Principles of Consolidation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Consolidation	Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FARO Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned.
Foreign Currency Translation	All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect at period-end for assets and liabilities and average exchange rates during each reporting period for results of operations. Adjustments resulting from financial statement translations are reflected as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in net loss.
Basis of Presentation	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring accruals and adjustments considered necessary by management for a fair presentation in conformity with U.S. GAAP.
Use of Estimates	Preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Impact of Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Standards	Impact of Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes which amends and aims to simplify accounting disclosure requirements regarding a number of topics including: intraperiod tax allocation, accounting for deferred taxes when there are changes in consolidation of certain investments, tax basis step up in an acquisition and the application of effective rate changes during interim periods, amongst other improvements. We adopted ASU 2019-12 effective as of January 1, 2021, and the adoption of the new guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”), which requires the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13, and subsequent related amendments to ASU 2016-13, replace the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss model that requires the use of forward-looking information to calculate credit loss estimates. It also eliminates the concept of other-than-temporary impairment and requires credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities to be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost basis of the securities. These changes will result in earlier recognition of credit losses. We adopted ASU 2016-13 effective as of January 1, 2020, and the adoption of the new guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Inventory	Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in first-out (FIFO) method. We have three principal categories of inventory: 1) manufactured product to be sold; 2) sales demonstration inventory - completed product used to support our sales force for demonstrations and held for sale; and 3) service inventory - completed product and parts used to support our service department and held for sale. Shipping and handling costs are classified as a component of Cost of Sales in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. Sales demonstration inventory is held by our sales representatives for up to three years, at which time it would be refurbished and transferred to finished goods as used equipment, stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. We expect these refurbished units to remain in finished goods inventory and sold within 12 months at prices that produce reduced gross margins. Service inventory is used to provide a temporary replacement product to a customer covered by a premium hardware service contract when the customer’s unit requires service or repair and as training equipment. Service inventory is available for sale; however, management does not expect service inventory to be sold within 12 months and, as such, classifies this inventory as a long-term asset. Service inventory that we utilize for training or repairs and which we deem as no longer available for sale is transferred to fixed assets at the lower of cost or net realizable value and depreciated over its remaining life, typically three years.

Principles of Consolidation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Our condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FARO Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned.

Foreign Currency Translation

All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect at period-end for assets and liabilities and average exchange rates during each reporting period for results of operations. Adjustments resulting from financial statement translations are reflected as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in net loss.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements include all normal recurring accruals and adjustments considered necessary by management for a fair presentation in conformity with U.S. GAAP.

Use of Estimates

Preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Impact of Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Impact of Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes which amends and aims to simplify accounting disclosure requirements regarding a number of topics including: intraperiod tax allocation, accounting for deferred taxes when there are changes in consolidation of certain investments, tax basis step up in an acquisition and the application of effective rate changes during interim periods, amongst other improvements. We adopted ASU 2019-12 effective as of January 1, 2021, and the adoption of the new guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”), which requires the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13, and subsequent related amendments to ASU 2016-13, replace the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss model that requires the use of forward-looking information to calculate credit loss estimates. It also eliminates the concept of other-than-temporary impairment and requires credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities to be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a reduction in the amortized cost basis of the securities. These changes will result in earlier recognition of credit losses. We adopted ASU 2016-13 effective as of January 1, 2020, and the adoption of the new guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Inventory

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in first-out (FIFO) method. We have three principal categories of inventory: 1) manufactured product to be sold; 2) sales demonstration inventory - completed product used to support our sales force for demonstrations and held for sale; and 3) service inventory - completed product and parts used to support our service department and held for sale. Shipping and handling costs are classified as a component of Cost of Sales in our condensed consolidated statements of operations. Sales demonstration inventory is held by our sales representatives for up to three years, at which time it would be refurbished and transferred to finished goods as used equipment, stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. We expect these refurbished units to remain in finished goods inventory and sold within 12 months at prices that produce reduced gross margins. Service inventory is used to provide a temporary replacement product to a customer covered by a premium hardware service contract when the customer’s unit requires service or repair and as training equipment. Service inventory is available for sale; however, management does not expect service inventory to be sold within 12 months and, as such, classifies this inventory as a long-term asset. Service inventory that we utilize for training or repairs and which we deem as no longer available for sale is transferred to fixed assets at the lower of cost or net realizable value and depreciated over its remaining life, typically three years.

- Definition

Disclosure of inventory accounting policy for inventory classes, including, but not limited to, basis for determining inventory amounts, methods by which amounts are added and removed from inventory classes, loss recognition on impairment of inventories, and situations in which inventories are stated above cost.

+ References + Details