2. Significant Accounting Policies

(a) Overview of Licensing Model Changes

Transition to the aspenONE Licensing Model

Prior to fiscal 2010, we offered term or perpetual licenses to specific products, or specifically defined sets of products, which we refer to as point products. The majority of our license revenue was recognized under an “upfront revenue model,” in which the net present value of the aggregate license fees was recognized as revenue upon shipment of the point products. Customers typically received one year of post-contract software maintenance and support, or SMS, with their license agreements and then could elect to renew SMS annually. Revenue from SMS was recognized ratably over the period in which the SMS was delivered.

In fiscal 2010, we introduced the following changes to our licensing model:

(i) Began offering our aspenONE software on a subscription basis, allowing our customers access to all products within a licensed suite (aspenONE Engineering or aspenONE Manufacturing and Supply Chain). SMS is included for the entire term of the arrangement and customers are entitled to any software products or updates introduced into the licensed suite. We refer to this license arrangement as our aspenONE licensing model.

(ii) Began to include SMS for the entire term on our point product term arrangements.

Revenue related to our aspenONE licensing model is recognized over the term of the arrangement on a ratable basis. During fiscal 2010 and 2011, license revenue related to our point product arrangements with SMS included for the entire term of the arrangement was generally recognized on the due date of each annual installment, provided all revenue recognition criteria were met. Beginning in fiscal 2012, we were unable to establish evidence of the fair value for the SMS component, and revenue from these arrangements is now recognized on a ratable basis.

The changes to our licensing model introduced in fiscal 2010 did not change the method or timing of customer billings or cash collections. Since the introduction of these changes, our net cash provided by operating activities has increased in each annual period from $33.0 million in fiscal 2009 to $104.6 million in fiscal 2012. During these periods we have realized steadily improving cash flow due to growth of our portfolio of term license contracts, as well as from the renewal of customer contracts, on an installment basis, that were previously paid upfront.

Impact of Licensing Model Changes

The principal accounting implications of the changes to our licensing model are as follows:

· The majority of our license revenue is no longer recognized on an upfront basis. Since the upfront model resulted in the net present value of multiple years of future installments being recognized at the time of shipment, we do not expect to recognize levels of revenue comparable to our pre-transition levels until a significant majority of license agreements executed under our upfront revenue model (i) reach the end of their original terms and (ii) are renewed. Accordingly, since the changes to our licensing model in fiscal 2010, our product-related revenue has been significantly less than the level achieved in the fiscal years preceding our licensing model changes.

· The changes to our licensing model resulted in operating losses for fiscal 2010, 2011 and 2012. These changes did not impact the incurrence or timing of our expenses, and there was no corresponding expense reduction to offset the lower revenue. Subscription and software revenue has steadily increased from the beginning of fiscal 2010 as a portion of the license agreements executed under our upfront revenue model have reached the end of their original term and have been renewed under either our aspenONE licensing model or as point product arrangements which include Premier Plus TM SMS for the full contract term.

· The SMS component of our services and other revenue has decreased and been offset by a corresponding increase in subscription and software revenue as customers transition to our aspenONE licensing model or point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS included for the full contract term. The entire arrangement fee, including the SMS component, is included within subscription and software revenue.

· Installment payments are not considered fixed or determinable, and as a result, are not included in installments receivable. Accordingly, our installments receivable balance has decreased as licenses previously executed under our upfront revenue model reached the end of their terms.

· The amount of our deferred revenue has increased as more revenue from our term license portfolio has been recognized on a ratable basis.

Introduction of our Premier Plus SMS Offering

Beginning in fiscal 2012, we introduced our Premier Plus SMS offering to provide more value to our customers. As part of this offering, customers receive 24x7 support, faster response times, dedicated technical advocates and access to web-based training modules. The Premier Plus SMS offering is only provided to customers that commit to SMS for the entire term of the arrangement. Our annually renewable legacy SMS offering continues to be available to customers with legacy term and perpetual license agreements.

The introduction of our Premier Plus SMS offering in fiscal 2012 resulted in a change to the revenue recognition of point product arrangements that include Premier Plus SMS for the term of the arrangement. Since we do not have vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value, or VSOE, for our Premier Plus SMS offering, the SMS element of our point product arrangements is not separable, resulting in revenue being recognized ratably over the term of the arrangement, once the other revenue recognition criteria have been met. Prior to fiscal 2012, license revenue was recognized on the due date of each annual installment, provided all revenue recognition criteria were met. The introduction of our Premier Plus SMS offering did not change the revenue recognition for our aspenONE licensing arrangements.

(b) Revenue Recognition

We generate revenue from the following sources: (1) licensing software products; (2) providing SMS and training; and (3) providing professional services. We sell our software products to end users under fixed-term and perpetual licenses. As a standard business practice, we offer extended payment term options for our fixed-term license arrangements, which are generally payable on an annual basis. Certain of our fixed-term license agreements include product mixing rights that allow customers the flexibility to change or alternate the use of multiple products included in the license arrangement after those products are delivered to the customer. 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.

Four basic criteria must be satisfied before software license revenue can be recognized: persuasive evidence of an arrangement between us and an end user; delivery of our product has occurred; the fee for the product is fixed or determinable; and collection of the fee is probable.

Persuasive evidence of an arrangement—We use a signed contract as evidence of an arrangement for software licenses and SMS. For professional services we use a signed contract and a work proposal to evidence an arrangement. In cases where both a signed contract and a purchase order are required by the customer, we consider both taken together as evidence of the arrangement.

Delivery of our product—Software and the corresponding access keys are generally delivered to customers via disk media with standard shipping terms of Free Carrier, our warehouse (i.e., FCA, named place). Our software license agreements do not contain conditions for acceptance.

Fee is fixed or determinable—We assess whether a fee is fixed or determinable at the outset of the arrangement. Significant judgment is involved in making this assessment.

Under our upfront revenue model, we are able to demonstrate that the fees are fixed or determinable for all arrangements, including those for our term licenses that contain extended payment terms. We have an established history of collecting under the terms of these contracts without providing concessions to customers. In addition, we also assess whether a contract modification to an existing term arrangement constitutes a concession. In making this assessment, significant analysis is performed to ensure that no concessions are given. Our software license agreements do not include a right of return or exchange.

We cannot assert that the fees under our aspenONE licensing model and point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS are fixed or determinable because the rights provided to customers, and the economics of the arrangements, are not comparable to our transactions with other customers under the upfront revenue model. As a result, the amount of revenue recognized for these arrangements is limited by the amount of customer payments that become due.

Collection of fee is probable—We assess the probability of collecting from each customer at the outset of the arrangement based on a number of factors, including the customer’s payment history, its current creditworthiness, economic conditions in the customer’s industry and geographic location, and general economic conditions. If in our judgment collection of a fee is not probable, revenue is recognized as cash is collected, provided all other conditions for revenue recognition have been met.

Vendor-Specific Objective Evidence of Fair Value

We have established VSOE for certain SMS offerings, professional services, and training, but not for our software products or our Premier Plus SMS offering. We assess VSOE for SMS, professional services, and training, based on an analysis of standalone sales of the offerings using the bell-shaped curve approach. We do not have a history of selling our Premier Plus SMS offering to customers on a standalone basis, and as a result are unable to establish VSOE for this new deliverable.

We allocate the arrangement consideration among the elements included in our multi-element arrangements using the residual method. Under the residual method, the VSOE of the undelivered elements is deferred and the remaining portion of the arrangement fee for perpetual and term licenses is recognized as revenue upon delivery of the software, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria are met. If VSOE does not exist for an undelivered element in an arrangement, revenue is deferred until such evidence does exist for the undelivered elements, or until all elements are delivered, whichever is earlier. Under the upfront revenue model, the residual license fee is recognized upon delivery of the software provided all other revenue recognition criteria were met. Arrangements that qualify for upfront recognition include sales of perpetual licenses, amendments to existing legacy term arrangements and renewals of legacy term arrangements.

Subscription and Software Revenue

Subscription and software revenue consists of product and related revenue from our (i) aspenONE licensing model, including the bundled SMS; (ii) point product arrangements with our Premier Plus SMS offering included for the contract term; (iii) legacy arrangements including (a) amendments to existing legacy term arrangements, (b) renewals of legacy term arrangements and (c) legacy arrangements that are being recognized over time as a result of not previously meeting one or more of the requirements for recognition under the upfront revenue model; and (iv) perpetual arrangements.

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 new unspecified future software products and updates that may be introduced into the licensed aspenONE software suite. Due to our obligation to provide unspecified future software products and updates, we are required to recognize revenue ratably over the term of the arrangement, once the other revenue recognition criteria noted above have been met.

Our point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS include SMS for the term of the arrangement. Since we do not have VSOE for our Premier Plus SMS offering, the SMS element of our point product arrangements is not separable. As a result, revenue associated with point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS included for the contract term is recognized ratably over the term of the arrangement, once the other revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Perpetual license and legacy arrangements do not include the same rights as those provided to customers under the aspenONE licensing model and point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS. We continue to have VSOE for the legacy SMS offering provided in support of these license arrangements and can therefore separate the undelivered elements. Accordingly, the license fees for perpetual licenses and legacy arrangements continue to be recognized upon delivery of the software products using the residual method, provided all other revenue recognition requirements have been met.

Results of Operations Classification - Subscription and Software Revenue

Prior to fiscal 2012, subscription and software revenue were each classified separately on our unaudited consolidated statements of operations, because each type of revenue had different revenue recognition characteristics, and the amount of revenue attributable to each was material in relation to our total revenue. Additionally, we were able to separate the residual amount of software revenue related to the software component of our point product arrangements which included SMS for the contract term, based on the VSOE for the SMS element.

As a result of the introduction of our Premier Plus SMS offering in the first quarter of fiscal 2012, the majority of our product-related revenue is now recognized on a ratable basis, over the term of the arrangement. Since the distinction between subscription and point product ratable revenue does not represent a meaningful difference from either a line of business or revenue recognition perspective, we have combined our subscription and software revenue into a single line item on our consolidated statements of operations beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2012.

The following tables summarize the amount of subscription and software revenue recognized on a ratable basis and under a residual method for the three and nine months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Ratable revenue refers to product revenue that is recognized evenly over the term of the related agreement, beginning when the first payment becomes due. The residual method refers to the recognition of the difference between the total arrangement fee and the undiscounted VSOE for the undelivered element, assuming all other revenue recognition requirements have been met.

	Three Months Ended March 31,				Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(Dollars in thousands)				% of Total
Subscription and software revenue:
Ratable	$	58,551	$	40,328	96.1	%	95.0	%
Residual method (1)	2,348		2,116		3.9		5.0
Subscription and software revenue	$	60,899	$	42,444	100.0	%	100.0	%

	Nine Months Ended March 31,				Nine Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(Dollars in thousands)				% of Total
Subscription and software revenue:
Ratable	$	162,253	$	100,509	93.0	%	83.2	%
Residual method (1)	12,183		20,347		7.0		16.8
Subscription and software revenue	$	174,436	$	120,856	100.0	%	100.0	%

(1) Residual method revenue detail

	Three Months Ended March 31,				Nine Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012		2013		2012
	(Dollars in thousands)				(Dollars in thousands)

Residual method revenue:
Legacy arrangements	$	2,123	$	1,714	$	10,840	$	18,498
Perpetual arrangements	225		402		1,343		1,849
Total residual method revenue	$	2,348	$	2,116	$	12,183	$	20,347

Services and Other

SMS Revenue

SMS revenue includes the maintenance revenue recognized from arrangements for which we continue to have VSOE for the undelivered SMS offering (legacy SMS offering). For arrangements sold with our legacy SMS offering, SMS renewals are at the option of the customer, and the fair value of SMS is deferred and subsequently amortized over the contractual term of the SMS arrangement.

Professional Services Revenue

Professional services are provided to customers on a time-and-materials (T&M) or fixed-price basis. 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. Project costs are typically expensed as incurred. 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.

In certain circumstances, professional services revenue may be recognized over a longer time period than that which the services are performed. If the costs to complete a project are not estimable or the completion is uncertain, the revenue is recognized upon completion of the services. In circumstances in which professional services are sold as a single arrangement with, or in contemplation of, a new aspenONE license or point product arrangement with Premier Plus SMS, revenue is deferred and recognized on a ratable basis over the longer of (i) the period the services are performed, or (ii) the license term. When we provide professional services considered essential to the functionality of the software, we recognize the combined revenue from the sale of the software and related services using the completed contract or percentage-of-completion method.

We have occasionally been required to commit unanticipated additional resources to complete projects, which resulted in losses on those contracts. Provisions for estimated losses on contracts are made during the period in which such losses become probable and can be reasonably estimated.

Deferred Revenue

Deferred revenue includes amounts billed or collected in advance of revenue recognition, including arrangements under the aspenONE licensing model, point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS, legacy SMS offering, professional services, and training. Under the aspenONE licensing model and for point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS, VSOE does not exist for the undelivered elements, and as a result the arrangement fees are recognized ratably (i.e., on a subscription basis) over the term of the license, and deferred revenue is recorded as each invoice becomes due.

For arrangements under the upfront revenue model, a portion of the arrangement fee is generally recorded as deferred revenue due to the inclusion of an undelivered element, typically our legacy SMS offering or professional services. The amount of revenue allocated to undelivered elements is based on the VSOE for those elements using the residual method, and is earned and recognized as revenue as each element is delivered.

(c) Installments Receivable

Installments receivable resulting from product sales under the upfront revenue model are discounted to present value at prevailing market rates at the date the contract is signed, taking into consideration the customer’s credit rating. The finance element is recognized using the effective interest method over the relevant license term and is classified as interest income. Installments receivable are split between current and non-current in our unaudited consolidated balance sheets based on the maturity date of the related installment. Non-current installments receivable consist of receivables with a due date greater than one year from the period-end date. Current installments receivable consist of invoices with a due date of less than one year but greater than 45 days from the period-end date. Once an installments receivable invoice becomes due within 45 days, it is reclassified as a trade accounts receivable in our unaudited consolidated balance sheets. As a result, we did not have any past due installments receivable as of March 31, 2013.

Our non-current installments receivable are within the scope of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2010-20, Receivables (Topic 310): Disclosures about the Credit Quality of Financing Receivables and the Allowance for Credit Losses. As our portfolio of financing receivables arises from the sale of our software licenses, the methodology for determining our allowance for doubtful accounts is based on the collective population of receivables and is not stratified by class or portfolio segment. We consider factors such as existing economic conditions, country risk, and customer’s credit rating and past payment history in determining our allowance for doubtful accounts. We reserve against our installments receivable when the related trade accounts receivable have been past due for over a year, or when there is a specific risk of uncollectability. Our specific reserve reflects the full value of the related installments receivable for which collection has been deemed uncertain. Our specific reserve represented 96% and 89% of our total installments receivable allowance for doubtful accounts at March 31, 2013 and June 30, 2012, respectively. In instances when an installment receivable that is reserved ages into a trade account receivable, the related reserve is transferred to our trade accounts receivable allowance.

We write off receivables when they have been deemed uncollectable based on our judgment. In instances when we write off specific customers’ trade accounts receivable, we also write off any related current and non-current installments receivable balances. Any incremental interest income for installments receivable that has been reserved is offset by an additional provision to the allowance for doubtful accounts.

As of March 31, 2013, our gross current and non-current installments receivable of $20.0 million and $3.0 million are presented net of unamortized discounts of $0.9 million and $0.3 million and net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.1 million each, respectively. Provision for bad debts related to current and non-current installments receivable was not significant during the three and nine months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

As of June 30, 2012, our gross current and non-current installments receivable of $35.0 million and $15.9 million are presented net of unamortized discounts of $1.6 million and $1.8 million, and net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.2 million and less than $0.1 million, respectively.

Under the aspenONE licensing model and for point product arrangements with Premier Plus SMS included for the contract term, the installment payments are not considered fixed or determinable and, as a result, are not included as installments receivable on our unaudited consolidated balance sheet.

(d) Loss Contingencies

We accrue estimated liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation and other sources when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the claim, assessment or damages can be reasonably estimated. We believe that we have sufficient accruals to cover any obligations resulting from claims, assessments or litigation that have met these criteria. Refer to Note 11 for discussion of these matters and related liability accruals.

(e) Other

For further information with regard to our “Significant Accounting Policies,” please refer to Note 2 of our Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.