Revenue Recognition for Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables
For multi-element arrangements that include hardware products containing software essential to the hardware product's functionality, undelivered software elements that relate to the hardware product's essential software, and undelivered non-software services, the Company allocates revenue to all deliverables based on their relative selling prices. In such circumstances, the Company uses a hierarchy to determine the selling price to be used for allocating revenue to deliverables: (i) vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value ("VSOE"), (ii) third-party evidence of selling price ("TPE") and (iii) best estimate of the selling price ("ESP"). VSOE generally exists only when the Company sells the deliverable separately and VSOE is the price actually charged for that deliverable. TPE is determined based on competitor prices for similar deliverables when sold separately. ESPs reflect the Company's best estimates of what the selling prices of elements would be if they were sold regularly on a standalone basis.
For sales of hardware products, the Company provides various hardware components containing software essential to the hardware product's functionality, and other components depending on the customers' needs. The Company allocates revenue to these deliverables using the relative selling price method. Because the Company has not established VSOE or TPE for the hardware, with essential software, revenue is allocated based on ESPs. Revenue is recognized upon shipment of the hardware and the related essential software, provided the other conditions for revenue recognition have been met. The Company also provides software support and product support services on a standalone basis from the sales of the hardware. Amounts allocated to software support and product support services are based on VSOE using hourly or daily billing rates. Revenue is deferred until the services are performed. For annual software licenses, the Company uses VSOE. Amounts allocated to annual software licenses are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period, which is typically one year.
The Company considers multiple factors depending on the unique facts and circumstances related to each deliverable when determining ESPs for deliverables without VSOE or TPE. Key factors considered by the Company in developing the ESPs for the hardware include the costs of manufacture and what a customer would reasonably pay based on the features being offered, trends in the market place, size of the territory, and competitive prices. If the facts and circumstances underlying the factors change, including the estimated or actual costs incurred to provide the hardware with the essential software, or should future facts and circumstances lead the management to consider additional factors, the Company's ESP for the hardware with essential software related to future sales could change.
