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Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Abstract]  
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Policy Text Block] Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In accordance with ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("Topic 606"), we account for a customer contract when both parties have approved the contract and are committed to perform their respective obligations, each party’s rights can be identified, payment terms can be identified, the contract has commercial substance, and it is probable that we will collect substantially all of the consideration to which we are entitled. Revenue is recognized when, or as, performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of a promised product or service to a customer.

Nature of Products and Services

We generate revenue from the following sources: (1) License revenue; (2) Maintenance revenue; and (3) Services and other revenue. We sell our software products to end users primarily under fixed-term licenses. We license our software products primarily through a subscription offering which we refer to as our aspenONE licensing model, which includes software maintenance and support, known as our Premier Plus SMS offering, for the entire term. Our aspenONE products are organized into three suites: 1) engineering; 2) manufacturing and supply chain; and 3) asset performance management. The aspenONE licensing model provides customers with access to all of the products within the aspenONE suite(s) they license. We refer to these arrangements as token arrangements. Tokens are fixed units of measure. The amount of software usage is limited by the number of tokens purchased by the customer.

We also license our software through point product term arrangements, which include our Premier Plus SMS offering for the entire term.

We determine revenue recognition through the following steps:

Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;
Identification of the performance obligations in the contract;
Determination of the transaction price;
Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and
Recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation.

Term-based Arrangements: Term-based arrangements consist of on-premise term licenses as well as maintenance.

License

License revenue consists primarily of product and related revenue from our aspenONE licensing model and point product arrangements.

When a customer elects to license our products under our aspenONE licensing model, the customer receives, for the term of the arrangement, the right to all software products in the licensed aspenONE software suite. When a customer elects to license point products, the customer receives, for the term of the arrangement, the right to license specified products in the licensed aspenONE software suite. Revenue from initial product licenses is recognized upfront upon delivery.

Maintenance

When a customer elects to license our products under our aspenONE licensing model, our Premier Plus SMS offering is included for the entire term of the arrangement and the customer receives, for the term of the arrangement, the right to any updates that may be introduced into the licensed aspenONE software suite. When a customer elects to license point products, our Premier Plus SMS offering is included for the entire term of the arrangement and the customer receives, for the term of the arrangement, the right to any updates that may be introduced related to the specified products licensed. Maintenance represents a stand-ready obligation and, due to our obligation to provide unspecified future software updates on a when-and-if available basis as well as telephone support services, we are required to recognize revenue ratably over the term of the arrangement.

Services and Other Revenue

Professional Services Revenue

Professional services are provided to customers on a time-and-materials ("T&M") or fixed-price basis. The obligation to provide professional services is generally satisfied over time, with the customer simultaneously receiving and consuming the benefits as we satisfy our performance obligation. For professional services, revenue is recognized by measuring progress toward the completion of our obligations. We recognize professional services fees for our T&M contracts based upon hours worked and contractually agreed-upon hourly rates. Revenue from fixed-price engagements is recognized using the proportional performance method based on the ratio of costs incurred to the total estimated project costs. The use of the proportional performance method is dependent upon our ability to reliably estimate the costs to complete a project. We use historical experience as a basis for future estimates to complete current projects. Additionally, we believe that costs are the best available measure of performance. Out-of-pocket expenses which are reimbursed by customers are recorded as revenue.

Training Revenue

We provide training services to our customers, including on-site, Internet-based, public and customized training. The obligation to provide training services is generally satisfied over time, with the customer simultaneously receiving and consuming the benefits as we satisfy our performance obligation. Revenue is recognized in the period in which the services are performed.

Contracts with Multiple Performance Obligations

Our contracts generally contain more than one of the products and services listed above, each of which is separately accounted for as a distinct performance obligation.

Allocation of consideration: We allocate total contract consideration to each distinct performance obligation in an arrangement on a relative standalone selling price basis. The standalone selling price reflects the price we would charge for a specific product or service if it was sold separately in similar circumstances and to similar customers.

If the arrangement contains professional services and other products or services, we allocate to the professional service obligation a portion of the total contract consideration based on the standalone selling price of professional services that is observed from consistently priced standalone sales.

The standalone selling price for term licenses, which are always sold with maintenance, is the price for the combined license and maintenance bundle. The amount assigned to the license and maintenance bundle is separated into license and maintenance amounts using the respective standalone selling prices represented by the value relationship between the software license and maintenance.

When two or more contracts are entered into at or near the same time with the same customer, we evaluate the facts and circumstances associated with the negotiation of those contracts. Where the contracts are negotiated as a package, we will account for them as a single arrangement and allocate the consideration for the combined contracts among the performance obligations accordingly.

Standalone selling price: When available, we use directly observable transactions to determine the standalone selling prices for performance obligations. Generally, directly observable data is not available for term licenses and maintenance. When term licenses are sold together with maintenance in a bundled arrangement, we estimate a standalone selling price for these distinct performance obligations using relevant information, including our overall pricing objectives and strategies and historical pricing data, and taking into consideration market conditions and other factors.

Other policies and judgments

Payment terms and conditions vary by contract type, although terms generally include a requirement of payment annually over the term of the license arrangement. Therefore, we generally receive payment from a customer after the performance obligation related to the license has been satisfied, and therefore, our contracts generally contain a significant financing component. The significant financing component is calculated utilizing an interest rate that derives the net present value of the performance obligations delivered on an upfront basis based on the allocation of consideration. We have instituted a customer portfolio approach in assigning interest rates. The rates are determined at contract inception and are based on the credit characteristics of the customers within each portfolio.

Contract modifications

We sometimes enter into agreements to modify previously executed contracts, which constitute contract modifications. We assess each of these contract modifications to determine (i) if the additional products and services are distinct from the products and services in the original arrangement; and (ii) if the amount of consideration expected for the added products and services reflects the stand-alone selling price of those products and services, as adjusted for contract-specific circumstances. A contract modification meeting both criteria is accounted for as a separate contract. A contract modification not meeting both criteria is considered a change to the original contract and is accounted for on either (i) a prospective basis as a termination of the existing contract and the creation of a new contract; or (ii) a cumulative catch-up basis. Generally, our contract modifications meet both criteria and are accounted for as a separate contract, as adjusted for contract-specific circumstances.

Disaggregation of Revenue

We disaggregate our revenue by region, type of performance obligation, timing of revenue recognition, and segment as follows:

 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
Nine Months Ended
March 31,
 
2020
 
2019
 
2020
 
2019
 
(Dollars in Thousands)
Revenue by region:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
North America
$
59,155

 
$
63,395

 
$
170,559

 
$
161,379

Europe
27,493

 
33,665

 
94,693

 
109,085

Other (1)
45,379

 
50,924

 
125,598

 
132,112

 
$
132,027

 
$
147,984

 
$
390,850

 
$
402,576

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenue by type of performance obligation:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Term licenses
$
78,562

 
$
98,493

 
$
229,929

 
$
255,616

Maintenance
45,230

 
41,878

 
134,094

 
125,955

Professional services and other
8,235

 
7,613

 
26,827

 
21,005

 
$
132,027

 
$
147,984

 
$
390,850

 
$
402,576

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenue by segment:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subscription and software
$
123,792

 
$
140,371

 
$
364,023

 
$
381,571

Services and other
8,235

 
7,613

 
26,827

 
21,005

 
$
132,027

 
$
147,984

 
$
390,850

 
$
402,576

____________________________________________
(1)
Other consists primarily of Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.

Contract Assets and Deferred Revenue

The difference in the opening and closing balances of our contract assets and deferred revenue primarily results from the timing difference between our performance and the customer’s payment. We fulfill our obligations under a contract with a customer by transferring products and services in exchange for consideration from the customer. We recognize a contract asset when we transfer products or services to a customer and the right to consideration is conditional on something other than the passage of time. Accounts receivable are recorded when the customer has been billed or the right to consideration is unconditional. We recognize deferred revenue when we have received consideration or an amount of consideration is due from the customer and we have a future obligation to transfer products or services.

Payment terms and conditions vary by contract type. Terms generally include a requirement of payment annually over the term of the license arrangement. During the majority of each customer contract term, the amount invoiced is generally less than the amount of revenue recognized to date, primarily because we transfer control of the performance obligation related to the software license at the inception of the contract term, and the allocation of contract consideration to the license performance
obligation is a significant portion of the total contract consideration. Therefore, our contracts often result in the recording of a contract asset throughout the majority of the contract term. We record a contract asset when revenue recognized on a contract exceeds the billings. We recognize an impairment on contract assets if subsequent to contract inception it becomes probable payment is not collectible. We review contract assets for impairment at each reporting date using the same methodology used in determining the allowance for doubtful accounts under Topic 310, Receivables. We review customer receivables and contract assets on an individual basis, and we impair receivables and the associated contract assets if it is probable that some or all of the asset is not collectible, taking into account historical losses, economic conditions and customer-specific factors.
  
Our contract assets and deferred revenue were as follows as of March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2019:
 
March 31, 2020
 
June 30, 2019
 
(Dollars in Thousands)
Contract assets
$
611,827

 
$
619,703

Deferred revenue
(58,448
)
 
(44,891
)
 
$
553,379

 
$
574,812



Contract assets and deferred revenue are presented net at the contract level for each reporting period.

The change in deferred revenue in the nine months ended March 31, 2020 was primarily due to an increase in new billings in advance of revenue recognition, partially offset by $23.5 million of revenue recognized that was included in deferred revenue at June 30, 2019.

Contract Costs

We pay commissions for new product sales as well as for renewals of existing contracts. Commissions paid to obtain renewal contracts are not commensurate with the commissions paid for new product sales and therefore, a portion of the commissions paid for new contracts relate to future renewals.

We account for new product sales commissions using a portfolio approach and allocate the cost of commissions in proportion to the allocation of transaction price of license and maintenance performance obligations, including assumed renewals. Commissions allocated to the license and license renewal components are expensed at the time the license revenue is recognized. Commissions allocated to maintenance are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of four years to eight years for new contracts, reflecting our estimate of the expected period that we will benefit from those commissions.

Amortization of capitalized contract costs is included in sales and marketing expenses in our statement of operations.

Transaction Price Allocated to Remaining Performance Obligations

The following table includes the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated as of March 31, 2020 to the performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) at the end of the reporting period:
 
Year Ended June 30,
 
2020
 
2021
 
2022
 
2023
 
2024
 
Thereafter
 
(Dollars in Thousands)
License
$
43,458

 
$
52,754

 
$
12,373

 
$
4,726

 
$
2,211

 
$
1,290

Maintenance
45,296

 
153,659

 
114,346

 
80,798

 
54,833

 
34,757

Services and other
37,984

 
12,552

 
763

 
519

 
215

 
99