently anticipates that the adoption will not have a material impact on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Intangibles - Internal-Use Software

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that clarifies the accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. This guidance aligns the accounting for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the accounting for implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software.

The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 on a prospective basis for all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the new guidance on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Business Combinations Policy

The Company determined the total consideration paid for each of its acquisitions as well as the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the date of acquisition. The excess of purchase consideration over the fair value of net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. The fair value of intangible assets acquired is generally determined based on a discounted cash flow analysis. For the acquisitions in the first three quarters of fiscal 2019, the preliminary fair values of net tangible assets and intangible assets acquired were based on preliminary valuations and estimates, and assumptions are subject to change within the measurement period (up to one year from the acquisition date).

Product Warranties Policy

The Company accrues for warranty costs as part of its cost of sales based on associated material product costs, technical support, labor costs, and costs incurred by third parties performing work on the Company’s behalf. The Company’s expected future costs are primarily estimated based upon historical trends in the volume of product returns within the warranty period and the costs to repair or replace the equipment. When products sold include warranty provisions, they are covered by a warranty for periods ranging generally from one year to two years.

While the Company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of component suppliers, its warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage, and service delivery costs incurred in correcting a product failure. Should actual product failure rates, material usage or service delivery costs differ from the estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty accrual and related costs may be required.

Earnings Per Share, Policy

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing Net income attributable to Trimble Inc. by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing Net income attributable to Trimble Inc. by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period increased to include the number of additional shares of common stock that would have been outstanding if the potentially dilutive securities had been issued. Potentially dilutive securities include outstanding stock options, shares to be purchased under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan, restricted stock units, and contingently issuable shares.

Income Tax, Policy

The Company's practice is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.

+ References

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+ Details